Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-02-02
The Pearl of
Hoy How.
T was certainly a glorious New
Year day in Honglong, the beau
tiful island OF fragrant Wa

the 18th, the glorious day fixed by
the silver moon, the radiant queen or
+ the starry heavens, and not by tho
glaring sun of the MONDAY. Ana
how wonderfully she accommodates
herself TO the oriental's Inherent dis
like OF q hard and fixed regularity!
She never dates it alike on any two
following years, but like the unveil~
ing of her smiling face---hcr waxing
and her waning with the changing
tnonths--she draws the curtain for
ward and backward as the seasons
como and go and so gives to all her
children tho fascinating charm OF va
fiety, Indeed, the cold, calm, busl-
nesslilke way In which the western
man celebrates the dawning OF the
year has led them, In the various
ports OF China, to imagine that De
Gember rs, and not January /, Is the
real changing OF the calendar. Yang
Jen go MEN" (the ocean man is pass
ing the Year, is heard on every SIDE
ut Christmas, and the little ricc-paper
cards which are sold everywhere Win
the words, my chin-chin you Nelly
Klismas," are universally supposed 10
ba tho New Year greetings.
Queens road and all the other bust
ness streets were blaze of golden
glory. Red banners and streamers
aiOated in the air, beautiful lanterns OF
all fantastic shapes hung out from
every available point, while the con-
slant din of firecrackers without WED
with the music of the three-stringed
adde's within. Every business house,
from the great hongs along the water
to tho humblest shops in twisting
alleys, was closed and its doors her.
alleys, was closed and its doors her
of red paper bearing their good wishes
or fha{r hlaCcinoG rhilb
and Sing MEN wan foot" ("Great luck
on opening tho door" and Myriad
blessings of the new year'D greeted one
on every side. Every one was happy
and every man that had a new coat OF
b new hat or a pair Of new shoes had
them on. The last neighborhood row,
the last family squabble. the last dun
ming for debts had ceased promptly at
the stroke Of midnight and now all
was bowling and scraping and good
cheer, as the pipes of harmony" and
the wines of peace" passed around.
or course, every jinrikisha and
Rmpan fare was either doubled or
6ebled. 1t was hard enough for even
these poor coolies to be working on
1he great day of the feast and mean
Beyond words must he be who would
4egrudge them the extra wine money.
ivory old residen, in the colony knew
lhis and cheerfully paid accordingly,
but the tourists in the hoter could
hardly be expected TO grasp the situa-
Sion. This explains why Col and
lrs. Witherspoon, wealthy globe-trot-
fers from ST. Louis, U. s, A.. were call
ing for the police at the hotel en-
erance, when the men who had pulled
them from the steamer wharf insisted,
in somewhat violent tones, on an sddi-
tion to the fare.
II gave them dime apiece and
that's more than enough for hauling
us less than three blocks" exclaimed
the' irate colonel. They're regular
Caples."
.Twenty centee! Twenty centee!
P1ongee new year, China new year.
tSsee pay more money" cried the
coolies in unison.
mot q cent more, If die for It,
Now get out of this, quick. every one
PIT you. or I'll have the whole lot of
k0u In jail"
The foremost runner started to take
hold OF the tourists sleeve and hold
him back. just in time to dodge n
blow from his heavy walking stick,
when n handsomely dressed Chinese
gentleman who had been an eyewit-
ness OF the occurrence stepped In be-
tween them and. In the most perfect
Of English, attempted to explain.
!, II hope you will excuse these men,
cir. They really do not mean to be
exorbitant or TO do you any harm,
but you see 1t Is the great feast of
the year with them and they are ac-
cuStomed to an extra considerable
that is all. Just step into the hotel,
sir. with the lady and i viii settle
With the jinrikisha."
3"You don't mean to say that you arc
going to pay It yourself, do YOUR,
"Oh. never mind about that, sir;
that is very trifling consideration.
You see, the respectable Chinese espe-
Glally dislike to have any unpleasant
ness on the holiday. II doesn't look
well. and"---he added with q smile.
rthey believe II betokens bad luck for
the rest OF the year. Please pass
right In, sir. and forget It,"
t"Wel," answered the colonel, quite
taken aback by this unusual courte-
w. II am sure am greatly Obliged
to you, sir. Here Is my card, and /
hope we may meet again before we
leave the island" p, ~st
Wang Foo, tho man of mystery
Tor II was none other than he--ac-
cepted the card with gracious bow,
and was on The point OF opening his
case to return his own when Mrs.
Witherspoon called to her husband
from within and he was lost to sight
in the corridor. ...
"Here are two extra cups OF wine
Tor YOU" he said to the coolies, as
ne proceeded TO explain and to calm
them down. do not blame the ocean
man; he means well. but he Does not
understand our native customs. His
aew year IL over, a month and q half
ago Here. take this extra silver for
rood luck and may the god of riclps