The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-09-27

pradOre as he stretched out MS long
bony arm toward the centre cH the
table and deposited there. in front of
the censor Of the game, n fat ron OF
Hong Kong bank notes. The sleek and
oily receiver OF money took the roll
from the gamblers hand. but before he
said a word in acknowledgment Of, its
receipt he laid ont every separate bin
before him. examined its surface care
fully through his round horn spectanles,
held & up to the light. peered through
it-as II suspicious OF its interior struc-
ture-rubbed it between his thumb and
long nailed fingers and then deposited
10 in an old-fas hioned iron chest which
he held securely between his knees.
sam hal ching. cheH0 TAX fox
('Sam truly adds a thousand n1ore'O
he cried to pocls-marked cripple bend
ing over an open account book at his
side. and the latter promptly noted
down the fact IN the column under the
name OF the brave and reckless Sam.
Come now. Hop Hoy" he said. adj
dressing the central figure OF an inter
ested group on the other side OF the
ring. where's that valiant spirit OF your
ancestors Of which you and your family
are always talking? You're surely not
going TO allow a bean-cal<e to balk a
lump Of sugar that way. are your" At
this outburst of native wit the as
nsrnbled crowd broke out into loud and
good natured laughter. recognizing at
once the pointed allusion to the fact
that the party named wac a dealer in
sugar. while his opponent was a shipper
Of the ever popular bean-caloe.
Now. riGicule-even in its most good
natured fo1n-being something which
the Chinese mind cannot tolerate. the
remarks Of the cashier, especially his
clever reference to the ancestors, at
once called forth from the excited Hop
Hoy the rctcgt, by the noble spirits of
my ancestors. l will 'sweeten the mix
ture with twelve hundred dollars
MOI %" And. suiting the action to the
word. ne drew forth from his sleeve
the requisite amount which disappeared
in regular ordnr through the opening
I'm the cover OF the iron chest.
These two were the largest wagers OF
the evening on the spirited contest
being wagsd between two local cham
p'ons OF the manly art in carefully
guarded cellar some ten feet or more
beneath the surface of one Of Hong
Kong's crowded alleys. OF course there
were smaller bets, even as low as the
twenties and the tens and the fives, but
no copper or brass was admitted in the
moreyed transactions of this most aris-
tocratic club-even the current Mexican
silver having been tabooed and the min
imum limit placed at a fivs-dollar note
We are all ready for the next and
final round of the night" said the
master Of the bets, as no more money
seemed forthcoming. Whenever His
Majesty shall give the word" address,
ing a pompous and brutal faced indi-
vldual who occupied the most prom
inent seat in the circle.
The King OF the Contest. as he
was known to ali the patrons of the
establishment, bowed in acknowledge
ment and replied. IN accordance with
tho ancient customs and in obedience
to the traditions Of our ancestors, we
viii first pay our tribute to Tu Yok
Wang the third ruler Of Hades, who
prcsides over all the gods Of the cellars
Let the candles and the incense be
lighted and the wine and rice cakes be
presented"
1T Is already done as His Majesty
has commanded" replied Sung Ling,
who acted in the capacity Of door
keeper and acolyte.
Then let the honorable trial Of
strength begin!" announced the King
In his most majestic tones, "aud may
the august Decree Of Heaven decide
between the merits Of Spotted Back
and yellow Legs cloud cheers from
the hackers Of these two champions
greeted the royal remarks) Are the
rcd lacquer clamps firm beneath the
waists"
They arei They arel" shrielsed the
room in one great chorus.
Then all is ready. GOT" and with the
word Spotted Back" and yellow
~N- 80 -
and held only around the waist by the
clamps Of the polished red lacquer. few
at each other and, graphing in an
awful struggle for life or death. seemed
70 be trying to tear each other limb
from limb. as they revolved around in
the narrow arena--not OF boards or OF
sand. but. as always in these contests
In China-of baked and polished porce-
lain.
The battle was brief but very bloody
and in less than five short minutes
Spotted Back" was lying a crumpled
mass upon the floor and the conquering
yellow Legs. who had jumped upon
his victim and was kicking out his few
remaining sparks OF life. had actually
TO be dragged OF OF him and lifted
bodily into the air by the spectators
who rushed into the ring.
Ills NAAJf1AN LtAANIfu Ant Ollltlal Oe-
cision-though that was hardly neces-
sary under the circumstances-and
amid the fntensest excitement the iron
chest was unlocked by the cashier and
the full amount OF the wagers. less, Of
course. the deduction Of the usual per-
centage for expenses. janitor's wine
money and offerings to the cellar god.
were paid over TO the lucky supporters
OF ;he victor. One by one they retired
from the scene Of the conflict, passing
out In single Ole through a dark and
narrow passage into an adjoining cellar,
where a pile OF innocent Hooking empty
oil-boxes revolved on a pilot like the
circulars doors OF q London bank. and
up through the kitchen OF = conn
makers shop and so out into a twist
sng alley and At length into the open
STREET There was no formal cath OF
secrecy ~ 20 the location and what
soolS place thers but there was even
q SIN srronrsr bond of silence. q sort
Of facit and mutual understanding that