Evening star., 1919-08-17
The Coral
Button .
RACKLE! Crackle! Crackle!
Bang. Bang! Bang! went the
hrecrackers which the coolies

wedding sedan-chair proceeding along
Queens road in Hongkong. 1t was
such O common every day occurrence
that, outside of the usual pleasant
sensation associated with the noise
and the fire and the smoke. 1t did not
attract any very special attention
from the native passers-by, but two
European gentlemen, evidently out
Tor an afternoon STROLL stopped to
comment upon it.
Sounds mighty like the old-fash-
ioned Fourth of July at home, doesn't
IT." remarked Col. Harold Westing-
house, the newly-arrived consul for
the United States, to Capt. John Il.
Marshall, late Of New Bedford, Mass,
and now acting agent for the Ameri-
can river steamers to Canton.
1T surely does" replied the latter.
land you notice that the Chinese
small boy takes just about as much
delight in it as'the American one used
to do--that is. before a lot OF pious
old fogies got scared and took his
powder and crackers away from him."
They don't seem to scrimp them
selves at all; why, that fellow must
the end of that fish pole there, and
he 10 setting them all off-one right
after the other"
Yes, and besides the little fellows.
you see he's got a lot of those big
cannon crackers tied in with the
bunch. They're the ones that make
the jin-rik k-sha pullers jump when
they go off in the middle of the
street."
II wonder what the real idea Of the
thing is, anyhow? 1t can't be just
simply to make a noise. The Chinese
are too thrifty and prudent and saw
money just on empty noise. You
mark my words, there's philosophy in
their madness. l believe these hard
headed people have some theory about
it that you and don't understand at
ALL"
"Oh, I suppose it's on the same
principle as the joss money they buy
and throw overheard every time the
ship starts. 1t helps to give good
luck for the voyage and to keep the
devil away. 1 asked our ships COM
pradore about it a trip or, two ago.
Says I to him, 'Ah Sam. what for
Chinaman he throw all that joss
paper in the sea every time ship sails,
eh?' 'B'longee velly good joss.' says he;
'Chineeman talkee plenty piecee debbil
have got in air all samee velly hungly.
He watchee chow chow lice, but no
got cash. sposee he no pay him plenty
paper money. debbil velly angly
sendee plenty wind and lain and
makee that sea velly Tough. Ship no
can 60 ploper. saver"
"Oh, see," said the consul, with q
smile. tits just kind Of a fair
weather insurance. as we would say"
Yes. that's about the size OF it," re-
or whatever they are that they be-
lieve in-say to these poor dupes,
Here. now. you pay up so much cash
before you start, or we'll make it
mighty unpleasant for you when this
ship gets out to sea-"
But. Of course, it isn't real money
they throw overboard?"
mot on your life. It's just this
cheap counterfeit stuff you see them
selling in the shops. You can get
about $500 worth Of it for 10 cents,
my boy tells me-"
And do they think the devils in the
air don't know the difference between
this and real money!"
That's what it looks like. But
that's only one of the many ways they
have of fooling them. However, it's
too big subject for you and me to
attempt to unravel. II we should try
to get at the inside Of any OF these
superstitions, we'd be over our heads
before we knew it. / just leave them
alone and simply say, Joss Pidgin,'
and that covers 1t ALL
Yes, even in the short time I've
lived here. I've discovered that Joss
Pidgin' covers almost everything the
European doesn't understand about
the strange religious ways Of this
people. But, see! Here comes Just the
man that can tell us all about it,
extending his hand in a cordial well
come to Mr.. Wang Foo. the famous
Chinese detective-"we'n refer the
whole matter to him for explanation.
Mr. Wang. the captain and I were
just talking about firecrackers and
wondering what the real secret Of
their constant use and popularity
among the Chinese is. There's no
subject connected with your people