The Lehi sun. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1913-1949, 1921-05-26


courtyard ere the necessary prepa'
ratlnns had been made In the middle
If n small spnce stood an altar to ~
An beside II n stand holding a char
coal brazler and the requisite cooking
utensils.
All about In silent groups. dazzllngiy
dressed In many-hued silks and ar
ranged in picturesque order, were the
officials, dlgnitarles and notabies Of tho
city and province. the priests OF the
temple OF Zl-An, and the judges.
Strange as It may seem. the cerc-
mony about to take place. although NIL
ruiely described and rigidly ordered
In the sncred books Of the cult. had
never before been attempted for the
simple reason that no Chlnaman had
ever got to the stage where he dared
offer n suitable iced-hot dish--the pen
atty for failure being death Mt the
hands Of the assemblage. Despite this
lack of experimental knowledge OF the
method Of procedure. the well-studled
rites moved forward smoothly and
without an error.
When Hung-Ho. with lightning
speed. mixed the ingredients for a suit
able cake. | nodded and squeezed a
handful of snow from the PARKWAY
Hung shan mountains TO the size OF an
egg, surrounded II with an insulating
LAYER OF vegetable asbestos, and nj
the proper moment handed II to my
assistant. who In full view OF the ex'
pectant assembly dropped 1t into the
ceke-dough and set the sacred copper
basin containing the mixture over the
brazler's glowing Goals.
Now ensued moments Of anxious
nay, neutrality-suspicious..
Suddenly Hung-Ho seized the cop
per dish, threw up the cover, and
snntched out the golden cake the like
OF which had seen him split In two
thousand times, always to disclose
n crystal of ice within.
He essayed to break II open, when
quick and horrible flash Of fear Inn
PEELED me 10 strike the cake from his
trembling hands so that the precious
thing fell to the tiles Of the court at
the feet Of the spell-bound nssemblage.
Astonlshment Kissed from the throats
OF the Onlookers. At once, with orr
entail intultiveness, they OWNED the
cause OF my sacrileglous net. The law,
as all knew. but for the first time fully
realized. made him who opened the
cake the master OF the cult
Crafty Hung-Ho had all but won the
prizel
No sooner had STAYED OF one vi.
clous attack than another was dellv'
cred. While the foIled traitor and I
stood glaring at each other. neither
knowing what next 10 do. hoary gray
beard among the judges-the most
aged and therefore esteemed the wisest
Omong them all-slowiy rose, and with
cxaspernting moderation pronounced
the dictum that the ov"rreachlng ras-
cal. Hung-Ho. had for tied his claim
by his unworthy exhibition OF greed
and faithlessness.
Furthermore, ACCORDING TO the tradi-
tons. only Chinese c,'ild contest for
the prlze-never ha' Il foreigner.
!, too. was eliminated.
Hence II only remain Il for the judge
himself to claim the rcward. In the
name OF the whole cuIlrge of Judges
Suiting the action % rhe word, hS
slowly stopped. picked up the still
steamIng cake and broke II open.
Out popped the nugget Of compressed
snow. which. falling to the pavement
partially dissolved 10 It's original wa
terry state before the entranced spec
tators recovered from the spell OF
wonder that held them enthrnlled.
Then up went shriIl. enr-plerclng
denth-heralding shriek from the SAT
fron-faced assembly as with one voice
they vented their pent-up indignation
at the almost successful attempt OF
n hated foreign devil TO despoll them
OF their cherished heritage.
In n moment Hung-Ho and I we're In
l. maelstrom OF rushing, clawing Chi
nese. Counter-currents bore us apart.
crashed down upon the pavement
and lost consciousness.
When I awoke found myself In the
care Of good missionary. who had
rescued me In the nick Of time. As
soon as my strength was sufficiently
regnlned he hurried me beyond the
torders Of the province OF Shan-Tung.
foi which kind act was devoutly
thankful.
Hung-Ho probably lost his worthless
life In the maelstrom. I never heard
Of him again.
As for the secret OF the lced-hot
DISH you can soon purchase II at ten
cents a box.
The slow. small, but entirely safe
profits OF trade appeal more strongly
10 me-since my narrow escape IN the
thrice-blessed city Of Confucius.