Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-01-30

ginning to poison them on the sly,
every chance they get. (She did not
notice that dignified native gentle
man standing near by caught her re-
directionD Mrs. Whitmarsh lost her
Trixy a few days ago and I've just
heard from my husband that Capt
McAlpin told them at the Club Tiffin
that his little pet dog had been poi
soned in the same mysterious way.
(The native gentleman seemed more
and more interested. and. casually
taking a little memorandum book out
OF his sleeve. jotted down a few rapid
notes) 1 wonder If Sir Eyeington
n has j. heard h. of it and what he thinks
MY husband was speaking of it at
breakfast this very morning" replied
the wife of the governor, land he said
that while he had known of such
things happening among the natives
in India and Burmah. he couldn't
really conceive of their happening in
a civilized community like Hong
kong-but here he comes himself: let
us ask him.
I'VE were just speaking. dear. of the
poisoning of those little pet dogs. and
Mrs. De Peyster seems to think that
it's a general plot of the natives to
drive them all out of the colony
Nonsense. Nonsense interrupted
the governor, fits just one of those
foolish scares that nervous citizens
get into when two or three cases of
ANYTHING whatever happen in the col
ony. 1t is true that several of us
have lost valuable dogs within the
last few days-and all OF them appa-
rently from poisoning-but this may
be just an accidental coincidence. or
it is possible that some servant or en-
their owners and have gratified it in
this unfortunate way. l don't think
we shall really hear anything more
| of it."
These reassuring remarks on the
part Of his excelleney; however. did
tive Mrs. De Peyster--who was al
ways only too ready to believe any
| thing bad on the part Of the ma
tivAs--from adding that she felt con-
WINGED that there was soEe religious
superstition behind it. and that I'M
| suppress 1t some ridiculous Joss
pidgin" would end in the slaughter
of all their pets. even to parrots
and canaries. This opinion certainly
| received some additional weight from
| a line or two in the next days issue
of the Morning Press:
'.MYsTERIoUs DEATH or VALUABLE DOGS
1.-The sudden death. apparently from
poison. of number of pet dogs in
| the colony has led to an unfortunate
rumor that this is an act of revenge
| on the part of some superstitious
and vindictive natives. for some ac-
| cidental affront to a sacred animal
| in a local shrine. We do not concur
| in this belief ourselves and we look
to our respected Chinese fellow citi-
| zens to join with us in immediately
| correcting this report before it grows
J to a possibly dangerous proportion"
| In the Quiet Glade of Reflection
| Wang Foo leaned over his table and
| carefully perused the English news
the evening edition. He also looked
| over the notes which he had jotted
/ down in Government Gardens. He
touched the silver bell and the
] venerable grand one mounted the
little stairs, Lao Lao Tai Tai chow Nv
Mao chuk. ching Lao Flu TIE king
bang chik lee. lai." venerable
| Grand One. call the gatekeeper and
! tell him to go to the temple of the
| Queen Of Heaven and ask the ven
] cradle father to come here this even
ingo
"Hien Sang sho ting hao. Chu jim
! tze hwa ee jing tso lao" was the
| immediate response. tThe elder born
| speaketh well: the masters words
! than an hour the abbot's sedan-chair
! was deposited at 5-5-5 in the Red
Cloud alley. and. after the ceremonial
tea and pipes, the two friends re-
| paired for quiet conference to the
! room above.
Wang Foo began: I'VE are in some
| danger, venerable father. OF more
racial clashing in the colony. which
we must take immediate steps To
head Off. You have heard of the
poisoning of the dogs? II not. kindly
cast an honorable glance at this .
handing him a copy of the Chinese
paper. The abbot adjusted his large
round horn goggles and carefully
perused the article. Hung Mao
several times-("Local Shrine, Local
Shrine"). "Ah. that can refer only
to the sacred dog of the Llamas by
the Macao wharf. concerning which
the coolies are always so jealous. /
wonder now il some thoughtIess for.
elgner has stirred up their anger by
make IL good at once and quiet their
feelings or the government will