The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1921-05-28

fore we exhibited our far-ramed and
epoch-making discovery
Promptly at the hour set for the
trial, Hung-Ho and I entered the great
courtyard, where the necessary prepa-
ratiOns had been made. In the middle
Of ii small space stood an altar to r.
An, beside ii stand holding a char
coal brazier and the requisite cooking
utensils.
All about in silent groups. dazzlingly
dressed in many-hued silks and ar
| ranged in picturesque order, were the
officials, dignitaries and nOtabies of the
city and province, the priests of the
| temple of Zi-An, and the judges.
Strange as it may seem, the cere-
mony about to take place, although mi
nutely described and rigidly ordered
| in the sacred books of the cult, had
never before been attempted for the
simple reason that no Chinaman had
ever got to the stage where he dared
offer a suitable iced-hot dish-the pen
atty for failure being death at the
| hands of the assemblage. Despite this
lack Of experimental knowledge of the
method of procedure, the well-Studied
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
/ handful of snow from the far-away
Hung Shan mountains to the size Of an
egg. surrounded it with an insulating
layer of vegetable asbestos, and at
the proper moment handed it to my
assistant, who in full view of the eX-
pectant assembly dropped ii into the
cake-dOugh and set the sacred copper
basin containing the mixture over the
brazier's glowing Goals.
Now ensued moments Of anxious
nay, neutrality-suspicious..
Suddenly Hung-HO seized The cop
per dish, threw up the cover, and
snatched out the golden cake the like
of which had seen him split in two
a thousand times, always TO disclose
crystal of ice within.
He essayed to break ii open, when
quick and horrible flash of fear i'm
PEELED me TO 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 assemblage.
Astonishment Kissed from the throats
OF the onlookers. At once, with ORR
entail intuitiveness, they OWNED the
Cause of my sacrilegious act. 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
prize!
No sooner had I STAYED off one VI
cious attack than another was deiiv-
! cred While the fOiled traitor and /
stood glaring at each other, neither
knowing what next TO do, hoary gray
beard among the judges-the most
aged and therefore esteemed the wisest
smong them all-slowly rose, and with
cxasperating moderation pronounced
the dictum that the overreaching ras-
cal, Hung-Ho, had forfeited his claim
by his unworthy exhibition Of greed
and faithlessness.
Furthermore. according to the tradi-
tons, only a Chinese could contest for
the priZe-never a hated foreigner.
/, too, was eliminated.
Hence it only remained for The Judge
himself to claim the reward, in the
name of the whole college of judges.
Suiting the action to the word, he
slowly stopped, picked up the still
stcaming cake and broke it open.
Out popped the nugget of compressed
snow, which. falling to the pavement.
partially dissolved to its original wa
terry state before the entranced spec
tators recovered from the spell Of
wonder that held them enthralled.
Then up went shrill, ear-piercing,
Notwithstanding shrek from the SAT-
fron-faced assembly as with one voice
they vented their pent-up indignation
at the almost successful attempt OF
a hated foreign devil to despoil them
Of their cherished heritage.
In moment Hung-HO and were in
maelstrom of rushing. clawing Chi
Eese. Counter-currelts bore us apart.
crashed down upon the pavement
and lost consciousness.
When / awoke found myself In the
care of a good missionary. who had
rescued me in the nick of time. AS
soon as my strength was sufficiently
regained he hurried me beyond the
borders of the province Of ShanTung.
for which kind act ] was devoutly
thankful.
Hung-Ho probably lost his worthless
life In the maelstrom / never heard
of him again.
As for the secret o. the iced-hot
dish, you can soon purchase it at ten
cents box.
The slow, small, but entirely safe
profits of trade appeal more strongly
TO me-since my narrow escape In the
thrice-blessed city of Confucius.
Cured.