The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-20
EOeningS Story
The Bamboo Bat.
BY ROSE MEREDITH.


chinatown exclaimed Dorothea
| as the sightseeing car stopped at the
curb and they could look up and down
| the crooked streets and see, hear and
smell, particularly smell, China trans
planted to the new world.
''At last we are in Chinatown-the
next, thing to visiting China ITSELF
gurgfed Marguerite.
Smells almost like it, agreed
Weeks, elevating his handsome nose.
oh, know / m a-lowbrows" he added
hastily.
where shall we go first ?" the girls
cried in unison.
Home said their escort timidly.
'Idiot," shifted Marguerite. come.
Derry, let us go into this darling little
shop and buy curios to take home
Willie Weeks helped them to the
narrow sidewalk and g1oomily trailed
them as they skipped down three steps
and pushed open a narrow shop door.
A slant-eyed yellow man popped up
behind he counter and spread his
long-nailed fingers on the neat coun-
ter. What have?" he asked blandly.
Dorothea waved her hand airily.
"Willee lookkee roundee, Sam" she
said in what she thought was the Chi
nese language.
The shopkeeper shook his head vio-
1ently. mo keep laundlee, no sable
maybe want teapots?"
eS,. LeapOLS!' SalQ DOTOlnedf7 nOu-
ding her head frantically. "Teapots
apd-tea''
More headshaking. mo chop suey
place-curio shop. Here teapots,'
The Chinese indicated y shelf loaded
with teapots of every size, shape and
color.
Two or three Chinese customers
turned to watch the Americans as they
amiably wrangled over the question of
what they should buy. At last their
arms were filled with knobby pack
ages, and the OrjentaTs bored express
sion had changed to one of fixed in
terest.
"Now you shall each choose a souve-
mir to take home" said Willie Weeks
generously. This is on me, you
know"
Dorothea's blue eyes went back to
a curious bamboo box which was on
the counter. The blue sleeve of a
Chinaman who was buying joss sticks
almost covered the article, but to Dor
othea it was a thing of mystery; she
imagined it might contain a silk shawl,
perhaps a string of odd beads or some
quaint treasure from the Orient.
I'D like that bamboo box" she
said quietly.
at want one, too" echoed Mar
querite. Its darling; let's not open
them until we get home. Speak to
him. Willie, before some one else buys
themi"
The three of them crowded up to
the counter and the other customers
moved aside.
1.-TWO of these boxes.'' said Willie
Weeks. touching the bamboo box.
A Chinaman leaped from behind
them and tried to snatch the box
away from Mr.. Weeks. He shrieked
shrilly at them in words they did not
understand.
mo can SELL" protested the pro-
prietor.
Nonsense. It was on the counter.
How much is It, anyway"
mo can SELL" said the man dog
gedly.l while the shrieking Chinaman |
leaped frantically at the bamboo box
which Mr.. Weeks kept out of reach |
with clever sIeight-of- hand tricks
"Give me two like it" painted Willie. |
mo more-not for sale" there was |
a wailing note in the mans voice.
Choose something else, girls Willie |
was saying, when Marguerite snatched |
the box from his fingers and darted |
out of the shop. PAY for It, Willie, |
and come along" she tossed over her |
slim shoulder as she gained the side |
walk
Dorothea followed her and Willie |
came after, with three Cinnamon in |
hot pursuit. shrieking in ear-spliting /
tones that instantly crowded the side
walks with an eager audience. At the /
corner two stout policemen gathered /
them all into one protesting group and
them off to the station house |
The Chinese faces had snloothed as If I
by magic and the proprietor was eager
to explain. but no one could under /
stand what he did say when he talked /
Can all that talk" said the desk