The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-01-21

Cnit1h bach lU tho hatIS" wv
Yuut cu operation Ia this mA''"
will reflect goat credit upon p"".
and will iennva oil 'ha'e"'
rpnlnHi your 0nunirymen. WI" "'N
uT rnuiro aniIroIy innonoh'
Ma Topllt aald. u waH all !"
knowing how Ia handle them.
Tnp,Ii escorted Miss Using 10
tho Women's Medical School anu
loft hor. Then no went To n curo
shop near tho South Gate anu
bought several small but worthy
oh Iects which attracted hin.
Later in the day, he returned 70
The suburban home Of the man
DARN. Wing, and found new at
mosphere about the place.
Wing made no reference 10 nis
guests activities, and Toptit ala
not mention them. Each man
knew that the other man Knew
however.
At dinner that evening. discus
sion again fell upon the screen IN
the dining room.
II was thinking about that
screen today" observed Toptit.
drawing forth his notebook. In
fact. 1t suggested poem to mo
or perhaps l should say. verse.
The mandarin chuckled. Il ap-
prccIate the distinction. Mr.. TOP
IT, d" he answered. II have heard
n,ot Won are a poet, however"
"WelI." resumed T0ptit. IL was
thinking about that old Eyce ovo'
thcrc. and II Suggosied nomethins
60 mo. If might bore you Win
! tho fragment" -.
my dear mir. Tho pleasure VIII
bo tremendous" avorrrd tho man.
DARN. with Einoority. by all
mcanB.'
Very woll," raid Toptlt. oDon-
ing tho notebook. I'VE must
Imagine Chang Now mt WORK. you
| know.
by the roadside sat Chang Now,
And with cunning fingers laid
His ink and paint TO the silk-striD
quaint.
While the dapple-gray dozed in
the shade.
Then the old syce. hopping hn
brow.
The critics art essayed,
AS he propped his foot on
gnarled brown root
And discOursed on the painters
trade:
I've always had an idea quoth he.
That ! had the soul OF an artist
in me;
Now II were you. I'd change that
tree
Dy the roadside sat Chang Now
Craftsman OF paint and ink;
He limned n bouEh - he best
knew how.
And his left eye closed In .
wink"
Toptit cleared his throat.
"You understand" no said
apoloyctIcally. tho hllubIon II to
the common quality OF human
nature which,
Tho mandarin amilcd and lifted
hts hand protcstingly.
MY dear afr. ] understand
perfectly. The verse Is n gem OF
words, an exquisite fnncy! II
might suggest a slisht change IN
the final limo"
by Nil MEANS" FASTENED Toptit
eagerly.
"Inslcad OF naying his left oye.'
why not make II his slant oys'f
Don't you think this would BIO .
llitlo moro general. n trlno lens
oxnrt and pronnlc7'
"Ccrtninly: but you said that
Chang Now wan n Manchu, thcrs-
roro no would scarcely have
almond "yos
"Or course" agreed tho mndrh-
rIr. rlrnklng his wIBpy gray board.
"StIll. tho art OF pOcSy has = very
catholic latitude, don't you think1"
Toplit regarded his host with
somo FuapIcion. but the mandarin
remained gravcly dignIned. Sud-
denly Wing turned TO him.
you must accept = small and
unworthy gift, my friend" no
said earnestly. II have discovered
a very fine bit OF real Ming
cloIsonn& In a nearby temple. and
have sent for It. 1t Is a hsiang u.
an invense urn, and II is rather
remarkable. 1t will give me great
pleasure II you will accept It."
Il shall be indeed honored."
said Toptit in delight. why"
And II you know OF anyone
who cares to buy this humble
SCREEN" the mandarin waved his
taper fingers toward the screen. Il
shall gladly sell 1t for q thousand
dollars-Mexican."
Toptit started. His bid has bea1
a thousand gold, or had been 30
intended. However, II the man
DARN wanted silver. all right
I'll write check Immediately.
he responded.
That night, in his own room,
Toptit frowned portentioualy. to
himself. He was distinctly Wor-
ried, troubled. uneasy over some
hidden matter. At length he
drew out his notebook and once
more read over the verso to him
self. Then he threw down the
little book with IN exclamation OF
annoyance.
Darn IT," no Bnid. 1T do1O
bCHovo no thought this poem waS
worth II hang! HIe didn't ovsN
ask to have u copy OF II. wonder
Ir no was making fun about II.
after ] read TT"
He sadly shook his head a. he
lClimbGd into bed.
"Why--why. yes. OF course" snid