Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1925-07-31

QlVlnltleS were DelnB pihcdteu ny u
ferings of meat, wine and mock
money. Now the wailings of the
mOurners were redoubled as the little
sedan chair, with the picture Of Mrs.
Ii inside, was brought forward from
Wu's PACK. Around 1t we're grouped
representations Of animals, mock jew
elry and punches Of gilt and silver
paper money. Then the officiating
priest, with an explanatory remark
about the curious whim Of the late
Mrs. Ii, held up the image of the
foreign devil" lady who was to go as
an attendant to the deceased. The
crowd pressed nearer to gaze at this
offering and "Hi yah" Of admiration
smote the ears Of WI where he stood,
outwardly nOnchalant but inwardly
exultant as he noticed Ia Fan Yin's
satisfaction In the amount Of face"
he was creating In the burial Of Mrs.
LII. "That means three, perhaps FIVE,
extra strings of cash." the Offering
maker calculated to himself.
AS the priest held Wu's masterpiece
upraised, a cry arose on the outskirts
of the crowd and 1t parted as two
breathless foreign children forced
their way past the mourners into the
circle around the open grave.
"Oh, my dollyl Give me my dolly"
cried Constance, as she saw her be-
loved Lady Laura In the priests hands.
Then, noticing the fire of smoldering
charcoal which was waiting for the
offerings. and realizing what was
about TO happen, she began shrieking
Historically with hands outstretched
to her lost treasure.
David. with cooler head, began to
offer an explanation to the company,
which, till now, had stood still from
sheer establishment at the turn affairs
had taken.
The faultless Chinese Of his elo-
quent appeal for justice. and his de-
nunciation Of the thievlng WI, who
skunk In the background as attention
was drawn to him, won some sympathy
for the children, but Ii Fan Yin's
brow contracted as he saw the effect
of David's tale, and, fearing he might
lose face" If the doll were given up,
he hurriedly seized the boy by the arm
and started to eject him from the
place. AS David resisted, the sudden
rage which sometimes possesses the
Chinaman came upon Ii, and, forget
ting the dignity Of his position in the
anger that consumed him, he began
to shrek TRADE Of verbal abuse at
the American lad.
Shaking himself free from the half
crazed Chinaman, David faced him
with flashing eyes. Not for naught
came he from a line Of ancestors Of
the church and state militant. The
blood Of the fearless Pilgrims and
staunch minute men ran In his veins,
and he was ready to fight to the death
for his principles. Lad as he was, he
had not lived In China fourteen years
In vain, and his subconscious self,
which had been absorbing Impressions
through all his young life, came to
his rescue. In his comings and goings,
many forensic contest had he wit
messed, many wordy duel in market
place and country road, and, without
the slightest effort, he found himself
giving the irate official a Roland for
every Oliver, with this difference, that,
whereas Ii had descended to street
lingo, the retort courteous as given by
David was couched in classic Confu-
clan diction.
IN Nd III
game, and red In the face and breath
less from his verbal onslaught was
soon glad to snatch the doll from the
priests hand and restore 1t to Its
rlghtful owner. Immediately, as II
nothing had happened, the funeral Ger
emonies were renewed, and the per.
sistent wall of the mourners again rent
the air The Incident was closed.
AS the children lodged around the
t0mbs to reach the open fields adjoin-
ing the mission compound, they saw
WI disappearing In the direction of
the temple-a sinking. detected figure
outlined against the red sunset sky.
The next party found an empty
room at the temple gate WI lodged
there no more. They also found the
Goddess of the Sea decapltated, her
head with family smiling lips lying on
her folded hands. The foreigners
were puzzled by this act Of vandalism
but no Chlnaman to whom they ap
pealed could explain 1t, and their apa
thetic shrugs showed the slight impress
sion made upon them by the occur
renee.
But an offering-maker who earns
an Indifferent living in an interior city
some hundred miles away, sometimes
scowls over his work as he mutter,
to himself
Did | not carry daily offerings I,
her shrine? Did | not make tire,
meetings and nine knockings at hel
feet, night and morning? Did she no
herself give me what my hands coulC
not fashion, causing the little foreign
devil to leave II in her lap for me t,
take? All. base and ungrateful god
dess, to so trick me in the end, caus
ing me to forever lose face in Sir
Chow But these hands, Hi Yah
they wrought rapid vengeancel
And, as the recreant WI looks remi
ulscently at his skinny, long-nallet
ingers-far away the decapitateC
Goddess of the Sea, in her forsaker
shrlne, family smiles.