The Kevin review., 1926-11-11
Published by special arrangement with theS
Chicago Tribune Syndicate
IN TWO PART-PART TWO
pETR arnDU - -. =

THE STORY so FAR
Susie wong PSl is an orphan girl OF
Chinatown; industrious. She made a liv
ing working in restaurant Her room
mate and cOnfidante, was Mamie O'Ryan
During the course of her work in the
restaurant, she made the acquaintance
of Chinese who appears to be much
interested in her and several times asked
i permission to take her for an automobile
ride. She was doubtful as to the proper
thing to do and confides in her roommate
And now begin here
Even now, with the sun beyond the hori
zOn and a brittle, ironic moon painting tn
west, heat rays still surged up from tn
| pavement like blotched speckled reptiles
She put her feet down gingerly. She wa
conscious of creeping, horrible sensation
pressure of her high heels.
She turned the corner. The heat, like
| beast of prey that had lain in waiting rOs
and pounced upon her. Little sulphur-b blu,
wheels gyrated madly in front of her eyes
She felt faint,
She thought of Coney Island.
Twice last year she had been there will
that silken, yellow boy Charlie Long, the
only son of Yung Long, the wealthy whole
sale grocer. 1t had been nice out there witt
breeze overhead and the salt spray from
the sea.
Then Charlie had married another girl
Gwendolyn Nag, the daughter of Nag Sen
Vat, the opium merchant. He had married
her proper and respectable with a narrow
gold ring, a bouquet of cabbagy, wired
roses, a monumental wedding cake a rather
selfconscious Baptist clergyman mumbling
the words of the blessed ritual, and at the
organ half-caste lad introducing wailing
Cantonese dissonances into the "Voice that
breathed DER Eden"
Only this morning she had met Charlie
and Gwen, wheeling their twins in baby
carriage. Cute little beggars the twins, like
tiny, golden puff balls.
Happy they had been. Laughing.
tt0ff fo COnpV y, Gwen had called fO her
in passing. wish ye could join usl"
Well-some people had all the luck. Not
she. Gotta expect the woist. 1t was cinch.
The asphalt burned through the thin
soles of her shoes. The air was sticky,
dusty, mephitic. The houses were a greasy,
packed jungle of stone. The elevated cars
blundered along their steely spiders web,
like weary creatures seeking shelter from
the heat.
So she reached the Bon Ton.
1t was crowded. People lined up three
deep. A buzz of talk. Catch words. Jests.
Local jealousies and animosities. Melting
pop not yet quite melted. Its different ra-
cial ingredients damning each others eyes:
Damned Chink"
Damned Wopl"
Damned Mlck!
Lips sucking at straws. Spoons clinking
against glasses. In the back room the
electric player piano stabbing out with
snarling, mean syncopation:
got the blue blue-b blue
Cemetery blue-hoo-
From behind the counter, the proprietress
lailed Susie with sour jocularity:
''Vell--every day and every hour you get
azier and lazier."
"Aw-"susie's unladylike reply-"keep
rer shoit on!'
She took off her hat, put on an apron,
,usied herself with fountain and glasses
nd treac1y Jars and ice cream dipper.
She received orders. Filled them. Sp1eed
hem with ready repartee:
sl'm hurryin' as fast as can! Wottya
hink We are-the Prince o. Wales-T
''Well-ye may be all the world to yer
'als, but to me ye're. nothin' but a kick
n. the teeth, see-?"
"Cashl Y'bet Yere like the ten command
nents, mister, always broke"
Doubtless, Susie was Americanized:
"Don't eat so loud Ye holt my ears!'
Thanks for the compliment! Ye're the
ootie's monocle yerselfi"
"Gwan! If saw ye drownin' I'd toin |
be hose on YET!
Ssure! One look at yer .phiz knocks
.qdie Valentino for = atty. city dGmpT lIna
Goshl Wasn't it hot
Her blood felt thinned and paled. Her
lngs felt cramped.
Guzzling lips. Clanking spoons. TESTS.
urses:
Damned Wop!'
Damned Kike!' Il
Then a low voice spoke to her out OF
le crowd that lined the counter; spoke
/ sing-song; gliding Chinese:
"Ah, little plum blossoml When l see
ou. / taste the refined and elegant happi-
ess that was tasted by Tcheng Tsi, the
lsignificant disciple, when with the Lutte
nging under his fingers, he accompanied
18th his timid melodies the teachings OF
le great Confucius."
She looked up There he was again,
wering above the riff raft, tall and bland |
Id moon faced and butter. yellow and ]
,mensely obese Chinese straight from his
,iinue. narrow lidded eyes to his neat,
ldded slippers. But, somehow, he seemed
her exactly like that villain that rich
all street broker whom she had seen the f
ner-film: "The Shadow of DOOM" t
WelI-she could take care of herself. No
,dy could put anything over on her. t