Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-05-28
THE LIVE
STOCK OF
FONG TAY
By JAMES F. DWYER


TONG TAY sat in the little green
r. grocery and puzzled over the mys-
Il terry which encompassed him.
Fong was nervous and mnstrung.
His small eyes blinded behind the
large horn spectacles as he peered
through the window at the sidewalk
beyond. His lean hands twisted nerv-
ously round each other as II their own
er considered the movement helpful to
the wondering mind that wrestled with
the mystery. But Fong's brain was
not equal to the task.
To the mind of the Chlnaman it was
no ordinary mystery, The happening
that distressed him bordered on the
supernatural, and as he sat dry-lpped
and wlde-eyed, his thoughts flew to
the fat joss that sat I'm the smoke
Favored atmosphere Of the little rear
ROOM 1t was certainly a matter for
the joss. No ordinary explanation
would fit the bill, and to Fongs mind
the little fat god was the only one that
could divine the cause and prevent a
recurrence of the peculiar happening.
The mystery centered on bag of
potatoes that Fong had placed on the
sidewalk near the door of his shop.
His experience of potato bags was
large and varied, but this particular
bag was an exception. It's actions
were cratic and very distressing to the
nerves of the Chinaman. 1t had been
placed in reclining position against
the wall Of the shop at an angle OF
sixty degrees, yet ten minutes after it
had been placed there, it had raised
itself upright, stood for few seconds
In a perpendicular position and then
fell forward, spilling the potatoes into
the gutter
The Chlnaman was astounded There
was no one within a ten-yard radius of
the bag; its contents were new pota-
toes which Fong had sorted with his
own hands; there was no visible
agency by which the movement could
be effected and yet he had seen the
bag deliberately raise itself aud fling
the spuds into the gutter. Fong stood
staring stupidity at the nearly empty
bag till his sense Of thrift recalled
him from the realms Of conjecture.
The little shop was situated upon a
slight rise, and the potatoes that fell
In the gutter were scampering wildly
down the hillside, so the Chlnaman
started in pursuit
Two boys who had been sitting on
the opposite side Of the street helped
in the chase. They gathered up the
runaway vegetables and carried them
back to the shop, and Fong rewarded
them with a present of six bananas.
The bag was put back in It's old po-
sition, but this time the Chinaman
leaned 1t at q still greater angle from
the perpendicular, so that possibility
of repetition of the occurrence was
made more remote. To Fong Tags
mind the happening was a remarkable
one. If the bag had fallen sideways
in the first instance it would not have
startled him, but his establishment
arose from the fact that it had first
attained a perpendicular position be
fore falling outward. With his gaze
fixed upon the erratlc bag he backed
into the shop and then watched 1t
through the window.
But the potato bag had evidently
cultivated liking for the strange
stunt. The Chinaman had not been In
the shop more than five minutes when
he was Mortified to see 1t again rise
slowly to a perpendicular position
pause few seconds, and then fall
heavily into the gutter. Once again
the liberated potatoes bounced Joyful
ly down the hillside as the terrified
FOng rushed to the door. The Celes-
tial was now convinced. It was per
fectly clear to his mind that the bag
was moved by supernatural agency.
The two boys who had retired to a
doorstep on the other side Of the street
to eat the bandnas they had earned
by the first upset, again proffered their
services to the stupefed Chinaman,
and again the potatoes were rounded
up and bagged. FOng paid them with
more bananas and they returned to
their old position, while the bag was
once more fixed by It's amazed owner
It was at this juncture that Fongs
thoughts flew to the joss. The fat god
who sat contentedly behind the little
stick Of burning incense, was the
proper person to grapple with the mys-
terry. The Chinaman was aware Of his
own limitations, but he knew that the
power Of the joss was unbelievable.
with semi-paralyzed limbs he pulled
himself into the inner room and made
a feryent plea for protection to the
fat deity. The god was smiling peace
fully, and FOngs nerves relaxed some
what under the influence Of the smile.
Surely the joss would protect him.
Fong had been n faithful deyOtee and
II was right that the incense-snlmng
deity extend help TO the terror-stricken
worshiper After praying he shuGled
back into the shop and looked out
fearfully through the window.
The sight that met his eyes made
him grasp hastily at the counter for
support. For the third time the bag
uplifted itself without visible aid, bal
anced itself a second and then purted
It's contents into the gutter. But that
was not all. Fong's gurgle Of horror
was strangled by the Subsequent hap
penlng. 4 basket containing tomatoes,
that stood beside the potato bag,
moved swiftly towards the edge Of the
sidewalk end initiated the action Of
the bag BY tipping its contents into
the street
Foug Tay collapsed He sat In The
doorway md @cp' bitterly while the