Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-27

the edge of the courtyard, and whispered:
HE is greatest poet m all Hangchow. Tn
newspapers here print his poem. Hao-bu
hao-that is good, is it not?"
"Hao," I answered. But remembered tn
anonymity of Chinese poets in the past. Thei
selfiess devotion to their art. Their leavint
lovely, unsigned verses hanging to howerint
plum trees, or on temple wal. And won
dered If this modern itch to see ones work L
print. with byiine, was precisely good.
GAN ovah China, on this night" the boy
went ON, "our poet write ode to beauty
moon Many t'ousand Of poem. Ten tousano
twenty ttousand, t'irty tousand fo'ty-"
Boy stop countingi" I warned, and n
subsidized. waung had an unholy passion TO
counting in English UP to hundred, and
would do upon the slightest provocation.
The grandfather now walked slowly up Il
the altar The family fell silent-even TIT
squirming, chubby youngster who had chokec'
on the cake. The old man halted soleTnnlY
before the papier-mache rabbit. He bowed
three times, the quick, bobbing bow OF ChinaI
He looked upward to the neon and again gavd
three bows. He stepped back and his eldest son
took his place.
When the last WIFE unmarried daughter and
granddaughter had made her obeisance to the
moon, Judged that the formal ceremony was
over But more remained The grandfather
now brought out a large flagon, curiously mold
ed in the form of fish. From the mouth OF
this he poured drafts OF rice wine into small
lacquer cups. We were all commanded to
crink-to the moon. The rice spirits were
potent, like triple-distilled brandy.
Again and again the wine was poured
Smiles began to trradiate the faces that had
hitherto been serious with the gravity Of the
ceremonial.
apparently this was the occasion te
which the children locked forward-the grand
father distributed the moon cakes could no
blame the children for their eargerness; thu
cakes were detachable compound Of ALMOND
paste and honey.
MY elder host then said to me:
"T think should explain that 1t is not alone
an old legend which we solemnize tonight Oh
this date we try to brighten the mind. II
scour it Of all evT thoughts of malice, o
anger To make 1t as pure and cleaning ant
spotless as the silver disk of the moon. 1t
a ceremony to make us mentally healthy. Ant
it is known fact that for days after tn
moon ceremony men are less likely to be at
tackled by those evil demons which steal ava.
the mind. Now, we have one las
ceremony"
I lie signaled to servant, who brought larg
] ] copper bowl. Again, IN the order 0
seniority, the entire family followed him, as h
dipped his hands in the water and rubbed
On his eyes. MY host looked at me uncer
tainly yet invitingly. I. too, stepped forwar
and splashed the cool clear water in my eyes.
As the boy and were borne across the sti
noisy city, could gain glimpses Of the moo
riding high IN the sky. Smaller, but brighter
Symbol of a clean mind.
For moment, our two chairs were halle
side by side, leaned out and addressed tn
boy:
''Waung, how fashion that you have thi
rich family of relations in Hangchow, and "
you work pressing pants for a foreigner
Shanghai"
He gave me blank look which in the pas
I had invariably found to connote deep-dye
guilt.
"Oh-a, yes, mastah, perhaps do say ths
rich man is my cousin. But"-the wore
were little dogged-'his cook Is MY cousir
And his number one boy is my cousin, too!
"waung,' reprimanded that's
The boy was finding himself in tight col
nor so he interrupted me.
But, mastah, I have tell my cousiTl-coc
in Hangchow how GURUS you are. He say
very much ikeee take look-see, sometime. tt
night, show him!" :