The Washington times., 1935-04-16

chant of this miserable town,
have to offer YOU"
On the right and the left Of a
square table they sat-Stephen,
correct in his well-cut riding
breeches neatly wrapped puttees
and leather shoes, unconscious
that the dust of the road upon
them betrayed the fact Of his
ncouth energy; Merchant
Yang, clothed in a long blue
cotton gown, protecting the silk
one beneath from the dirt Of
the shop-Short, sleeveless silk
jacket and black satin, narrow
toed slippers, adding touches Of
elegance to his costume. In his
left hand, then his right, Yang
held two walnuts which he
passed constantly back and
forth over each other.
The slow Eastern politenesS
began. Sons, ancestors were
discussed.
us the most honorable mer.
chant a native of this new and
rich province?" asked Stephen,
following the custom of the
country in asking many ques-
lions.
II, a most miserable and
humble man am a native Of
ShanSi."
All, then, Merchant Yang
must be banker also. Bankers
came from Shansi. That at
least he had learned, thought
Stephen as he addressed Yang
again.
"Ah, a newcomer then, like
my most miserable self? How
long has the honorable one
been here?"
1.-TWO hundred years."
Silence between them, a long
Eastern silence. The reed cur
tain rose and fell. Apprentices
entered bringing the water
pipe, lighting it with a paper
spill, bringing tea, bringing
SWeetmeats.
No Women
1.-TWO undred years
thought Stephen. "And I have
been thinking of Manchuria as
new country and these men as
pioneers!" Some door Of per-
ception in his mind opened and
he saw Yang a thousand, two
thousand years old, so identi'
fled with his clan that he did not
distinguish his residence in Man.
churia from that of his ances-
tors.
Two thousand years Of mem
ory-the accumulated wisdom
of Yang's merchant ancestors
was his.
AS they sat on, the smoke
drifting up to them from two
sticks of incense stuck upright
in round pot filled with the
sticks, the long northern day
waned. At last Kin came, an
nouncing Stephens evening
meal. Now with decorum he
could leave the presence Of
Yang.
When he stepped into the
passage between the merchants
private room and the high-coun-
tered shop opposite, the night
was being fastened by two men
who were sliding into place
shutters that reached from
floor to ceiling along the front
Of the building, filling the in.
terror with darkness.
Heavy shadows lay along the
counters and in the corners and
among the rafters. "Why do
they put up the shutters so
early?" Stephen thought impa-
tiently.
They haven't any light but
their smoky candles.
With fatigue moving in upon
him like another blackness, he
walked heavily toward the op-
posite end of the passage. Not
lifting his feet high enough, he
stumbled over the threshold, it's
height an acquired knowledge
which in his WEAKNESS he for.
got. The cool night air of the
courtyard revived him and he
walked with quickened steps
across the packed dry earth, fol-
lowing Kin into a room on the
other side, stepping free this
time of the threshold.
"Ai, their shop is so full that
this cake kitchen was the only
place where master could be
alone" said Kin. "Only in the
day is it used and then only for
great affairs" Stephen could
just make out the sleeves for
flour and sugar hanging in rows,
and a great table jutting out
from the wall.
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