The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-05-28

softly, picking up a cloth-cov-
cred gray box, pulling the inch
long bone spear Of its fasten-
ing thrust through a loop Of
red braid, look See."
In shaped space fitting it
accurately there lay a perfect
piece of porcelain. An artist
had made that, Hester knew.
An artist Of centuries ago, for
the making Of such porcelains
is a lost art. She coveted the
vase.
Quickly she turned her atten-
ton to a vulgar brass image Of
the Laughing Buddha, cum
ningly expressed interest in it
and none in the treasure she
coveted, thinking to lessen its
price by her indifference.
Kin, watching the old man
sitting back on his launches
bargaining with Hester over the
Laughing Buddha, detected a
slight movement Of her hands
toward the valuable porcelain.
He moved his foot q trifle, in
dicating to the peddler that it
was there the tai-tai'S interest
lay.
No, said Hester, she did not
want the image. But what of
this other thing, this bit of
porcelain? If it were not too
dear she might take it.
When the curio man stated
his price she rose and walked
away.
"You no wanchee anything?"
he called after her.
But when Hester returned,
the bowl stood upon the table
where she had planned to place
it. When she summoned Kin,
asking the reason, he said the
man had insisted on leaving it
a day for her to look at.
Suddenly the afternoon was
vivid with interest for Hester,
a new idea forming in her
mind. Everything in this room
beautiful, the other rooms, too.
Things which only the priv
legged managers wife could own.
She reached out covetous hands
for the vase. She must have it
at any cost. In the days that
followed, with excited energy
she offered her spirit one lovely
thing after another.
Chapter 20
Day by day Hos foreign
house grew taller, the scaffold-
ing of bamboo poles, tied to-
gether with hempen strands,
standing so high that the red
flags on their tips, placed there
to keep away the devils, floated
level with Testers windows.
One day after Stephen and
Ho had ended the mornings
business, Ho spoke. "Tong ia,
there is a little matter that
pertains to my family"
Stephen was startled into at
tention. Ho speaking Of his
family to him, who had never
been beyond the garden Of the
great house!
THE wife Of my third
son. -"
Ho considering his daughter.
in-law! There was q change
coming over him since the death
of his old mother. First the
foreign house, and now speaking
to Stephen of the women of his
household.
Occasionally Ho had spoken
of this or that son. His Oldest
son, Stephen knew, was a disap-
pointment; and that the third
son was his favorite. Once Ho
had brought this third son to
the office. He had seemed an
odd mixture Of gentleman and
coolie; a thin face, aristocratic
in shape, the mouth heavy and
the nose as flat as a Negroes, the
nose of a coolie. But the eyes
were what impressed Stephen
honest, faithful eyes, strangely
revealing in their expression for
a Chinese. Hos third son was
tall, too, like his father. Stephen
wondered what the wife of this
boy Of seventeen would be like.
MY son talks of the school
in the city, where girls learn.
Day and night, he does not
cease to speak of it for his wife.
It seems it is becoming the GUS
tom. Perhaps good, perhaps
not good. He wishes her to learn
your speech"