| Show Short Stories by the Worlds Greatest Writers GOLD TSOY SOY j Vl was gas s a 1 pupil in one ono of or tho very few mission schools for girls in China it had been opened in the pres presence presence ence once of ot several powerful I mandarins and its pu pupils pits pils were the tho daughters of Chinese merchants mer merchants merchants chants officials and md com corn 1 or managers for fori i t European business men j havo have ad advocated advocated All AU the tho sages the tho education of ted t I women indeed centuries were sent Bent to tot toi 4 I ago women i schools Therefore ore tho t h o ot t t parents of 0 these girls found warrant for sending them to this seminary seminar Superfine Gold G old o 1 d studied Christian textbooks text books went to prayers on Fridays and andI I J to church on Sundays yetI yet et etI I I I she sho sturdily clung to pa paganism paul 11 Ii 11 d I other i Ili III But in ul 1 1 I ways ays sho was broadened and She bhe he became nearly as alert of mind as ae a European by comparison c with Ith Chinese girls generally was W 8 all but sprightly she sho many man manof Very sweet neet and demure of ot the others also decked with Chinese and on Sundays and andon andon andon Jewels on one birthdays on 1 Now ow it Jt happened happen dand and in tho main this is a 0 true story that a R young oung man of the tho name of ot Darrow a 0 carne home hone to his old Chinese mothers house after attar a long residence abroad and foil fell in love with Superfine Gold Almost the h first visit he ht paid after settling himself at homo home was to a 0 friend frond of ot his father a European lady who bo was Ya interested in the seminary He saw a portrait of f Superfine Gold Gola and begged leavo to see the tho maiden maidon herself It was a rare thing thinS for tor visitors especially male visitors to seo s o the girls In chapel but he got leave He Ho never once took his hl eyes off oft the face of ot Superfine Gold He asked a n hundred questions about her and learned that no other girl SUI In the school chool had ever been so gener genor generally ally aUy and warmly beloved that pone none other was so bright and Kind and amiable Ho fell ten read head and ears cars In love and bogged leave leavo to the acquaintance of the maiden and und to offer her his hand That was as aB absurd a thing to ask In China as it would be bo to send a 0 to the parents of a girl in i New York with wah an offer of ot mar marriage No girl ever er speaks to or even on sees the tho man she is to marry In China Chinn Young Darrow persisted in demanding de demanding demanding manding the tho sympathy and amI aid of Superfine Golds teach teachers teachers ers and at last the principal called caned her into her room und and told her bar h r of or tho the Infatuation of or the wealthy young hIt If you moan to marry consider r his offer If Jr not nol there thero is an un end of it said tho the principal Of course courno 1 I am going to marry said tho the maiden maiden If It not I 1 had hinter butter nuver nover have been born At t 12 I 1 Iwas Iwas was betrothed l but n my icy y man died Now my mother Is looking about for tor some lome ono one no Sho is s anxious to havo have mo ino married As for tor this young Darrow It convinces me that 1 le r la Is 1 perfect since shoo you befriend him but it is not for forme me to Inquire about him or to hear henr anything You should go eo to my In mother The Tho principal called ca d on Mrs Troy Tsoy TElo the mother who l n d patiently nU nUy and calmly to what could be said for forthe forthe forthe the young man Then rhen she set up a 11 great groat noise of weep we weepIng Ing not unmixed with Indignation over oer the interference with her hr family affairs On the next day still sun weeping noisily sh she came camo In her hor chair and ordered her daugh daughter ter tr with her All AU who wore were Interested in the tha case caso that tits tha school had lost its most popular pupil and that thit young oung Darrow was as likely to marry tho the er Empress Empresa as Superfine Gold Gald A week afterward tho the maiden came back bock and took up hor her studies as de demurely demurely demurely is i s CI a 11 kitten saying not a word to any anyone one of ot her har hart t or her he weeks at home Her Ile teachers not blessed with Oriental phlegm worked themselves Into an n ecstasy of ot curiosity Days f seed ed and finally they could no longer stAnd the strain Superfine Gold WAS called en led In to seo see the tho principal A bag cf of wood could not have expressed less loss emotion than tho the maidens face Well Wall the principal asked after the manner of ot ui n explosive tV what lInt door dear teacher What t U Ut the i principal cried Oh how provoking 1 f 5 r 8 1 l ti i 1 i if f 4 w f fJ fl J 1 J r l I 3 t 1 h l r t I II U I Think Only of You What hat has kept 1 pt us all aU so nervous n under such a strain 1 rOil Lott know very vory well About my marriage Yoe Miss bliss Oriental OrI Miss O Now I shall no more love loe love you said Superfine Ib Gold Id you are arc not dear teacher any more You call can me tone bad names Stop teasing child do tell teU mo me the news uIt It Jt Is Ia what I suppose you ou call good news though It will wUl bring much sadness to me meY Your YOUl Y our mother muther agrees Sho Rho ho finds no objection to the young man I Iam Iam Iam am glad it is all off ocr my mind Off orr your mindI mindl mind I l moan mean I am glad it is all over said Superfine Gold Why h It has just begun beun said the principal uNo No said tho the girl It Is settled and now you must tell Reif en him that In one ne year ear we will arrange the terms and consult the astrologer I must study tudy for tor six months and then go gt to my mother and comfort her another six months We W wilt will keep it from the girls said the principal Why will you do 10 that asked Superfine Gold k L secret dont you 1 t I Ir r I t The F Letters of Superfine Gold GoldBy Go d i iBy By y JULIAN RALPH I I y yI s e j F Copyright 1308 1986 Uy by 1 Harper ft Brothers Brother Oh Ob not oot at ell all said eaid the maiden I 1 am not guilty gunty of at some somo crime crimo to be hidden from fr j eople It is a great groat piece of ot gossip I will tell them all allor or you may Young Mr Darrow who looked by the tho way quite Chinese but In love was thoroughly Europeanized begged that tho maiden bo be led to change her mind and correspond with him She Sho accepted his hla portrait and sent hers to him but she would not receive a line lino from him until six months passed and she sho left the seminary and went wont home Tho The school teachers saw many of ot his and her letters written during tho succeeding half halt year They copied a f few tew and some somo of these compose this story Here is a copy of ot her first to him Beloved I kept your picture under my pillow at school and look at it very many mony times That way tiny I learn to love you ou very much Your brow show that you can understand the writings of greatest writers Your two eyes show how very kind and good you are arc They look Jook at me mo like ono one who ia is my friend So you see that I love very deeply already Also I havo have heard of ot your great tallness and that you have havo strength of lion Good friends frIen s to me who will not deceive say also much about your virtues But I write only to tell you that looking at picture has hM mado made me love you very deeply You say in n letter that you wish wl h to see me I cannot understand Have you not my picture as T Y havo have yours youra Then what Is your impatience You must look at picture for only little while Same time I t am comforting my mother You have havo been C European countries Yes but surely I 1 have read that young girls In that world also love their moth mothers mothers mothers ers and ancl have oven even read that they cry bitterly In ln France Franco and England I am sure It Is that they cry when wh n they go to be married So Bo I must comfort my mother and each night and morning look at picture And Its eyes shall look at mine So Soboth Soboth Soboth both will be happy As for tor really seeing each othor other that cannot be for a girl to do doThoro doTh Thoro Thero Th ro was In his letters also See this one ono which was as evidently called forth by her reference to his hla virtues I must tell teU you something about my m life Ufe he wrote It Is ie I right you ou should know even even evon the worst I will tell you my secrets and hope you will wUl pardon them and wish never nover again to refer to them I was born here hereon on January 2 1870 and stayed until I was 20 when I 1 went to Europe Of Ot bad habits I have havo only smoking I do dl not gamble It is no credit as somo some boast for I have hae no taste to gamble I do not drink to excess nor lower myself by too much of anything In other mat I have hae not been so good as I should Though I have not always alwa s respected women yet ye thank heaven I have havo not wronged an un innocent one ono or given ono one cause causo for fot outcry I am now head he d of my family and shall try to recollect that In all my behavior The Tho signs of or European Influence are aro marked in that letter for never did a Chinese defend him himself himself self to 1 no fiancee before However the pangs of ot his semi conscience were lost upon her as her fresh and M innocent reply r ply plainly showed I And no now dear doar ar betrothed she writes I must tell t 11 you vou OU my life and anil so my secrets I am glad you OU never wronged any women and as for not respecting all al why wh are arc ar not to t be respected and some aro are not n t worth thinking about by you oU or any good people You not say sn you ou have not wronged d any men Perhaps you forgot to M t writs write that down I hope you will respect mo rho but donot do donot donot not ask that of ot you ou If It you do not respect me that will wUl ho he h my fault My mother often told me mo a woman who talks too much who does not respect her hor husbands po pie plc who wh answers back her husband who is s not wise to be he silent whon whoa ho he Is angry and makes mischief in the house hous and talk among the neighbors such a wife is not net n t to he h respected re but is to bo De put out of the door You Youse see se I know my place lace If 1 can keep it I was born sev BEV seventeen enteen years yearn ago this month and am therefore t creore just IS 1 years urs old I was called call d Teacup for my m milk name The Tho missionaries think me very ver funny funn to havo ho boon bean called d Teacup but you know better than to think funny I was called caned Teacup First brother was wa called Little Pis Pig and second was called Dust I J a N z 7 i F Ff f 8 T 7 k kt t 1 l i h I II II I I I F 4 tu II w l 6 ti ft t to tS tM ty tt o S M y Happiness IIa 3 She Wrote vV t 1 Broom for their milk names Then if Jt some spirit should come our home to make bad joss and steal our souls they the would think I was teacup nd would go so soma other house So they often went away and I am urn still HUll alive You say you smoke Very curious but I do not smoke I was too young for smoking before I went to mission college and there thero I found it was not what you think modest though my mother smokes and she comes coma of a s litho footed family But I must confess contess one great sin I 1 have havo a bad temper and am sometimes cross Also Alno I get angry and feel teel hatred and bad thoughts No one cne elpe else has ever evor known what I am telling you but It Is the truth and md I ant am ashamed Even my mother thinks me mc good and calls mo mt yet I know my own wicked heart That Th t is r reason ason nobody found me fie out ou be because causo cause I hide hile it and swallow it down and soon It goes goe away Then I laugh and embrace and am nm kinder than Ulan ever ever But I know it and should tell teU you ou That Is my m secret Do you think you can pardon We Vc will not speak about it again and I will try not let you OU see aee ee If I am cross we aro are together to ether Ila LIa persisted in suggesting different ways and places for the r meeting one another arother but bu In the next letter latter in ini i the missionary collection she flatly for tor one of ot other her sex Hex and race bids him never mention tho the subject again It is not respectable she pays says lor for modest woman to have man make such proposition If I was so Weak to do it and had so 80 small pride she wrote Wrt nothing but bad joss would como come to us I knew a girl irl named n Double Joy ray Shuang hsi who some sometimes sometimes times timeD met a young oung man for tor instant or two on bridge that spanned d creek between their two homes She Sho was wasso wasso wasso so unfortunate to have stepmother st who hated her and nd stepmother told neighbors to watch and see them meeting meet meeting meetIng ing Stepmother dared lared not tell girls father r for ho he would not believe her but neighbors neighbor told him and he believed them So he followed custom of or our ancestors in such cases which Is proper custom as you rou will say when girl is very wrong He went ent and bought ounce of opium and long piece of rope and told her to gp fp P to her room Then chen he went to her room and laid down ropo rope and an opium and went away She Sho Shot knew very truly what w that meant It meant that she must kill herself because she had ha disgraced her father No matter what she knew or thought th girl can do nothing if it father brings rope and opium m So she dressed dr herself in her very best ceremonial visiting clothes and ana whitened her face with flour paste punte and put pu on all aU her fine fino jewels jow ls She looked at rope Tope and opium and she chose rope ropo because sho she did not wish to spoil her looks when dead which opium duos docs So sho she hanged herself to save her fathers face lace and no nobody nobOdy nobody body could cO ld ever say he had daughter that disgraced grac d him After that came out very vary v ry curious story Young man who ho had been meeting her belonged to ono of ot our saving money clubs so common in China where several men join to save money This young oung man wished to marry marr p so started hwal or club by getting setting twenty men to put in 10 each Then he got to marry with avd aed next month he put back 10 and others gave 10 and next man roan got Now it j happened that this girls brother was member of hwal hwai and did not tell his bis parents Also it happened that founder of ot hwai borrowed her brothers share Her brother was sent long distance and this man paid his money to her bit by b r bit meeting her for doing so After all alt she sho was good girl and de arch of ot honor except that she seemed to do evil For FOt that seeming of lIt evil she was made mado to die dic Her Heruth father uth r beat his wife wIle terribly when whon ho he found out all Still by this story you can see how careful woman must be and how bow good it is not to break customs established by bJ ancestors Her next letter was as also interesting Beloved Ire lre ious lous It is very curious Just when 1 I wrote you Jou how careful we wo must be to follow custom cus custom custom tom and not to break it as I am even now doing by b writing to lo one on who Is not yet my master mast revon even then them happened nerl thing most curious battery on mv my mothers roof tumbled down and all to pieces Of course you ou knew that mother s house houIe laces bend in river and so Is ex exposed expo exposed posed po d to tu both currents of fun shut or wind and water along which spirits can only move When house Is js s opposite bend In river or is opposite street t or 01 road or r is ib commanded by b pagoda moun mountain mountain tain high hiSh building or other such commanding comman lu thing we tine always protect it against spirits that follow currents curr It Is s only In cities that we build in such places for |
