Little Almond Blossoms 2

Little Almond Blossoms 2

While they were sitting at the table the dragons brought them each a big

basket of fireworks. Now a Chinese child is even more fond of fireworks

than an American child, and so they all kicked up their little sandals

with delight, and after each one had been given a lighted Chinese punk,

they began to pop them, and oh, what fun it was! There was a delightful

noise, with so much popping, and the odor of the punks was most pleasant

to their little Chinese noses. It really seemed as if the more they

popped, the more they had left in their baskets.

 

Finally, the big King of the dragons said he must take them home now, or

he would not be back in time for the parade, and it would never do to

disappoint the people. So each one was allowed to keep his basket, and

they squirmed away again, until at last they entered the narrow streets

of Chinatown, with its rows of dragon lanterns, and its odor of incense

everywhere. Once more Chung Goy climbed the narrow steps, and crept into

the arms of _ho chun_, who had not noticed his absence, and he arrived

just in time, for just then there was a great noise of “tom-toms,” and

crowds shouting.

 

The streets were aglare with a strange red light, and looking down he

saw the familiar form of the King Dragon, which was spitting fire from

its eyes and mouth; but this time little Chung Goy did not feel afraid,

for he knew--he knew.

 

 

 

 

_TWO LITTLE CHINESE SISTERS_

 

 

One day during the Chinese New Year, when the sea breezes blew softly

through the narrow, blossom-lined streets of Chinatown, and swayed the

great red dragon lanterns to and fro, Poon Chew and her little sister,

Poon Yet, decided that they would take a walk through the streets, and

have a look at all the beautiful things displayed in the windows. Their

_mo chun_ had dressed them up in their very best silken robes,--robes

she had made for this very week,--and they made a pretty picture as they

started out under their gay umbrella. Their blouses were of pink silk,

and their trousers of pale lavender. They wore gay head-dresses, and

were indeed beautiful to look upon. They would never have started out

alone if the little _mo chun_ had not been so busy making the great New

Year cake, which was to be served with tea to her guests of the New

Year.

 

“Let’s go see Sai Gee,” said Poon Chew.

 

“All light,” replied the little sister.

 

Sai Gee, a little-footed playmate of theirs, lived just a few doors from

them, and they had no difficulty in finding her home. Sai Gee was also

dressed up in her gayest attire, but her feet were too small to find

much enjoyment in running around with the children whose feet were of

the ordinary size. But she could

 

[Illustration: _She brought forth from the flute the most wonderful

sounds_]

 

entertain them, anyway, for Sai Gee could play the flute.

 

It was really wonderful. She sat upon a stool, over which an embroidered

robe had been thrown, and played to them. Her hair was done in a coil

back of her right ear, and her little brown face was sweet and wistful

as she brought forth from the flute the most wonderful sounds. Sai Gee’s

father was very wealthy, and so the little one had everything that money

could buy. Poon Chew made up her mind right then that she would ask her

father to buy her a flute. Then Sai Gee brought forth some tiny cakes,

made of powdered nuts, and some tea, and preserved watermelon; and for

each of the little sisters a big slice of New Year’s cake.

 

“My! but we have good time. I likee make New Yeah call, like _mo

chun_--we go now; good-by,” said Poon Chew.

 

“Let’s look in window,” the big sister said; and of course the little

one, having perfect confidence in Poon Chew, gladly followed, the soft

little hand clasped in that of the sister. Oh, the wonderful things they

saw! The streets looked like a garden, with the rows of almond blossoms

and China lilies, and on every balcony swung in rows the immense dragon

lanterns.

 

They stopped awhile--they thought it only a few minutes--to watch some

boys playing a New Year’s game, and then passed on by the stores, where

the smell of the good things made them very hungry.

 

“Oh, how nice the loast pohk (roast pork) smell! I velly hungly,--we go

home pletty soon,” said the older sister.

 

“Yes, we go home pletty soon,” echoed Poon Yet.

 

The little feet were growing tired, for they had never before been on

the streets alone, and they wanted to get all the pleasure they could

out of it. How they did wish they had brought some money, as they looked

longingly at the great heaps of candied cocoanut and ginger on the

street-stands. Their eyes must have said so, for just as they were

gazing at the dainties with longing eyes a richly-dressed Chinaman came

by, and the first thing they knew he was saying: “You likee candy, _ne

jai_?” (little girl).

 

It startled them at first, but when they looked up and saw what a kind

face the man had, they did not feel afraid, but replied: “Yes--we velly

hungly--we no bling money; we catch ’em plenty money at home.”

 

The man laughed good-naturedly, and having bought them a large package

of candy, started on. After they had eaten some of it they noticed the

growing darkness. Could it be possible that night was coming on? They

had not thought of that; it had seemed so bright when they started, and

it did not seem as if they could have been gone long.

 

Meanwhile, what of the little brown mother at home?

 

When she finished her cake she called her children. She had made a

little cake just for them, and she wanted them to come and eat it.

 

“Poon Chew! Poon Yet!” she called; but no sound came back through the

silence.

 

“Little one--_ne jai_, come to _mo chun_!” No reply.

 

With wildly beating heart she rushed through the tiny rooms and out to

the narrow pavement. She hailed a passing policeman, and in faltering

Chinese told him that her little ones were lost, described the pretty

clothes they wore, and all the while her heart was wrung with a nameless

fear. What would life be without the soft little arms about her

neck?--the patter of the little sandalled feet?--the sound of the shrill

little voices at play?

 

This policeman told others, and they were all searching for the two

children, who were out making New Year’s calls.

 

And it grew darker. Poon Chew trembled, as she realized that they were

lost. She did not know which way to turn. Some men were lighting the big

dragon lanterns on the balcony opposite, so it was really night.

 

“Oh, little sister, we are lost! I forget; I no ’member the way home.

What will we do?” she moaned. She had no idea what direction her home

was in, and her eyes were filled with tears; but now through the tears

she saw some one approaching. It was--oh, joy! the old nurse Suey,

leading the richly dressed little Sai Chong, brother of Sai Gee.

 

She was greatly surprised when she saw the children so far from home,

 

[Illustration: _It was the old nurse, Suey_]

 

and they clung to her neck, weeping and laughing by turns. “Take us

home--take us home;” they cried. They had walked so far and were so

tired that she got a Chinaman who was standing by to take them all home

in his wagon. When they arrived, they found the little _mo chun_ in the

greatest distress. She was very much astonished as she saw them all

tumble out of the covered wagon, and they all cried and laughed, and

never did the little mother receive so many kisses; and four little

brown arms clasped her neck all at once, and the little sisters were so

very sorry to have been so naughty that they said:

 

“_Mo chun_, beautiful cherry blossom--we neveh, neveh make New Yeah

calls again without you.”

 

 

 

 

_THE LITTLE HIGHBINDER_

 

 

It was the one desire of little Sing Lee to be a highbinder. It must be

a fine thing, for his father was one, and so it must be good. It was

true he did not have a very definite idea of just what it meant to be

one, but he knew this: his father belonged to the Hip Sing Tongs, an

order of highbinders in San Francisco, and they were men who kept their

promises. At night as he lay on his hard bamboo couch, with the fumes of

opium thick around him, he could hear _ho chun_ talking in a low tone to

a crowd of men, who were all of the same order of highbinders as his

father. “There is Chong Sing,” they were saying; “he has told some of

our secrets to a white devil, and he must die; the joss frowns upon

him.”

 

This sounded very discouraging for Chong Sing, and little Sing Lee felt

sorry for a moment, for he remembered that one day this same Chong Sing

had spoken kindly, and had given him a three-cornered package of

_lichee_ (nuts) and candy. He could even yet taste the delicious strips

of candied cocoanut, and the dainty citron. Chong Sing had said he would

bring him some more another time, and now--he was to die. If he died,

perhaps no one else would bring candy or speak a kind word.

 

Little Sing Lee lay trembling in his bed as they planned the murder of

his friend. What could he do? He was only a little boy, and--he had

thought to be a highbinder when he was a big man like _ho chun_; and if

he was going to be one, he must conquer all tenderness of heart,--and

yet, this man had been kind to him, and it might be that he had little

boys of his own at home.

 

“If I was a highbinder,” he said to himself, “I no kill nice men who

bling children candy; I kill bad men.”

 

Next day he confided his thoughts to _mo chun_, but she replied: “No!

no! my little boy. No use--Hip Sing Tongs heap big--heap stlong

(strong). They no care if Chong Sing give _lichee_; they kill him,

allee samee.” But little Sing Lee did not forget. He still thought,

however, that it must be a fine thing to be a highbinder, if only one

just killed the bad men--men who did not give candy to lonely little

children and speak kind words to them. So that very day he went around

through Chinatown and organized a society of highbinders among his boy

friends.

 

He succeeded in getting four other boys to join, and they all took their

oaths very solemnly. Now that they were really highbinders they must

begin to kill somebody. Not ever having killed anybody, they did not know how to go about it, or on whom to begin.