Racine High School - Kipikawi Yearbook (Racine, WI)

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HI I ii no Qibinese magic Carefully picking our way over the eobblestones of the dimly lighted street, Clark and I, turning to the east, pene- trated into the depths of Chinatown. As we passed through the narrow streets, slant-eyed Orientals gazed inquiringly at us, wondering, no doubt, why white men, seemingly respectable, should be there at that time of night. At last we came to the house of Tsa Ming. We knocked, the door opened, and we entered. Turning to the left, we went down a winding pair of stairs. At the foot was another door, and through this we were ushered into the apart- ments of Tsa Ming. From the street. the house seemed tumbled-down and unprepossessing, but here, within, the apartment was fitted out in Oriental splendor and magnifi- cence. Rich silken tapestries of wonder- ful design adorned the walls: while thick, soft rugs of marvelous weave partially covered a polished floor of rare Eastern woods. Wcmnclerfully carved and inlaid chairs and tables completed the furnish- ings of the room. Tsa Ming entered, a little, old shriv- eled-up Chinaman with skin like parch- ment. YVe had known him for years, and had visited him before, but this night he had promised us a treat. With true Oriental courtesy he welcomed us and bade us be seated. After we had taken our tea, he ex- plained that there was a little business to transact first, and the treat would come later. The business over, he stated that he knew many of the tricks and deceptions of the Far East, and that he would now attempt to show us his skill as a magician. Tsa Ming rolled back his long, cum- brous sleeves and then, showing his hand empty, reached out into the air above our heads and from it appeared to pluck a small ivory wand, curiously carved with Chinese characters. The supposedly empty air was not as empty as usual, for again he reached out, and there, at the tips of his fingers, was a small box of gold, exquisitely wrought, and set with jewels. The lid was of ivory, intricately carved, and, when a hidden spring was pressed, it flew open. Out of this small box Tsa Ming seemed to pull a square of red silk, a square that could not have been contained in a box thrice the size. We spread the cloth out on the table and in its center we placed the gold box. A peculiarity about this box which we had not noticed until it was set on the table, was two large green stones set in the cover. There was an irresistable fascination about them that made it well-nigh impossible to turn the gaze away. They seemed to dilate, grow larger, then dwindle down to two points of green fire. Ngta0, said our hostsoftly, watch. As he spoke the lights grew dim, and then, as they brightened again, a cat appeared sitting in the center of the cloth. Such a catl It was as black as the Styx, and the green stones of the little gold box were reproduced in the eyes of it. The teeth were milk-white and the tongue was scarlet-a vivid con- trast to the sable hue of the fur. For a moment we gazed. Then all were rolled into a ball by Tsa Ming, who then clapped his hands together, and lo, box of gold, cat, and cloth, all had gone back to the mysterious nowhere from whence they came. It was late, and we knew that we should have to be going. Our host, to our surprise, after bidding us good-bye invited us to sit down again. It was a strange request, nevertheless we com- plied. Seating himself upon a magnih- cent chair, the most splendid in the room, he raised a small golden hammer. Good night, my friends, he said, striking a Chinese gong at his side. How he did what followed, l, nor any other man except the queer yellow man of the East, shall ever know, but, ere the gong had ceased resounding, the chair of Tsa Ming was empty: he had van- ished. Then everything turned dark. The next moment Clarke and I found ourselves in the cold, grey mist of the alley, with the sky in the east rosy with the first beams of the rising sun. ARTHUR Kinoeiz, '24,

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