Page:Mrs. Spring Fragrance - Far - 1912.djvu/260

 "Thou hast thy heart's desire now," said his father. "Laugh and be merry."

But with the lantern man's sad face before him, Ah Wing could not laugh and be merry.

"If you please, honorable father," said he, "may I go with the honorable lantern man to see his little sick boy?"

"Yes," replied his father. "And I will go too."

When Ah Wing stood beside the bed of the little sick son of the lantern man, he said:

"I have come to see thee, because my father has bought for my pleasure the lantern which gives thee pleasure; but he has paid therefor to thy father what will buy thee food to make thee strong and well."

The little sick boy turned a very pale and very small face to Ah Wing.

"I care not," said he, "for food to make me strong and well—for strong and well I shall never be; but I would that I had the lantern for the sake of San Kee."

"And who may San Kee be?" inquired Ah Wing.

"San Kee," said the little sick boy, "is an honorable hunchback. Every evening he comes to see me and to take pleasure in my peacock lantern. It is the only thing in the