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There was a bright gleam of hope in the thought that with the death of Major Cragiemuir his wooing would be far less difficult. As to the girl returning his love bah! Women were not consulted upon such matters in China. He smiled, for he felt that his triumph was assured. "Radiant visions came to him. He was floating in space, wafted by perfumed breezes.
"Great was the horror and distress in the Cragiemuir household the next morning when the shockingly discolored body of the ill-fated Coogan was found. Major Cragiemuir, who was attached to the man, was sorely grieved by his death; and as there were no relatives to claim the body had the poor fellow buried from the K Street house, which was closed until after the funeral.
"Miss Cragiemuir was attached to her scholars, an intelligent lot of men, speaking English fairly well, and at times quite electrifying her by their naïve observations on men and things. But Ah Moy, the ugly fellow at the end of the form, was her especial pride.
So jars of preserved ginger, hideous ivory images, and trinkets of every description were showered upon her, much to her discomfiture. "On the afternoon I speak of, Ah Moy, who had eclipsed all previous records for brilliant recitations, became decidedly uneasy as the benediction was being pronounced, and when he arose from his knees tapped Miss Cragiemuir gently with his fan.
Besides, she added thoughtfully, reverting to his unlucky remark, 'haven't you a wife in China? "'I have two wifee in old countly, replied Ah Moy proudly, 'but I have none in 'Mellica not a single wifee no, not one! Ah Moy want 'Mellican wifee, so ba-ad, so ba-ad! he said plaintively. "Miss Cragiemuir was seized with a wild desire to shriek with laughter, but she wisely suppressed it.
He sternly declared, after touching upon all of her hobbies, he called them by a stronger name, that if she continued to give him trouble he would close up the Washington house and live in future at The Oaks, the Cragiemuir place down in Maryland.
"Ten minutes after his unpleasant encounter with Major Cragiemuir, Ah Moy arrived at his place of business in Four-and-a-half Street, a mass of bruises, and with a heart full of hatred for his assailant. Perhaps, after all, the fellow had meant no harm. In his guileless, imitative way he had simply tried to do what he had often seen American young men do.
Fragments of this found their way to the ear of Major Cragiemuir as he was taking his afternoon airing in the park, and filled him with wrath. The Major is a testy, pompous specimen of the retired army officer, and takes himself very seriously. His sense of dignity and propriety is never for a moment in abeyance, and covers himself and all his belongings like a pall.
The good work began at three o'clock, and as it was nearly that hour, groups of Chinamen stood out on the sidewalk chattering as only Celestials can. They greeted Miss Cragiemuir with grave courtesy when she approached, and shuffled lazily out of her way as she swept past.
"When Miss Cragiemuir and Ah Moy reached the house in K Street the young woman thanked her pupil for his escort, and politely wished him a good afternoon. As she was about to leave him he madly seized her around the waist, exclaiming, 'Ah Moy kissee you good-bye! and tried his best to do so. Miss Cragiemuir screamed, and nearly fainted with fright.
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