From a village near Shihtao, a fishing centre on the Promontory of considerable importance, comes, strange story of the death of a child. A little boy, four years old, was attacked by a cock, and so shockingly injured that he died the same day. 'The bird inflicted seven wounds on the child's face and neck and destroyed an eye. The natives seem to have a prejudice against keeping about the house fowls as Old as this evoke (6 years), even if it prove useful as serving the' purpose of an "alarm clock" at dawn, or is a good substitute for the ordinary house watchdog. There seems to be some ground for this prejudice when such fan extraordinary and almost unique fatality, as narrated above, becomes possible.
The Power of the Fortune-teller.
On the 16th day of the 7th moon, at Chiihsia, about 35 miles west of Chefoo, an atrocious crime was committed, which was the direct result of a fortune-teller's predictions, and illustrates most forcibly the extent to which the credulous and ignorant may be imposed upon, even to their own lasting hurt.
'A certain woman, who had a son and daughter of her own, was also unfortunately step-mother to another boy. The mother entertained a fortune-teller—blind as most of them are, and on account of their loss of sight credited with greater powers of insight into the future. The man, for a consideration, told the woman her fortune, and predicted a great future for her son, who would become a mandarin, but he added that the step-son would come to no and would turn out a disgrace to the family. Theprophet, meetingasecondfortune-teller, sent him on to the house to confirm his prediction, and the mother, now fully con-vineed, decided to do away with her stepson, a boy of fifteen, who at the time was at school in the neighbourhood.
The woman's younger sister was staying in the house for a month, and seems at first to have taken the boy'sside. On returning home, the latter was warned by his step-aunt and instead of entering the house sought the protection of neighbours. These belittled his fears and persuaded him to return home. Here he was met by his step-mother and killed with a knife, the other woman if not aiding, at any rate abetting the murder. An incident in connection with the crime illustrates the proverbial fidelity of the dog. The dead boy's pet returned to the school and by his conduct and importunity roused the schoolmaster's suspicion and led him to the: scene of the tragedy, where he found the body. The teacher, overawed by threats against, his own life, accepted hush. money" from the woman, but when free of the house reported the matter to the district Magistrate.
small" party, consisting of the two women, the two fortune-tellers and the school-master—not to mention the dog—with the necessary escort, has been dis-Bhinanfu, where, no. doubt, in'due time tched to the capital of the province,
proper punishment will be meted out to the two sisters.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.