Short Stories
ctedly on visits about with friends, while Ah Chun calmly man-
aged his many affairs, smoked his long pipe with the tiny silver
bowl, and pondered the problem of his wonderful progeny.
This problem did not disturb his calm. He knew in his phi-
losopher's soul that when it was ripe he would solve it. In the
meantime he enforced the lesson that complacent as he might be,
he was nevertheless the absolute dictator of the Achun destinies.
The family held out for a week, then returned, along with Ah
Chun and the many servants, to occupy the bungalow once
more. And thereafter no question was raised when Ah Chun
elected to enter his brilliant drawing-room in blue silk robe,
wadded slippers, and black silk skull-cap with red button peak,
or when he chose to draw at his slender-stemmed silver-bowled
pipe among the cigarette—and cigar—smoking officers and ci-
vilians on the broad verandas or in the smoking room.
Ah Chun occupied a unique position in Honolulu. Though
he did not appear in society, he was eligible anywhere. Except
among the Chinese merchants of the city, he never went out; but
he received, and he always was the centre of his household and
the head of his table. Himself peasant, born Chinese, he presided
over an atmosphere of culture and refinement second to none in
all the islands. Nor were there any in all the islands too proud to
cross his threshold and enjoy his hospitality. First of all, the
Achun bungalow was of irreproachable tone. Next, Ah Chun
was a power. And finally, Ah Chun was a moral paragon and an
honest business man. Despite the fact that business morality was
higher than on the mainland, Ah Chun outshone the business
men of Honolulu in the scrupulous rigidity of his honesty. It was
a saying that his word was as good as his bond. His signature
was never needed to bind him. He never broke his word. Twenty
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