The evening world. Newspaper, September 29, 1922, Page 32

THE CHARACTERS IN THE STORY. (THE HONORABLE GEUFFr.EY BAKRINGTON, son of Lord Brandan, @ ouci to his wife. Captain in the British Army. resigns his commission when he weds ASAKO FUJINAMI, heiress, daughter of Japanese parents, who are dead, ho became sick from touching brought up and educated in French convent schools and introduced to London society by - LADY EVERINGTON, a ‘rilliant matchmaker, who did not foresee the result of the bringing together of the two. Lady Everington in her anxiety for the women. It will be our young Captain, who has been her special protege, interviews COUNT SAIIO, the Japanese AmLussador, who tells her the Fujinamis belong to the nouveaux riches of Japan, but gives little information of their origin or the source of their wealth. A visit to his wife's guardians, the Muratas, a Japanese family living ‘1 Paris, and a sojourn among the cosmopolitans for some time; but then his course of ot Deauville sharpen the desi:s to see Japan. he VISCOUNT KAMIMURA, returning home tc wed a bride chosen by his‘family, whom he has never seen. A stor at Nagasaki is the first sight of real Japan. A part of the revelation is the Chonkina, or Geisha dance, seen by son and heir was suffering from t Barrington is jeprosy, and for that there was no cure. Barrington in company with two English acquaintances. shocked by the performance. . TANAKA, a nondescript Japanese, attaches himself to the Barringtons, follows them everywhere and accompanies them to | okyo, where Geoffrey meets KEGGIE FORSYTH, Attache of the British Embassy, musical and romantic, jeneficial for the ulleviation of the shaking off old attachments in Paris for a new one in Japan, the novelty being ° : YAE SMITH, daughter of a .apanese mother and an English father. ments at the Embassy. warrington, trom a talk with LADY CYNTHIA CAIRNS, vife of the British Ambassador, learns of Yae's for him as she could. doom was almost certain. was no que tation and no praise who has made regular remittances wife is obliged to become an Alcestis, jy 17 many—some fatal—love affairs and of the Embassy's disapproval of For- syth’s engagement to the young wornan. 110, lawyer for the Fujinami estate, to Mrs. Barrington, arranges for her and ber husband to meet the Fu- jinamis of Tokyo. Ihe entertainments tail to impress Barrington, to whom trat Village of Ak Japanese family customs reem odd and contradictory. A family business conterence discloses the iact that the Fujinami income is derived from the Geisha house privileges in Tokyo and elsewhere. Under the tutelage of her cousin. ’ KO, Barrington’s bride, begins to learn something of Japanese family cus toms and hear about 2er father and mother, the one a poet, the other a delicate, clinging little woman, who died wher Asako was born. Barrington and Yae Smith are Forsyth’: guests at Kamakura. They leave a dance to watch the Japanese peasants on the beach. Yae flirts with Geoffrey, who carries her back to rorsyth’s house in his arms. They have been seen by lanaka. Asako learns frots her cousin that childlessness is cause for divorce in Japan. She spends much time in the Fujinami household. Forsyth surprises Geoffrey and Yae Smith in his own 1ooms. Geoffrey declares his innocence; the girl accuses him, and in a violent tirade gives Barrington his first knowledge of the source of his wife's income. Asako learns of the incident and turns a deaf ear to her husband’s explanations and pleas for forgiveness. Jnder persuasion by Ito, Barrington signs a docu ment which divorces Asako. He returns to England. Asako too, learns of the source of ‘her income and becomes disgusted with Japanese customs. CHAPTER XXIV. (Continued.) The Autumn Festival. SAKO no longer felt like a Jap- ment, the clatter of the geta, and the hum of the crowd. * Starlight revealed the landscape. The moon was rising through a cloud’s liquescence. Soon the hun- dreds of rice-plots’ would catch her anese. The ‘uh reflection. ‘The outline of the coust sight of her of Tokio Bay was visible as far as countrymen in Yokohama; so were the broad pool of their drab mo- Ikegami and the lumpy masses of the hills inland. notonous thou- “rhe Jandscape was alive with lights, sands sickened jights dim, lights bright, lights her. The hiss stationary, lights in swaying move- : ment round each centre of population and cacklo Of ji iooked as if tho stars had fallen their incompre- from heaven, and were being shifted and sorted by careful gleaner: As each nebula of white illumina~ tion assembled itself, 1t began to move ‘oss the vast plain, drawn inwards toward Ikegami from every point ot the compass as though by a magnetic force. These were the lantern pro- cessions of pilgrims. They looked like the souls of the righteous rising from hensible tongue beat upon her brain with a deadly — inces- sant sound, like raindrops to one bo is impatiently awaiting the re- turn of fine weather, Here at Ikegami, the distant view oi! the sea and the Yokohama ship- earth to heaven in a canto from ping invited Asako to escape. But Dante. where could she escape to? ‘To Eng- ‘Tho clusters of lights started, lund. She was an English woman moved onwards, paused, regrouped bo longer. She had cast her husband themselves and struggled forw * off for insutficient reasons. She had lwen cold, loveless, narrow-minded and silly. She had acted, as she now recognized, largely on the suggestion ot others. Like a fool she had be- lieved what had been told. She had hot trusted her love for her husband. As usual, her thoughts returned to Geoffrey, and to the constant danger Which threatened him. Lately, she ld started to write u letter to him Namu myoho renye kyo. rege ener noha . meres got fur- Stowly the procession jolted up thi steep stairway ang came to rest witl She was glad when the irritating their heave huedens te front of te Gay was over, when the rosy sunset temple of Nichiren clouds showed through the trunks of silly,” said Cousin Sa the eryptomerias, when the night fell dako, “to be so superstitious, I think.” and the great stars ke lamps hung "phen why are we here?” asked jn the branches, But tho night Asako. yrought no silence, Paper lanterns wy) grandtatl é : © lighted round the temple, and ,.,.,7,. concfather is very supe rougft aoetylene flares lit up’ the Sviguni, and my father is afraid ie Largaining, the clatter of the geta i. sive it dees no hurt and it tng Jecame more terrifying even than in qo ‘Evog. All our family ie gol ee ig tater pane oe katsugi (brandishers of sacred sym- * hols). We think that with all this heard, felt, but unseen ‘The evening breeze was cold. In prayer we can turn away the trouble of Takeshi spile of the big wooden fireboxes ¥ wi iat is the strewn over their stall, the Mujinami ye ee Ae bivering. akeshi? Why is he sukv San and the ‘Let us go for a walk, Cousin Sadako until in the narrow street of the vil lage under the hill Asako could dis- tinguish the shapes of the lantern- bearers and their strange antics, and the sacred palanquin, a kind of enor- mous wooden beehive, which was thc centre of each procession, borne on the sturdy shoulders of a swarm of young men to the beat of drums and the inevitable chant matter with Mr not here? and phildren id the Fu suggested It ts it secret jinaini cousin, “you will tell no one. The two girls strolled along the You will pretend also even with me ridge of the hill as far us the five. ‘hat you de not know. Takeshi San #toried pagoda. They passed the tea- '§ Yery sick, The doctor says that house, so famous for its plum-blos- Ne 1s @ leper soms in early March. It was brightly Asuko stared, — uncomprehending. lighted. The paper rectangles of the Sadako went on shoji were aglow like an illuminated “You saw this morning those ugly hhoneyeomb. The wooden walls re sounded with the jangle of the sami- see ven, the high sereaming geisha voic und the rough laughter of the guests They were My brother is 1 su terrible tu vomnipe like that , Its a sickness. It cannot be cured Wt will Kill him very slowly. ‘Perhap J m one room the shoji were pushed his wife Matsu and |! child, vpen; and drunken men could be seen haye the sickness. Perhaps we too with kimonos thrown back from their are sick. No vue can tell, not for shoulders showing a body reddened inany years."’ with sake, They had taken the wgiy rs y Wings seemed to cover the gelshas’ tmetruments from them, and night. ‘The world beneath the hill were performing un impromptu song und dance, while the girls clapped their bands and writhed with laugh- ter, Beyond the tea-louse, the din of had become the Pit of Hell, and tl points of light were devils’ spec Asuko trembled “What does it mean’t ehe asked. the festival was hushed. Only from “tow did Takeshi San become pick? the distance came the echo of the “it 1 tenbutsu (iudgun t leuveu), song, the rasp of the forced merri- answered — ler w the bad inge of the Fujinami 1 Aboard the ship they meet 1ife could hardly be called a healthy on Illustrated By Will. B. Johnstone. Takeshi San was a bad man. He He thought only f geisha and bad women. No doubt oni oman who was sick. Bestdes, it ts amily vid not the old woman of Akabo say o? It is the COPYRIGHT, t922. BY BON! AND LIVERIGHT, misfortune was situated in the nort! was rude to his father, and he wos cast corner of tho/mansion, a quarter notoriously exposed to the attacks of (evil spirits). a of tot This of opinion between the two seniors of the house of Fujinami, whieh became — yy tumn day was cool, Ito was agitating fan, He was evidently nervous. Ito bowed. Ho was in favor jiad blown his nose into @ small no desir demolishment. square plgce of soft paper, which is ‘The request ts as only one of the differences (je Japanese apology for a handker Truly, the heart chief Fujinami frowned. He was tired “Thanks to the master,’ he sald, Hefore approaching the sanctum he ‘‘there is money in plenty. There ts to speak of such matters. for Asa San only. is speaking. girl is a beautiful child, and altogether a haikara person. My wife 1s old and low class. That to sition in the house of Fujinam! San.” ‘The head of the family cackled with he was much re- So it ts love, love like Weill, indeed, love is a good 1 haye said shall be school « urse of the Yoshiwara more frequent as the clouds of disas- of business matters and the worry of Darren and of turn next, ‘er guthered over the home-in Aki- other people’s affairs, He longed for M&Vve @ wife who Is worthy of my po- yours and mine." waka. A far more thorny problem peace. No wonder that poor Asako could Was the question of the succession “Indeed, the weather becomes per- : not sleep that night in the cramped With the living death of ‘Takes!ii eptibly cooler,” sald Mr. Ito with a ese laughter; promiscuity of the family dead, there was no male heir, Several jy prostration. “Ha Ha! Ito Kun! Vujinami Takeshi had been sickly ‘lly councils wero held in the pres- 1 there ig business,” his patron ean ence of the two Mr. Fujinamt gener plied crisply, “please step up into ‘ it? You are in iily in the lower-house, at which six a 5,0 3 A Paka "Be embers ot » collate : thing. Vhat one. Prot. Kashio had been called in ven menibers OF the Cnllateral sr1, Tio elipped off ia gets) and oe to preseribe. A blood test was taken oe CREATES KARA scended from the garden path. te ca ‘The doctor then pronounced that the {ther Gennosuke, who despised Ta- \ion ne had settled himself in the 80 the lawyer was dismissed. keshi as a waster, would not listen |e ct attitude with legs crossed and _ Accordingly, at. the to on behalf of his children. 4) 00 4 t n a tlement of well-to-do lepers. Bare it was decided to banish poor Takeshi ., His wife, Matsuko, naturally was ex- rington meets Miss Smith, who st.okes and languishes in Forsyth’s apart- pected to accompany him, to nurse In the village of Kusatsu, beyond he Kartizawa Mountain atural hot spring whos: , there isa Tic waters are isease. In this pla ve there is a sei- Thither jepr mere 1 im and to make life as comfortable Her eventual But there tion, no choice, no hesi- Every Japanese if her husband's well being demand it (oq ‘The children were sent to the ances- jon abo. was a t With a rocking (Zs) of great ships Riding at anchor CHAPTER XXV. Japanese Courtship. . O-bune no she Hatsuru-tomart no Tayutai ni Mono-omoi-yase nu Hito no kp yuye ni have at last become worn out with love. ecause of a child of man. branches were also present. “To a bad father « enunciated, his restless jaw masticat- ing more ferociously than ever. Md was strongly of opinion that it was the curge of Asako's father which had brought family entative Himself, inch to its rights and the indignant ost would cease to plague them all. 4'¥ Such was the argument of grand father Fujinamt G ported the claims of his own progjeny. Ki be “SHE DREW FROM THE BOSOM OF HER KIMONO THE SHORT Verhaps the Governor of Osak The oth hook their he ly. Were there no Pujinami left of . the collateral br uw tanin (outside persons the M had an axe of hiy own to grind and well considered.” folded, Mr. Fujinamt pushed over to- Council, Mr ward him a packet of cigarettes, add- bad child,” ie ease, without embarrassment, peak quickly what you have to 6 this sorrow upon his _ M. Ito chose a elgarette, and slowly sundo und Asako were pitched togather the cardboard of the elder branch ler, which formed tts lower half. Gentaro and Takeshi were “Indeed, sensei, tt is a difficult mat- usurpers. Restore the elder ter,” he began. “It is a matter which ould be handled by an intermed!- If I speak face to face like a foreigner tle master will excuse my rudeness.” “Please speak clearly."’ “I owe my advancement in life en- tirely to the master. I was an em!- i ital. “Tto Kun, wotild be well him Gennosuke. ntaro with ui naturally sup hi's children were disinher pampered favorite, ause of the leprous strain, stant and a vagabond over threo ( least, Sadako remained. She thousand worlds. Tho nfaster gave ally indignant. well “What?” jueated und serious girl. me a home and lucrative employment. SWORD IN ITS SHEATH OF SHAGREEN,” in Japan; knew foreign languages. She 1 have served the master for many elder branch to a butler vould make a brilliant marriage. Her years; with my poor effort the for- Whose father ran vusband would be adopted as heir. junes. of the family have perhaps shafts! increased. I have become as it were not heard a son to the Fujinami.” He paused at the word “son.” His employer had caught his meaning, and was frowning more than ever At last he answered: “To expect too much is a dangerous f° thing. To choose a yoshi (adopted son) of the counetl r members s, and breathed deep- it will become worse anches? Why adopt ? So spoke the man with a wen, who This Ito i -nothing, a a 1 brain of our business. ily karo (prime minister). to give those fits of rage common ‘ive the dau; this foolish be a good thing for us. fs a bad inge. By dolt rhe old gentleman collapsed Ito to tl inadmissib! ime minister” next pressed his master on the sub- confess 4 necessary family Fujinaml put forward the Proposal that Asako should be married forthwith to the family factotum, who should,be given a lump sum down in consideration for a surrender of further claim in his own name or his wife's to any share in the family cap- all he concluded, “‘Is the He is the fam- T think it this Asa to To his surprise, the proposal met janimous opposition. of the family envied and disliked Ito, who was regarded as Mr. Fujinamt’s The rest Grandfather Gennosuke was especi- he exploded in one of to old snen iter of the to a man rickshaw If the spirit of Katsundo has talk it would Already there uch # thing uatil the whole house of Wujinaimi ts ruined seal, a thief, a good- still thing—that hand of batteries, for be- was in Passion was an 7 * It was decided to choose the son- jy a difficult question. T myself can- Again the council HEN the Fujinami returned to in-jaw candidate first of all; and, Saree such grave aati, There undecided except for one okie, the wing ef the house afterwards, to decide which of the must be consultation with the rest of the claim of M in which the unfortunate son girls he was to marry. Perhaps it the Fujinami family. You yourself AS&ko was quit had lived had been demolished, An Would be us well to consult the nave suggested that Gov, Sugiwara When the “family ugly sear remained, a slab of charred "Une tellers. At any rate, a list of might perhaps be a sultable person." "™ sic Ae Bi TMD MH ADIGE SUASEOAY S \table applicnuiin would bo prepared’ MAG that time the talk wae ocvaada inch Mee Uayjinami concrete strewn with nes and : re al sa San." that the proposal had been rejected. burned beams, Saddest sight of all 0%, the next meeting ani sthia Hue be tall Je of Aa Ab. Then Ito unmasked his Les har ter pire tieedivtea thd “When men speak of the future,” A Clash of inspiration struck Mr. 14 nis patron had to realize that the uhi's foreign bedstead, once the sym. “id _ Grane ther Gennosuke, ‘the Mujinami Gentaro, O00 8 ual Of Tee want was a sanvant uo longer bol of progress and of the haikara "(8 ™ the ceiling laugh,’ lief. By giving her to Ito, he might “Tho cad that it. w spirit. ‘The fire wus supposed to have 59 the conference broke up be able to sidetrack Asako, and leave yin to have Asa been accidental; but the ravages had Mr Mujinami Gentaro had no seuner the highway to inheritance free for s5.6 the end of the beon carefully limited to the offend- teturned to the academic calm of his. his own daughter. But Ito had grown j,.. with this xirl fnprena chaste reading room than Mr. Ito ap- too powerful to be altogether trusted. Ov srwhelining thing Mr, Fujinami Geutaro, disgusted at beared on th hold “Tt must be clearly understood,’* T things have ¢ this unsightly wreeka wished to The oily fac 1s more moist than sald the master, “that it is the hus- Since the Age of the rebuild at once. But the old grand- usual, the buffalo-horn anoustache band of our Bada who will be the Wuji- ha the way of Love. father had objected that this pre As eacennasnncnn spot of more truculent; 4 A Charming Romance in an Atmosphere of Begins in y The Evening World and though the au- nami yoshi." This old Japanese cng neat rie at aa Mystery TIIE HOUSE OF PERIL Louis Tracy’s Master Story of New York life with special illustrations by Frederic Dorr Steele NEXT WEEK Naa ANA Aaa aN sioidiieiieidaiipuebiiieiaieiaiiaiiiid: iaiaiaeidtidiisiiaidadds , ALPS Asean poem he quoted ad his excuse for what would other- wise be an inexcusable {mpertinence. ‘The master was aware that politics in Japan were in an unsettled state, and that the new Cabinet was scarcely es- tablished; that a storm would over- throw it, and that the Opposition were already looking about for a suitable scandal to use for their revenge. He, Ito, held the evidence which they de- sired—the full story of the Tobita con- cession, with the names and details of the enormous bribes distributed by the Fujinami, If these things were pub- lished, the Government would certainly fall; also the ‘Tobita concession would be lost and tho whole of that great outlay; also the Fujinami’s leading political friends would be discredited and ruined, ‘There would be a big trial, and exposure, and outcry, and judgment, and prison, The master must excuse his servant for speaking so rudely to his benefactor. But in love there are no scruples; and he must have Asa San, Aftef all, after his long service, was his request so unreasonable? , Mr. Fujinami Gentaro, ared, protested that he himself was in favor of the match. He begged for time so as to be able to convert the other members of the farnily council. “Perhaps,” suggested Ito, “if Ava San were sent uway from Akasukaj perhaps if she were living alone, it would be more easy to manage. What 43 absent is soon forgotten. Mr. Fu- Jinam{ Gennosuke is a very old gen- tleman; he would soon forget. Suda San could then take her proper posi- tion as the only daughter of the Fuji- nami. Was there not a small house by tho river side at Mukojimay whi had been rented for Asa San? Per- laps she would like to live there— auite alone."* “Perhaps ‘Ito Kun would visit her from timo to time,” sald Mr. Iuji- naml, pleased with the idea; ‘she will be so lonely; there 1s no knowing.” The one person who was never con- sulted, and who had not the remotest notion of what was going on, was Asako herself. Asako was most unhappy. The dis- appearance of Fujinam! Takeshi ex asperated the competition between herself and her cousin. Just as for- merly all Sadako's intelligence and charm hed been exerted to attract her English relative to the house in Aku- saka so now she applied all her force to drive her cousin out of the family elrcle. For many weeks now Asako had been tgnored; but after tho re- {urn from Ikegami a positive perse- cution commenced. Although the nights were growing chilly, she was given no’extra bedding. Her m were no longer served to her; she had to get what she could from the kitchen. ‘The servants, imitating thelr mistress’s attitude, were delib- erately disobliging and rude to the little foreigner. Sadako and her mother would sneer at her awkwardness and at her ignor- ance of Japanese customs. Her obi was tied anyhow: for she had no maid. Her hair was untidy; for she was not allowed a hairdresser ‘They nicknamed her rashamen (goat face), using an ugly slang word fo: forelgner’s Japanese mistress; and they would pretend that she smelled like a European he war even Wi Asaka. Every German greeted with acclamation. ‘The ploits of the Emden were loudly praised; and the tragedy of Coronel was gloated over with satisfaction “The Germans will win because they are brave,'’ sald Sadako. “The English lose too many prison ; Jap: soldiers are never taken prisone “When the Japanese General or dered the attack on Tsingtao, the Unglish regiment Tan away!’ Cousin Sadako announced ler inten tion of studying German. “Nobody will speak English now," she sai “The English are di graced. They eannot fight “T wish Japan would ma on the English,” Asako answered bit terly, ‘you would get such beat ing that you would never boas Look at iny husband,"’ she proudly; ‘the ts so big and strong and ould pick up two or threr nerals like toys and knock together.’” Hven Mr, Fujinami Gentaro joined once or twice in these debates, and an- nounced sententiously “Twenty yeurs ago Japan defeated China, and took Korea. Ten go we defeated Russia and Manchuria, ‘This year we Germany and take ngtav. thoroughly used to batt success was ex ‘i Se years took defeat In ten years we shall defeat America and take Hawaii and the Philippines. In twenty y all defeat England and take Idi. Australia, Then panese shall be the most power ful nation in the world This is our divine mission.” Tt was aracteristiy of the of Asako's nature, that, ulthoug? very ignorant of the war, of its causes and its v tudes, yet she remained fiercely true to the Allies, and could never Japanese detachment. Above all, the thought of her husband's danger haunted her. Waking and sleeping she could see him, sword in hand, leadin his men to desperate hand to-hand struggles, like those por trayed in the crude Japanese chromo graphs, which Sadako showed her to loyalty play upon her fears. Poor Asako! How she hated Japan now! How she loathed the cramped, draughty, uncomfortable life the smiling faces eyes, from which is could escape! How she feared and the watebtul med she never Christmas was at hand, the season of pretty presents and Ml thing to eat, Her last Christmas she had uffrey, um the Liviera Lady Everington had been there, ‘They had watched the pigeon shoot- ing in the warm sunlight. They haé gone to the opera in the evening— “Madame Butterfly’! ~ Asako had imagined herself in the role of the heroine, so gentle, so faithful, waiting and waiting in he Little wooden house for thé big whi usband—who never came. What was at? She heard the guns of his ship saluting the harbor. He was com- ing back to her at last—but not alone! A woman was with him, a white woman! Alone, in her bare room—her gnly, companion a flaky yellow chrywan/@ themum nodding in the draught— Asako sobbed and sobbed as though her heart wero breaking. Somebody tapped at the sliding shutter. Asako could not answer. The shojl was pushed open, and Tanaka entered. Asako was glad to see him. Alone of the household ‘Tanaka was. still deferential in his attitude towards his lute mistress. He was always ready; to talk about the old time which gave her a bitter pleasure. “If Ladyship ts so sad,” he began, as he had been coached in his part. 4 beforehand by the Fujinami, “why Ladyship stay in this house? Change house, change trouble, we say.” “But where can I go?’ Asako ask- ed helplessly. “Ladyship has pretty House by riv- cr brink,” suggested ‘Tanaka. ‘Lady- ship can stay two mouth, three month, Then thes springtime cone ind Ladyship feel quite happy again. Even I, in the winter season, T fina™ the mind very distress. It is oftem To be alone, to be free from ue daily insults and cruelty; this in itself would be happiness to Asako, “But will Mr. Fujinami allow me to 0?" she asked, timorous! “Ladyship must be brave,” said the counsellor, * 1dyship ts not prisoner. Jadyship must say, I go. But perhaps I ean arrange matter for Ladyship.” (i “Oh, Tanaka, please do. I'm so un- happy here.” “LT will hire cook and maid for Lady- ship. T myself will be seneschal! Mr. Fujinamt Gentaro and his fam- ily were delighted to hear that their plan was working so smoothly, and that they could 0 easily get rid of their embarrassing cousin. The “sen+ exchal” instructed at once to see vbout arrangements for the house, which had not been lived in since its new tenaney Next evening, when Asako had pread the two quilts on the golden inatting, when sho had lt the riwh- light in the square andon, when the two girls were lying side by @lde under the heavy wadded bedclothes, Sadako ald to her cousin: ‘Asa Chan, T do not think you ke now 4s inuch as you used to Ike “T always like people when T hav once liked them aid Asako; “bu erything is different now.” “[ see, your heart changes quickly,” 1 her cousin bitterly. No, T have tried to change, but 1. cannot change. T have tried to be- come Japanese, but T cannot even learn the Jupanese Janguage. J do not like the Japanese way of Hving In Franco and in England I was alé Ways hoppy. T don't think T shall ever be happy again.” ® “You had better marry a Jap- inese,"’ said Sadako, “or you will be> come an old maid, Why not marry, Ito San? He si likes you. He is u clever man. Ho has plenty of, ry. Me is used to foreign ways.'* ry Mr. Ito!'? Asako exclaimed, “But he has a wife already.” “They will divorcee. Tt is no trouble, There are not even children. 1 would rather dic than marry any Japanese,’ 1 Asako with conyie~ tion, Sadako Vujinami turned her back und pretended to sles but long ‘through the dark, cold night Asako vould feel her turning restlessly to aghast und fro. Some time about midnight Asako heard her name called: “Asa Chan,:are you awake?” “Yes; “As river not be anything the Chan, in your you will be afraid? am not afraid to be Asako answered; “If am people.” matter?" house by the lonely. You willy lonely,** afraid of “Look! said her cousin; “I give e you this.'” She drew from tho bosom of her kimono the short sword jn its sheath of shagreen, which Asako had seen or twice berore “Tt is very old.’ sho continued; “it belonged to my ! mother's people. They were samurai of the Setdai @® clan. In old Japan every noble girl carried « short sword; for she uid, ‘Better death than dishonor When the time came to die she Woyld strike—here, in the throat, not too lard, but bushing strongly. But first she would tie her teet together with the obidome, the silk string which you have to hold) your obi straight. ‘That was in case the legs open too much; she must not die in immodest attitude. So when General Nogo did harakiri at Emperor Meiji’s funeral, bis wife, Countess Nogi, killed herself also with such a sword 1 give you my sword because in the? house by the river you will be lonely —and things might happen. T ean never use the mvovd myself now. It was the sword of my ancestors 7 am not pure now. T cannot use the sword, If I kill myself I throw my self into the river like a commor isha, (T think it 1s best you marry In Japan ft is bad to have «\ nd; but to have no husband, it my (Continued To-morrew.)