The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1876-01-20

ed on that night. My father had
been called away for the night, and
the way was clear. Attwelve o'clock
l was in the boat the sails were set,
and we few on like a bird, Ahzrim
was to take me to his own home at
Nippon, where his mother lived;
There were four men in the boat, two
Of them Dutch and two Japanese.
One, Of the latter filled me with mex
PlieaMe: horor and dread. Some
where7 l. had seen those twinkling eyes
bulging out of the fat creases-that
cruel and sensual mouth, and dull,
livid hue, I tortured myself trying
to remember.
"|Who is he ]ike?' I murmured
to Ahzrim, as iclung to him; 4
hate that man.
"Like? why he is like our old
friend Hidyose,' said Ahzrim, with q
gay laugh.
"He felt so happy that there was
no room for terror in his heart
"'0h, it is his ghost 1 cried; he
will pursue us to the death!'
"But my lover convinced me that
my: fears were foolish. Still I watch
ed the man suspiciously, and I thought
I detected him furtively watching
me. The next thing seemed to be
some sign of intelligence between him
and the other Japanese. I begged
Ahzrim to spy about q little, and he
promised: to do so. About three
o'clock I bad fallen into doze, when
I heard q Whisper:
"".My love-wake!-be silent and
come with me-
1T was cloudy night and dark;
but L knew Ahzrim's voice, and put
my hand in his. He just carried me
to the stern Of the ship, and I saw Z
tiny boat rocking there. He leaped
in, cut the fastening, and in a lew
moments We had drifted far away. I
clung to him in terror.
"'What does this mean ," whis-
pered.
sit means that you were right in
suspecting mischief, and have saved
both our lives,' said my lover. That
rascal, so.horribly like our old tor
ment, was Hidyose's brother. he
had sworn an oath to avenge his
brothers death-had bought up those
two cursed Dutch sailors. There was
barrel of gunpowder below, and the
plot was to lay train to it, and blow
us up, while they escaped in this boat.
They were only waiting for us to get
asleep himself. They were trying to
! wake him up, when I took you and
kr ocked their little plan in the head
"We were very merry over our
escape, as we drifted about on the wa
| ter, yet fearful still of danger, till at
last we were fortunately taken up by
a merchant vessel, just as We were be-
ginning to starye, and carried safely
! to Nippon.
"Ahzrim's home was a pretty white
cottage with veranda about it, and
his mother dear little lady, welcom-
ed me at once like a daughter, and
gathered with her own hands the tea
from their pretty tea-hedge, to make
me, q refreshing drink when I reached
there. Oh, what happiness was with
in my grasp; and yet-and yet I
threw it away in my madness!
"Now I come to the part of my
story which should serve as a warning
to you-and of all willful girls. I
was so shaken by the journey, that
for days I did not 60 out, and, in the
meantime, Ahzrim was making pre-
parations for our marriage, and.I was
not idle. AS soon as I was strong
enough, / used to 20 with his mother
to buy pretty fabrics Of aowered silk
and gauze and lace for my trousseau.
Zone day we happened to come in
front Of ashuge building, about which
| I was very curious.
"'1t is paper-factory,' said Ahz-
rim.
"'Oh, must see it! I cried.
"tNot at all" answered my lover,
so decidedly that it kindled my
wrath. 1t is not proper for an un-
married lady to make such a visit
":Permit me to know what is prop
er,' said, loftily.
/ "1 forbid it, nositively,' he said.
az do not belong to you yet,' I
answered hotly.
"'VerY WE'LL he said, and turned
and left us in anger.
Il was more bent on going than
ever, but too enraged to know what
I was doing. The demon of bad
temper was thoroughly aroused.
only knew that Ahzrim's mother was
by my side as We mounted the stairs
but I did not speak to her. I saw, as
in a dream, the guard bow low-the
= man who came forward to conduct us
1.-THE whiz Of the machinery-the
, fluffy, mighty air-the piles Of ragf
the pure white paper-then some
!. one screamed-and l felt myself seiz'
. ed--draw in--and with excruciatine
agony torn asunder-ground down
and reduced to pdlp."
. The Japanese lady had risen from
the chair, and sighed again.
:, Eyes, I. was made into paper, and
/ put on japanese fans,' she moaned
"and exiled from my native country