Litchfield enquirer., 1877-08-16

ripen into open revolt;and already dream. ed that the happy omen of the finding of the hair-pin was on the point of being ful- filled. gsed sa
 One bitter Winter night, when all was wrapped in the silence of sleep Bisiamon lay thinking of schemes, and turning over projects in his mind The oil-lamps shed fiickering glare over the apartment, re- vealing the forms of his sleeping com |. rades, and glancing brightly agaInst the armor suspended on the walls. It was midnight, and not sound could be heard o but the steps of the sentinel on guard, and the baying of distant dog. He was doz- ing of, when he heard the sliding screen of his apartment gently pushed aside; starting up, he seized his sword and stood ready for what might occur, but espied through the opening a hand holding As piece of paper; he could see that the hand was small and feminine, but no more for the paper was dropped, the hand immedi- ately withdrawn, and the door shut ass' ggntlyras it was opened, ,, 2pepAng the pa. hours the dreams of the last five years of your life will be realized. Be on the alert and watch. "l There was no signature pori, clue whatever to the epistle; the, writing was that of an educated woman, but from whom he was at a loss to conjecture. for the women in the palacei were either favor, ties of the Prince or wives of the retain. CTS, with none of whom was he even on speaking 1acquaintafce. However,, he dressed himself and waited, deeming 1t best not to awaken his companions, bnt to trust to chance. Anxiously he waited, for he knew not how or by whom, the happy omen of the hair pin was to have . fulfil ment, or in what manner his hopes and . A l.. l.
 The night, which till now had been SC. rene and calm, began to change to . rough tempest1ous day, ,the wind howled around and through the old buildings, shaking the frail shutters as though they were pine branches, and driving the snow, against them with tremendous force Suddenly, above the roar of the elements; 8 he heard the deep boom of the fre-bells O and opening the outer shutters, he saw that the main building of the yashki was in flames. Soon other fre-bells took up the warning note, every one was aroused, the gates of the castle thrown open,l and the city learned that the Nara Castle was on fire. Through the gates poured the fire brigade with their ensigns, engines, battering-rams, ladders, and hooks, head- ed by gorgeously .arrayed Captains on horseback, followed by a howling, shout
 
 of leaving their warm coverlets for fire of less importance. Bisiamen's first im- pulse was to rush into the burning build. ing and attempt to save the life of his lord, for, although the man was uwaFperg and his enemy. he had bound himself by the strongest oaths which feudalism could frame to serve him truly. With this ob. iect in view, therefore, he ran toward tho already half-consumed block, and would have forced his way in, but strong hand was laid on his shoulder, and deep voice said: Stay, young mah; this is the sUngs. ance of the gods; beware how you anger them in attempting to frustrate it." He looked and bsheld one of the ancient ser. wants of the Nara household, and ut the same time observed that the other retain. CTS, clad in full war costume, were stand ing watching the progress of the flames, but neither attempting to aid in the work of extlnguishing them, nor preventing the firemen from doing so if they could. Bis. jamon saw the situation at glance. This was the solution of the mysterious letter. The fire was not accidental, but the work of band of desperate men, driven by constant bullying and goading to assert their independence, in way not cOnsid. cred fiendish in those rough and -ready days. .t .....f -......f Then he reflected that among the re- tainers there were many who were still faithful, and who would have fought for their lord against the disaffected few. Those had heen decoyed away, he learn- ed, and, in their absence among the tea- houses and pleasure haunts of the city, where they were probably at thIs moment helplessly intoxicated, the old retainers had carried out their dreadful scheme of revenge. '' -'''1s' 4 .''h -' So the fire progressed and although the fremen worked as Japanese fremen al- ways do-with a pluck resembling fooIs hardiness,S Sdashing into the hottest corn. CTS, tstaving in doors aud easements with their hooks and axes, and battering down whole sides of the building with their rams-in an hours time mass of smoul. dering ruins marked the site ofths cen- tral building of the Nara Castle nj, All in- side must have perished, for so rapid had been the course of the fire that not soul could have found time to escape.
 As the first glimmer of dawn appeared, Bisjamon saw the firemen gradually with draw, and the rabble. surfeited with ex. citement, disperse, Suddenly woman rushed from the midst of the band of ar- mor-clad warriors, and he clasped to his breast Kaimlri!
  hand that had thrust the paper into his room on the proceeding night; she had lived as 8 dependent of the ill-fated usur. per since his accession to power, and not as wife. She had watched her old love re-enlist under the old banner, and had noted his progress. Still firm and unal- terable in her affection for him, she had fomented the feelings of the retainers, had famed them into fame and had plan. ned and carried into execution herself the design of destroying the usurper her husband. Now she came to claim Bisia. mon as her own. Proofs of his identity were not wanting, for during her long, bitter union she had carefully treasured up all the letters and presents which had passed between them in the old days. So Bisjamon was proclaimed rightfnI Prince of Nara, and entered immediately into possession. On the ruins of the old palace was reared new and magnificent edifce, and the opening festival therein was to celebrate the union of Bisiamon to his true love Kaimiri.
 Such is the Old World story, which yet delights thousands of Japanese play-go- CTS. It may not be commended from c moral point of view, but allowance must be made for the country and the age, and it seeks to point moral after all, for of all virtues that of fidelity to relatives, to lovers, and to ancestors is the most strict ly enjoined by all masterslof Oriental phi. losophy, and it is the fidelity which Kai. miri owed to Bisjamon, which under mfsapprehension she gave to another, and to which she returned, that the old writery dwells upon as being so worthy of rever. enceand lmitation.---AU the YeGr Round.
 
 The Litigation wnlch mas been going on for nearly two years before the patent of. flee between the Yale Look company ofs Stamford and James Sargent of ROches-s ter. N. r., to determine the priority of claim to the valuable invention known as time locks, has assumed a new phase by T.