St. Landry democrat., 1883-05-19

murdered and his palace burned to the
ground by a mob of discontinued ten
ants.
The next journey of Inari was to a
hall of justice. eff I don't find hon
esty here" he said, II don't know
where to look for it.
The days business began. and Inari
took the form of pen in the hand of
one of the clerks. s.Call the first case, :"
said the Judge, a big, heavy fellow,
with a face which betokened constant
acquaintance with the good things of
this life. The first criminal was intro
duced; he was carried in, for he had
laid five days in a noisome cell with
weights upon his back and legs, and
could not move. You are accused
of robbery said the Judge. "Nay,
your Honor whispered the poor
wretch, II was starving. saw a rice
cake on a shop shelf, and I could not
resist the temptation to seize it."
sDoesn't matter. ssIt's robbery" said
the Judge. Peoples property must
be protected. Fifty stripes with the
bamboo, a months hard labor upon rice
and water, and think yourself lucky to
get off with your head! Next case'
A dissolute-looking young fellow,
fashionably dressed, staggered in be-
tween two iailers. s'Sorry to see you
here, Mr.. Hanaski,n said the Judge,
blandly. "Same as before, suppose?"
swell, sir,'' replied the young man,
with an air of careless effrontery, sit
was at the Three Pine Trees;' | sup
pose had been drinking bit, the
wench was impudent, and I cut her
down. | suppose couple of hundred
riyos for the family will settle it?"
.sOh, as it was Unsuitable, said the
Judge, ''we'lP call it a hundred. Good
morning. The young man paid the
money and left the court.
Inari shuddered. '.Here," thought
he, sis poor wretch who is convicted
of having stolen cake worth half a
tempo to appease the cravings of his
hunger and is condemned to be crippled
for life; and young blackguard who
kills a woman gets off with an easy
fine!n On the spot he struck the Judge
with dropsy, from which he never re-
covered; and the young murderer was
waylaid by the friends of the girl and
so maltreated that he died of his
wounds.
Heart-sick and mortified, mari said:
esNow for Kawasaki. Possibly, but not
probably, shall find beneath the lowly
peasant roof what have failed to dis
cover in the gilded palaces of the
mighty To KaWasaki he went as a
pilgrim. He soon espied the beggar
cutting wood outside a poor but neat
little hut harGrby the ferry. Assuming
an air of great WEAKNESS, the god adj
dressed him: Il am bound for the
holy 0 Yama, to do my mid-winter
penance beneath the cascades of
Koyias. | am very poor, and can not
afford to go to one of the great tea
houses; perhaps you will let me rest
here while and refresh myself in re-
turn for what few tempos I can give"
The peasant took Inari's arm gently
aud led him in. "Oh, Kiku!'' he cried
to his wife, here, quick, bring some
warm water and something to eat and
drink; here is poor, old pilgrim tired
and hungry A pleasant-looking old
woman approached at the summons
and saluted Inari. Then the warm
water was brought and she bathed the
feet of the god, while her husband
scraped together what little food and
wine there was in the house and set it
before him. g / feel ashamed" said
mari, at trespassing upon the good
nature of those who are as poor as my
SELF Do not mention it, sir,'' said
the peasant. 1--WE have to work hard
for our living, but we have always
something to spare for poor travellers
like yourself =
g And how do you get your living, if
it is not a rude question:" asked Ipari.
g / cut wood for the great tea-houses,"
replied the man, ssand at busy times /
help the ferryman. But / had such
great good luck the. other day that we
are quite comfortable now And he
told Inari about his visit to the Bzen
palace.
The god said nothing for few min
.utes, and then he asked: II shall be re-
turning here in a fortnight time; could
you make it convenient to lend me fifty
riyos2'
:. Willingly, sir,'' said the peasant,
and he counted out the sum from his
bamboo stem and placed the paper in
the hand of the god. In q fortnight
mari returned to the PEASANTS house,
and said: "Here are the fifty riyos you
were kind enough to lend me-and, >
taking from his own pocket a roll of
notes, ..here are five hundred more. |
only borrowed from you to test your
heart, and perhaps you can guess who |
am The astonished and delighted
couple fell on their knees in an ecstasy
of Joy. Inari disappeared. and the poor
peasant prospered ever after, until he
became the owner of the largest tea
house in Kawasaki.
Another story is called: