Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-11-27
ROMANCE OF JAPAN.
Karuka, the Savior of His Coun.
try, and His "Eta" Bride.

Long, long ago. during the sim NOR.
tai era of Japanese history, there
lved in the city of Yeddo, a young no.
Bic named Karuka. Although barely
Fventy-tive years of age he had proved
imself so skillful = General and so
%iaHntless a warrior that he was re-
Earded as one of the grandcst and
tEnest sons of that splendid country
(Which to this Gay artists, poets. and
actors worship under the title of Dai-
Nippon.
Young Karuka was as handsome and
accomplished as he was brave and rich.
Ihc legend says that he was tall and
Film, strongly and symmetrically built.
with the oval face, the almond eyes,
nd the arched eyebrows, which con-
Ftitute manly beauty in Japan. He was
b skillful archer, a bold fencer, an ex-
pert swordsman. a daring rider, who
had assembled the steep steps of the
Mems Path up the hill Of Antango
n Il fiery steed; a good musician,
well verscd in the ballad and legend
ere Of his 1and--in fact, he was a jap
Enese Admirable Crichton.
Now, among all the damsels who
Fghcd and pinned for him there was
PIE in particular who really loved him.
She was the daughter OF one of the
lroudest Hatta-Motos. or imperial body
guards; she was beautiful and accom-
plished, and had rejected many noble
lovers who had come from distant
provinces to sue for her hand, all for
hc love of Karuka.
And yet she could produce no inn
preston upon his heart. Nevertheless.
0 Kiri-such was the lady's name-so
Far from being repulsed, only prose-
ented her suit with greater ardor.
When u woman disappointed in love,
Favs the old adage, takes to brooding in
solitude and silence, good rarely comes
ct it. And it was so in the case of D
kiri.
She began to suspect Karuka, al
Plough after long watching she had not
been able to trace the object of his af-
Fections, and was assured that it could
be nobody in his Usual circle of &C
E%ralntances.
One evening she was watching the
movements of Karuka's shadow behind
te paper shutters of his room from her
usual observatory behind the azalae
Eashes. She saw him dress his hair in
ordinary plebeian fashion, she saw the
fgure OF a retainer approach kneelihg
with an undistinguishable mass in his
arms, she saw Karuka change his cloth
lng for what the retainer had brought,
and place q common road-brimmed
Nolie hat on his head. Then the shut
lers were opened, and by the light OF
ne oil wick in the room 0 Kiri saw her
@ol attired from head to foot in COM
mon workman's costume.
Her heart sank within her, for her
soman's keenness told her thathe was
On some cavalier expedition. Presently
the retainer, whom 0 Kiri recognized
Is karuka's chief steward, fastened Il
pair of common straw sandals on his
!eet, slung an ordinary carpenters bag
over his shoulders, and, with profound
o0eisance, left him. o KRIS heart
'tat wildly as she watched hafnka
cross the castle yard stealthily, and
swiftly, rather as a criminal flying
rom justice than q great lord
u his own domain. She waited until
ne had got through the gateway ana
laDu darted after him. Keeping him IN
ssht. she followed him along all KINDS
evil back-lanes and by-streets' the
IAN soaking into her thin robes, ana
lte unusual exertion of walking quickly
,'er Uneven ground on high clods
ssounding her delicate feet. Inc pc lhe
Jared at her, as we'll they might, u sue
S~pt on, past the great temples OF shloa'
saSt the castle of the great lord OF pa
una, past those scattered hill temples
mich afterward became European le'
ssi0ns, until they arrived at the dirty