Delta chief., 1885-10-21
A Japanese Romance in Real Life.
BIZ MARTHA c. N. FISHER.

Some few years after the ratification
OF our treaty for the purpose Of trade
and commerce with the beautiful
island empire of Japan. l found myself
a sojourner on its fair shores, and,
with my household, enjoying the pc
culiar privileges and protection which
that government so freely accorded to
the Official representatives of the for
eign powers.
With deep interest we scanned the
first pages of this new and wonderful
volume Just opening to the world, rich
with the glowing illuminations of past
ages. port -aying far higher civiliza-
ton than has ever been deemed by
Western nations possible under such
complete isolation, While some of
their laws seemed to have come 10
the m from the Great Lawgiver, others
seemed to us strangely barbarous, and
we sometimes looked upon the rare
spectacle of exquisite retlneme mt clasp
ing hands with DOWN ght cruelty.
japanese law permits polygamy,
which practiccd is. however. by no
means common. and it is quite an eS-
ceptainal case where q man has more
than one wife.
The hero and heroine of the present
story were both connected with our
household. Shinski, the butler. was a
man of rare intelligence and cultiva-
ton for the position he held. His wife,
Waka, who filled the position of nurse,
was petite, and graceful as n fawn,
with small and eXquis tely shaped
hands and feet, n refined. attractive
face, large dark eyes brimming with
merrimeut, or soft and earnest with
deep feeling-eyes in which you could
read truthiulness and kindness at
glance. and clearly indicating the af-
fectionate disposition from which fiow-
ed most naturally all her ready, cheer
full. polite, and winning ways. Her
father now dead, had been farmer in
very good circumstances, and in that
country n farmer ranks first in the
social scale, always excepting the Dali
mios and military and civil
otlicials-and the logic is good. We
could not live at all, they reason, but
for the farmer, who produces the food
to sustain life; SO that class who supply
sustenance TO the race, or their hrst
need. rank first in the social scale.
Next in order comes the carpenter. who
builds the houses. and thus provides
the necessary shelter; then the mer-
chant and manufacturer, who ranks
third. as the providers of clothing for
the masses. and truly with the masses,
especially in the warm season, cloth
ing is far from being much of a con-
sideration, for not only are troops of
children seen about the streets in the
uniform provided by Mother Nature,
but numbers Of adult males appear
quite at their ease, in most elaborately
tattoaed suits ::of epidermis, with the
satisfied air Of exceptionally we'll
dressed men. To this class the manu-
facturers and merchants are but super
numeraries in the body-politic.
Waka had received the usual educa-
ton and accomplishments to which
young ladies of her rank are entitled
in Japan, and was considered quite
proficient in music, owning a samsing
the piano Of Japanese lad;es-and
having been teacher of the divine
art. Among the other servants was a
married man. ku, whose family, wife
and children, lived in Kanegawa,
across the bay. He was in person
rather tall. with a good countenance
and pleasant manners, being much es
teemed by all the servants. He was
always ready to do any of them good
turn, or help about anything. at any
w hSh w nat tabN
for her daily airing. Ku was often
ready with the little carriage. for it
was quite source of pleasant rivalry
among the mcn-servants which should
have the honor of wheeling tho little
queen of the house, and his strong
arms were always ready to carry her
when, rs was often the case. she pre-
ferred that mode of locomotion. and he
was Enthusiastically her favorite bearer.
Thus it happened that Ku often ac-
companied Waka and her little charge
for long strolls along the beautiful
bluffs overhanging the sea, and through
the lovely camellia-hedged. shady
lanes. enjoying the sweet sights and
sounds which Nature in this favored
cline gathers from sparkling sea and
leafy, fragrant hill-sides for her appre-
ciative children. and SO the days passed
on. and summer grew into its maturi-
ty.
EARLY one morning As was sitting
alone in the library. the door was
hastily opened. and q lady, near rel
ative. who had married au American
merchppt in Japan and lived lust op-