St. Landry democrat., 1886-08-07
HIS JAPANESE WIFE.
A Native Curiosity, Even to the
Chop-Sticks.

small towns to every one but the Brom-
leyites. They held different opinion.
"a very remarkable place is Brom-
ley," said one of its principal citizens,
accenting his remark with a vigorous
slap on his knee. MANY of the most
remarkable men of our country have
been connected with Bromley" And
he looked tiercely at the person with
whom he was conversing, as if to
challenge of refutation. None came,
either because his listener was native to
the place and agreed with him, or, being
an alien, did not dare to disagree.
1t was true beyond dispute that the
Governor of a distant Territory had
once lived in Bromley; also doubtless
true that many public men early in their
career, OR before it had begun, had passed
through Bromley, possibly in the capac-
reer of many celebrated American),
and thus connected themselves with it,
shedding upon it the lustre of their fu-
'ture greatness. There was at least as
broad foundation for the remark as
for many things that one hears in this
world.
Bromley was most hospitable to the
stranger, and to a unit kind and de-
voted to its neighbors in sickness or
sorrow. If everybody knew about
everybody else's affairs, even in some
cases better than the individual himself,
that was but incidental to the size of the
place, and had its advantages as well as
its disadvantages.
A broad main street led from the
railroad depot to the courthouse,
crossed in front of that fine structure
by another at right angles to it, which
was also an important thoroughfare.
An interested observer leaning against
the iron fence which enclosed the court
house yard might thus have an oppor-
tunity OF seeing and hearing a great
deal; for although there were, of course,
a number of other streets, these two
were the chief, and what could not be
learned ON either of them was scarcely
worth knowing.
The town was in a gentle twitter of
excitement, for it was to be visited, if
not temporarily inhabited, by gentle
man who had held. distinguished
official position in Japan; how distin-
guishedF no one could say. Unfortu-
nately the sources of information were
less accessible than usual, and conse-
quentIy conjecture was obliged to fill
the gap. He was coming with a retinue
of servants; he was coming alone; he
was coming with his wife; he had no
wife; he was very wealthy, he had dis
dained to fill his pockets even at the
expense of foreign country. So went
the conflicting rumors. One thing was
certain; he was the nephew of Mrs. Long,
and was to be her guest. Had he
been the nephew of any one save Mrs.
Long, Bromley would have known more
about him. But Mrs. Long was no true
Bromleyite. She had come there to live
within a few years; why, no one knew;
was an invalid who seldom went out,
and was both exclusive and secluded in
her habits. Bromley did not quite ap-
prove Of her ways, but had to accept
her as she was; and as, when visible,
she was very pleasant, and also gave
liberally to all charities and matters of
general interest to the place, she made
no enemies, if but few friends. The
distinguished stranger or strangers ar
rived on Sunday evening, stepped into
Mrs. Longs carriage, and were rapidly
driven to her house, where the door
closed upon them, and all hopes of any
further knowledge Of them for that
night. Nobody could testify positively
how many there were.
s.Well, Moncure," said Mrs. Long, af-
fectionately, stepping forward, wrapped
up In shaWls, Il am glad to see you.
And this is the bride" And. she bent
forward and kissed her new niece.
Later, as they sat at the tea table.
spread with the choicest viands and
adorned with the most elegant old sill
yer and cut glass, her nephew asked
her how she came to settle in Bromley,
ssThough it seems to be a pretty enough
place to justify it without other reason"