The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-07-22
HIS JAPANESE WIFE.
A Native Curiosity, Even to the
Chop-Sticks.

A Native Curiosity, Even to the
Chop-Sticks.
The town of Bromley was like othel
small towns to every one but the Brom,
ieyites. They held a different opinion.
"A very remarkable place is Brom.
ley" said n of its principal citizens,
%accenting his remark with a vigorou,
slap on his knee. ..Many of the mos
remarkable men of our country have
been connected with Bromley" And
he looked fercely at the person will
whom he was conversing, as if te
challenge of r~efutation. None came,
either, because his listener was native te
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.
,ty I ''drummers" "a stage in the ca.
reer OF many a celebrated American),
y thus connected themselves with it,
shedding upon it the lustre of their flu
ture greatness. There was at least as
broad a 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 OF
sorrow. Ii everybody knew about
everybody else's affairs, v 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 vas scarcely
worth knowing.
The town was in a gentle twitter of
excitement, for it was to be visited, if
not temporarily inhabited, by a gentle
man who had held a distinguished
official position in Japan; how distin-
guished no one could say. Unfortu-
nately the sources of information were
less accessible than usual, and conse-
quently 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 a foreign country. So vent
the conflicting rumors One thing was
certain; he was the nephew ofMrs. 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 b was; and as, when visible,
she was very pleasant, and also gave
literally 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.
"Well M%oncure," said Mrs. Long, af-
fectionately, stepping forward, wrapped
up in shawls, 81 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,
Though it seems to be a pretty enough
place to justify it without other reason"
he added, ''as far as neighboring seem
cry goes
She gave a little amused laugh.
s'There isn't a soul in Bromley that
would not like to hear the answer to
that quest on. But I'm SO wicked I've
never gratified them. 1 came to be
quiet. / found the city was getting too
noisy and too full of people for me.
The scenery here is beautiful, and the
air l think remarkably fine. The people
are very kind, or would be if lwould let
them. They don't quite approve of me be-
cause l won't. But 1 can't afford to be
popular. since l came for quiet" The
nephew laughed. If your wife is not
too tired, and you will both go to church
tomorrow, you will be bestowing a
boon on the community at large. l
know they are all dying to see you. 1t
is the first time any thing japanese has
come within their borders, 1 fancy"
"Do you 60 to church yourselfp" he
asked.
Very rarely, though it is only
across the way. But 1 am too much of
an invalid"
1T is evident you want us to be
popu'a ar, even if you are not" he
said, as they rose from the table.
why not? You are both too young
and healthy to require quiet and seclu-
sion, as l do. Well, Moncure, l sup
pose you will prefer a mat and a wooden
pillow to sleep onP'
Thanks, no. | did not go in for that
sort of thing ven in Japan, but am
still quite capable of approaching an
American bed" he said, as they parted
for the night.
Bromley was more than satisfied to
see its two distinguished guests walk up
the church aisle the next morning. al
belt they were a little late. A slightly
built, pleasant-looking young man, with
brown hair and eyes, and a small, dark,
foreign : looking lady. She was pro-
nounced stylish in a style not familiar
in their latest fashion-books; but opin-
ions were divided as to whether she was
pretty. As Mrs, Long did not ACCOM-
ssHY shstaa there rsa No opportunity