The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-25
the LITTLE WILD INDIGO
Pathetic Romance Of the Love Of a
Very Beautiful Japanese
Maid.
She Sinned Not With the Will of
the Heart Nor Was Con-
denlned.
Rescued from Robbers by the Grave
Samurai She Must Sell Herself
to the Yoslliwara.

Sir Edwin Arnold writes pretty Japa-
nese love story In the London Telegraph:
We find orr way to a door in wooden
fence. leading into an old burying ground.
Here under tiny penthouse OF weather
worn boards. are two moss-covered stones
projecting from, the damp earth, with two
little cisterns of stone in front OF them. one
containing rain-water and the other sand
and ashes. The musn,ees have brought
with them bundle of serke which we stick
up in the sand and light. The fragrant
blue smoke of the incense cufls among the
bamboo stems and leaves and diffuses
agreeable watts while somebody reads to
us what is written on the stones and on the
sotoba or wooden tablets planted IN the
ground around the grave. This is the tt'mb
Of the Shivoku,' it says. The Shiyoku we re
fabulous birds, which always flew with theA'
near wings joined together and became the
emblem Of love and fidelity. Another stone
SAYS: I'm the old days his beauty was like
that of the cherry flower, and she looked
upon it with love l1kes that OF the sun
shine. These two birds have died in their
too short fight the cherry blossoms have
persisted without fruit
Shirai Gompachi was young Japanese
gentleman, tvo-sworded samural, IN the
train of daimio of Tnaba, who by the age
of 10 had became widely known in his own
province for great personal beauty ana
courage and perfect skill in the use OF
the sword. These we're the days when
the sword was the life of the samurai. The
etiquette of the sword governed all Japan
csc society. Once drawn it must never be
sheathed until Redeemed by blood, and
must never be unsheathed within the pre-
cincts of the palace.
Young Gompachi on certain unlucky
day Quarreled with a companion, and,
drawing his sword upon him In the court,
fought With and killed him. For this he
had to fly TO Yeddo, then but small city.
and to hide in the suburbs. 1t was wild
time everywhere. and he put up one night
in an inn where gang Of robbers lived,
some six or seven, who could not see tho
richly ornamented sword and dirk without
coveting them, and also concluding that the
owner must have plenty of gold coins IN his
girdle.
A little could the musmee of the house, n
eingularly lovely girl, wait upon the hand
some young stranger without interest. In
the dead of the night Gompachi was sleeping
soundly after his long flight when he was
lightly touched by some hand. and, starting
up, saw the musmee kneeling by the side OF
his futon. He had not noticed before how
UeHUGltul Suc Wdbs tAi5 OoIloOA VI ~ yCAAo
which in Japan is maturity. "Damnase!
do not speak, she said, Il crave your hon
orable pardon for arousing you; but you
must know that this is den of dreadful
robbers, who last year carried me of from
my fathers house in Kikawa, under the
hill Of Azabu. Tonight they will murder
you 10 get your sword and clothes and mon
ey. You seem to be as brave al you are
handsome. II you are really skillful with
the sword prepare yourself and l will try to
help You; and if you can get away safely
take me with you. for love you, and am
pachi answered: Greatly thank you, o
ko-Murasaki San! but will not have you
hazard one hair of your beautiful head for
my sake. Steal out of the house and wait
in the shadows of the bamboos for me. As
soon as have tied up my sleeves and fas-
If any seek to stay me will kill them."
Accordingly she went out, and while
Gompachi was putting on his day dress
the thieves stealthily entered by anoth T
door with drawn swords. but were discon-
certed to find the young samurai leap upon
them, his long sword in one hand. and in
the other the alkuchi, the dirk, to guard
and dispatch. Two of the knaves he in
stantly cut down. slashed the arm from an.
other, and from another the leg. SO that the
survivors, being terrified, made way for
him, and then, calmly wiping his katana
with white paper before sheathing it, he
came where Little White Indigo waited
tremblingly for him in the bamboos. Re-
assuring her, he conducted her to Mikawa,
to her fathers house, where they
overwhelmed him with thanks, and
would have kept him rs son of the es-
Establishment but that he said samural
must live by his sword, and SO he would go
to take service with some lord. He prom
Used, however, to the weeping girl that he
would soon return, and receiving as pres
ent 200 ounces of silver he started forth
again on his wanderinRs.
He had been absent about year, expert
encing all sorts of adventures. till he fell
into the society of q wardsman of Jeddo.
named Chobel, who helped him to lead,
am sorry to say, the usual reckless life of
his time and age. In those days letters were
seldom written, news was scant, and he
neither heard nor, it seems, tried very much
tohear from no Murasakl. But ono night at
dinner talk arose at Chobel's house of very
beautiful geisha who was newly come to the
Yoshiwara, and who was dancing and sing
Ing at the sign of the "Three Sea Coasts -
He went and saw there sitting among the
immoral sisterhood his ko-Murasaki, the
"Littls Wild Indigo" of Mikava. In deep
distress she told that overwhelming Ca
lamity had fallen upon her household: that
her parents had become poverty stricken
and IN danger of starvation: that, no. hear
anR from him or seeing him or meeting him,
she mad been obliged to submit to the fate
OF many and many japanese maiden, to
sell herself, for the sake of her father and
mother, to the master of Yoshiwara
But now" said she, that have seer
you again, you. who are go strong and
brave, will help me. Do not desert mt
again." The beauty of the girl filled hi
heart once more. and he gave up everythin,
TO visit her daily. But at Yoshiwara none,
must be spent, and, being ronin. withou
any means. Gompachi soon came to the bot
tom OF his wits and his purse. and wa
driven at last to crime by his love and poy
erty combined. For o-Murasaki's sake
though she herself did not know it-he be
TOOK himself to robbery and murder. Hi
heart grew blacker and blacker by thes
concealed Weaknesses. Just as he ha
emassed, however, gold enough by his rob
nerles to bay ko-MurasakIs liberty the at
tnorltles, who were aware of his deeds, lai
hands upon him. He was proved guilty {
murder and plumber and beheaded ON IL
execution ground. Chobel, the wardsme,
claimed his body and head and buried thel
n the grounds of the Borauii temple
Meguro. and ko- Murasaki first knew Of I'll
event by hearing the people in the Yosh
war; talk of the handsome young samurs
who, Tor his heinous crimes, had been 70
Didden the privilege Of his rank to comm
the hafl-kari, but was dispatched like
common malefactor
The same night she fed from tho ."rhr
Sea Coaats," walked all the way barefoot
to Gegufo and threw herself on the new
made grave of her lover whose sins s
seems too easily to have forgiven. comm
ke6 for her RAko In, thu ,,,,,.,;,.. ~. -: :.