The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1892-02-04

then. Ia u deeper reverie still. returned
TO his apartment.
lit is certain" said heto himself.
certain that spring. and spring only
is all that Fiaki desires
And he stopped to lend an ear 60 the
sharp wind blowing against the palace
walls.
Already the twilight was far adj
vanced. the gray dawn waiting 10 take
the gray evenings place.
Yes, spring, spring only muir
INJURED the unhappy daimio. dejectedly
resuming the seat that he had quilted a
while ago.
Suddenly his sorrow changed to anger.
and he summoned his prime minister.
Nai-Dai-Tsin ran, bending low his back
and auguring nothing good for himself
or others from the gloomy face of his
master. The daimio was silent mo-
ment, as if hesitating to give an order
SO extraordinary: but soon. with an irri-
tated shrug of the shoulders. he spoke:
Tomorrow, -Dai-Tsin.,, said he.
will be my daughters birthday. de-
sire-do you hear mel desire, say,
that dawn shall break on the trees. and
bushes of the park and all the country
round about the palace covered with
flowers. as in the first months of spring.
Cor
You shall be obeyed, MASTER re-
piled the prime minister. bowling him.
self out backward.
him. and he let his arms fall helplessly
in the long sleeves of his gown.
sit is exile, it is DEATH" murmured
u loot h I H.
time to fly sufficiently far away, and
clear sky of full prosperity
His legs bent under him; he caught at
the walls to keep from sinking.
What could he do to avoid disgrace:
Nothing, nothing" he told himself,
after he had thought over the matter
carefully. For the pleasure Of his child
his royal master had seriously com
manded spring! For long while he
stood without thought. his head hanging
like ball of lead on his miserable
breast; then he cast lethargy from him
and turned with IA resolute air.
Come, courage. Nai-Dai-Tsin, said
he. "a japanese does not tremble be-
fore death. Quick. the saber first, the
stroke in the stomach: the poinard for
the throatr
He drew out the weapon and prepared
for the stroke, but paused refiectively.
Was it really impossible to simulate
spring. and thereby, instead of ruin and
suicide, conquer eternal fortune? Nc
use to despair too quickly; there was al
ways time to die.
But he could not repress start of ter.
ror on seeing how deep the shadow had
grown beyond the palace and how rap.
idly the lights were springing up. like
firefiies in the darkness.
''All the park and all the country
round about" murmured he: s.and only
one nightr'
Then. on the run, he regained his
dwelling, called the council together
and, without giving them time even te
seat themselves, impaired to them the
extraordinary order transmitted to him
by the prince.
can order to be executed under pen
atty of death before the dawn of the
day." said he, recklessly Indifferent tc
the terrified faces of those surrounding
him. The princes humor is not to bt
trified with; he will hear to no reason
But listen and fully take in the idea thai
has come to me, which may be the sal.
walton of all. Go from here and set tx
work at once in all the country round
about-men, women. children, mobiles
laborers. merchants and peasants, will
silk. cloth, satin, velvet, paper or gauzt
to work at once, say, manufactur
ing artificial flowers. If stuff be lack
ing let them cut up their clothes, theil
hangings. their screens, their rugs fol
the fioor-brietiy. all that may seem tc
them necessary OF good. Then all these
flowers. before daybreak, too, must bt
tied. nailed, glued or sewed upon the
trees, plants and bushes. the s1nalles
along the edges of the roads, the tales
farthest away in the fields. all the artist.
and painters in the neighborhood follow
ing upon their steps to direct the decora
ton and give finishing touches of tht
brush wherever needful. |, in person
will watch over and foresee everything
our safety depends upon it"
Less than an hour later there was mo-
palace, a house in the city or hut il
the country where they were not fever
ishly occupied manufacturing flowers
and whoever had looked from the tower
of the Kanga palace, shortly after the
turn of the night, into the park anc
neighborhood would have believed him
self in d sea of lanterns. which surgeC
and leaped from tree to thicket-an army
of firefies chased by foxes.
But at this hour the illustrious daimiC
snored peacefully behind his screen ot
gold incrusted ironwood: and the In
comparable princess, in the softened
rays of light sitting through the frai
pearl leaves of swinging lampadaire
reclined upon cushions and sought tx
compose in her dreams fitting poem OF
spring.
Her women had just finished dressing
her next morning when the Princes.
Fiaki heard under her window the note.
of an orchestra and the chant of many