The Portland daily press., 1893-08-17

in silks of heaviest texture and the two
swords of rank thrust through his gold
embroidered sash, he made such pic
ture Of manly beauty that the dukes
heart yearned toward him.
Would that the gods had granted me
such son" he thought with sorrow.
''But | have no heir to perpetuate my
name. | shall fall like lone pine tree
beside the river, and none shall come
after me-"
For that day the young plepeian was
given the name Of Yonaei (yo-may(,
which means one day spending. and
through all of the ceremonies and observ-
ances of rank he conducted himself with
such modest dignity that all Of the court
officials were filled with wonder and
whispered among themselves, "He is
born to high position.
That night he was given the ducal
Fleeping apartment
After the castle was still and dark ne
cautiously arose, and lighting candle
prepared to examine the wonders and
beauties of the room. Hanging in the
toko-mono (shall6w alcove) he found a
bow of ancient workmanship and sheaf
of arrows such as the old heroes once
used Fitting one to the bow. he gaveit
backward pull, when to his dismay it
slipped from his grasp and went whiz-
zing through the rich and painted nlado
Gnner sliding wallis.
He heard low cry, followed by the
thud of falling body, and then all was
again silence.
Unhappy wretchr' he cried to him
self. s'My day of triumph has ended in
murder. have killed some one with my
ignorant stupidity, and in the morning
shall be beheaded."
He blew out the candle and went to
bed, where he lay shivering and trenl-
bling until the day broke.
Then the sound of the moving servants
came to him. and the GOODNESS of despair
filled his heart, for he knew that the dis
covery Of his deed might come with ev-
cry second.
Presently he heard a cry Of alarm, and
then indeed did he give himself up for
lost.
Here is a dead man!' exclaimed one
in frightened tones.
ssWhere is he?" 'Who is it9' ssWho
killed him?' came mingling Of voices
as other servants ran crowding in.
sWhy, it is the traitor Gujiwa, who
has thrice attempted to kill our master "
sob, blessed deedr' 'What beautiful
shot. The arrow has pierced his left eye
to the skull" "It is an ancient arrow
from the dukes chamber"
ssThe young stranger sleeps there to-
night. He muss have sent the deadly
shaft" "Ah! A hole in the mado! He
must have shot through the mado. :"
ssWhat skill! What wonderful power,
to shoot an enemy without seeing himr'
"Wonderfuli He has saved the masters
life."
Yomei, listening to all this, became al
most crazed with delight.
The sudden transition from despair to
hope intoxicated him like strong wine.
He threw his rich kimono (robe) about
him, pushed aside the pierced mado and
STROBE toward the servants.
"Have you found the traitor Gujiwa,
whom I slew last nightT' he asked
haughtily. ''Cut off his head and carry
it to your master with my compliments.
I suspected that this attempt would be
made and obtained an entrance to the
castle by Disgusting myself as a laborer. !"
The servants groveled at his feet.
"But, honorable lord" implored one,
an old man who had been in the family
for half a century, chow could You take
such aim when the mado was closed"
'Tutr' said the young man, with q
gesture of contempt. 81 do not need
both sight and hearing to take good aim.
can shoot any portion of the body by
hearing alone. This time selected the
villains left eye, just as he was winking
it,
"Wonderfull Wonderful they whis-
pered in awestruck tones, and he walked
through their covering ranks with the
air of q conqueror.
The gratitude and admiration Of the
duke knew no bounds. Indeed 80 pleased
was he with the beauty, skill and cour-
age Of his young protege that he took
measures to formally adopt him. So
Yomei was raised from the rank Of a
bamboo cutter to that of son and heir to
one Of the most powerful daimio Of the
empire.
He led life Of ease and luxury and
improved from day to day, SO that his
fame went abroad to other cities, and his
adopted father grew to love him deeply.
But no life can be all happiness, and
SO for Yomei there was the thorn, the
one dark spot.
This was in the person of his adopted
mother, the dukes wife, who from the
first had been his bitter enemy. Having
no children of her own she was ungener-
GUS enough to hate the innocent adopted
son, who by his very presence reminded
her that she had given no heir to the
duke. She also suspected that his skill
in Staying the robber was not entirely
genuine, and she had leafned beyond all
doubt that his antecedents were of the
hunblest. AT first she tried in every
way to turn her husband against him,
but finding this impossible she set to
work to find other means of depCsing