Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1897-02-12
A TRIPLE PORTRAIT.

the agents and helpmates of civilization
completely unknown In Jowcuski on ac-
count of It's allIforlorn situation, which
enables the people to live so happily
among themselves, is the looking glass.
One day several years ago a party of
English tourists passed through Jowcus-
XII in their usual hurried style, but staid
at any rate long enough for one of the
ladies to lose hand glass In the jinriki-
sha in which she had ridden.
When Kiki-Tsum, the owner of the
vehicle, saw his find, he looked 1t over
intently and with the most astonished
face in the world.
"As l live" he cried, "this is the por-
trait of my dear father, dead these four
yearsl There is his good brown face,
which always seemed to wonder at
something or other; there indeed are his
piercing eyes, only he appears SO much
younger aud sturdier than he was when
last knew him. But what does 1t mean?
Perhaps it's warning from, the gods;
perhaps it's present from some saint"
Kiki-Tsum wrapped the mysterious
article in his silk handkerchief and
placed 1t carefully in the pocket of his
wide shirt When in the evening he
arrived home, he looked for a hiding
place for his treasure, and finally he re-
solved upon an old pot of esrthenware,
which was not in actual use and here
fore never troubled. There was no
more secure spot in his Household, he
thought Kiki-Tsum said nothing to his
young wife about his adventure, for, he
calculated, "women are too curious and
too laxative, and l do not want all the
neighbors' advice of my good or bad
luck, whatever it may be-"
During the next few days Kiki-Tsum
labored under great excitement. Day
and night he thought about the TOR
trait he had found, and frequently he
left his bed or his work to go and see if
his treasure was still in his possession.
Lili-Tsee, the young mans lovely bride,
could not make out what brought her
husband so frequently to their hut when
engaged outside. She never knew about
his leaving her bed. That would have
made her unhappy. First she was con-
tent with Kiki-Tsum's explanation that
he had come home just to see her lovely
face, but when he kept it up day after
day she grew suspicious.
Il he xuffh an
xious face and leave with one stepped
In Importance" she unused. Still later
she discovered that Kiki-Tsum before
going out made it a point to remain in
the little back room for minute or two. |
The key to his secret behavior must
be somewhere in that room. Lii
Tsee made it her business to investigate |
and there was not a piece of furniture /
or decoration in the room she did not |
turn inside out, but her work was all in !
vain. Finally she mouse-traPped her
husband at the moment he was hiding
the pot in which she kept her rose
leaves. Kiki-Tsum, like all guilty men,
quickly invented an excuse or explana-
ton of his carvings on. He lied. The
pot had stood on one end only, and he
had been obliged to correct the negIi-
gence of others.
"Ah, yes, poor man" said Lii, kiss
ing the deceiver goodby, but he had
scarcely OF across the street when she
cIambered upon chair and discovered
what? A mysterious something. She
lifted 1t with care and brought it to her
face to examine It. Oh, cruel truth, the
portrait of a woman, and Lii had con-
;idered Kiki-Tsum a model husband
The poor girl sat down upon the floor
ind cried bitterly. That, then, was the
-eason why he came home so often.
The feeling of injury gave way to that .
If indignation, of wrath. Again she
ooked for the portrait and now wondered
hat Kiki-Tsum could love woman with
UGH a face-eyes swollen, cheeks pale
rd dirty, and now the eyes expressed
re and contempt. Lii Tsee became
frightened. No; she would never look ?
t the thing again. Then she grew de-
pendent. Life indeed was not worth d
wing, and as to cooking dinner-she
ould not think of it. When Kiki-Tsum
rived home in the evening, he WIS =
stonished to find neither meal nor wife !.
waiting him. Searching for both, he +
lade his way 70 the back room. u
$50 that is the way you treat your ?
rife after few months, of marriagei g
Where is your fidelity, you who are al %
-ays talking about your manliness" !"
1.-THE woman is crazy" said Kiki-
sum to himself, and then ne added v