The herald., 1898-03-06
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+ THE MORALIST
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+ f|fFf*f + + r + + + + + + + + + .ffs
eye Must Be Born Agains"
An Original Conceit Written for The
Herald by Kinnosuke of Japan

way back yonder, before the Calendar
was born,' SO began the reputed story tell
er In bear skin (Which means a hunter).
The heavens and earth pricked their ears.
The night was still. And camp-fire-the
most ili-mannered of all the uncouth on
earth-danced on the smiling faces of hall
dozen hunters, chuckled way down in its
stomach, and said Listen now. some
thing good Is a-coming!' Sure enough. a
story did flow from the lips of the old man
to the cadence of mountain stream, who
sang sweetly by in distance.
This Is the story:
II am awfully tired" sighed Mr.. Saru
the monkey. Then he chuckled, squawked
stormed fearfully. He called Mr.. Gya, the
big snake, names. And used a vast guam
tity of unholy language-almost enough
to make himself a hero In the eyes of the
young Americans. And who can blame
him? This gentleman was a monkey of
family. And Mr.. Gya paid him cordial
visit last night, rather out of calling hours,
and made three of Mr.. Saru's babies troop
down the horny road to his stomach. Mr..
Gya, of scaly, black hauberk, thanked Mr..
Saru. And Mr.. Saru said: Not at all.
Come again. We are delighted to have
you,' and many other things, just to show
his manners (nothing hypocritical about
this, you understand), "and-and-and--'
then he shook like an autumnal leaf and
hugged his wife.
Now, Mrs. Saru was dear, little Great
ure, of liberal education-of wide reading
and of good memory-the help in the time
of need to Mr.. Saru, as all the wives should
be and are not.
"Precious darling, the life of my SOUL my
dear, dear husband!" sobbed Mrs. Saru,
the pride of Monkey tribe. Ana her hus-
band listened. for he knew the oracle was
about to speak.
Dearest light of my heart! Suppose
suppose we become Mr.. Hito, the human"
what wife that ridiculous, naked,
black headed beast?" spiggered Mr.. Saru,
and hugged his stomach and laughed huge
ly till tears coursed freely-if three hours
had scarcely passed since the loss of their
babies. But he repented. For he saw that
hurt his wifes feeling.
Then Mrs. Saru-who, after the manner
of all the womenfolks, was a big hero
worshiper-eXpatiated like balloon over
the merits of Mr.. Hito, the human. She
told all-how Mr.. Hito had pinned Mr.. Gya
once with an arrow; how he had chased their
neighbor. Mr.. Shika, the deer; how he had
whipped Mr.. Inu, the dog, who had cow
cred. whined, salaamed, like a coward, at
his feet, and other things without number.
"Well, wife, I am ready-I am in with
you." said her husband, quite squelched.
And Mrs. Saru grinned quite complacent-
Iy. one kIeW-tHTOuBH not u lew eApeTl-
ments of her own-that man is toy of
woman.
But how-how are we to become Mr..
Hito?"
'"rhat indeed, my dear husband, is the
point" returned Mrs. Saru. 1--WE can
walk on our hind legs and straight up, as
Mr.. Hito, the human, can, only least little
bit more practice would make us straight
err"
I'VE can laugh, and as for talking,
posted Mrs. Saru, with great emphasis
I'VE can out-talk Hito-folks at any time. "
Mrs. Saru's neutrality-suspicious. Won
derful woman-was somewhat limited on
this point. "Now, the only thing that we
differ radically from Mr.. Hito is our hair, -
concluded Mrs. Saru.
'Take off this fur overcoat, wife?"
"Yes, and the tail. But we can coil thai
to cut 1t Off" said Mrs Saru.
But, again, how are we going to take
the hair OFF,"
pull them off one by one" suggested
Mrs. Saru. And, being wise woman she
watched the effect of that novel process
upon her husband.
Mr.. Saru caught hair on his hand be.
tween his fingers and gave jerk. "a
A-iiii-ta-tata-ta! screamed Mr.. Saru
and twirled all over the place as If a
mountain was about to fall square upon
his head. Meanwhile his wife chuckled
way down in her gullet and said most
charmingly: my darling, how womanish!'
Then Mrs Saru suggested that they should
go to the sharp edge of a rock and polish
off their hair-no pain in that, she assured
her husband.
Down they started into the valley
in the greatest good humor in the
world. They toiled steadily. Now, Mrs.
Saru knew her husbands weakness-let
none think the same aloud in her presence
for she would die fighting against any one
who thinks that her darling is not perfec-