The Press., 1899-09-28


an appalling sound. and the old man
pitched forward on his face in the rice |
and lay quite still.
Kame's blood froze in his heart. He |
could not move-could not cry out as |
yet. Then he uttered a wild moan.
sinking by the still form. sobbing de
spairingly Then came brothers and sis
tiers, neighbors and passersby. lifting
the quivering form. dashing water into
the drawn, drab wrinkles. and that
image of death resumed a human as
pect once more.
Kane watched it all as in some hide
GUS dream. and when at last the IA
theirs eyes opened the boy fell upon his
face. throwing the rice chaff over his
head in to en- of sorrowful petition.
But the elder recoiled from him.
"Son." cried he. thou art my first
disgrace and sorrow. o unnatural one
that would be guilty thus of the crime
of crimes-to strike father down!
What. Art thou possessed of devil to
fall SO low?'
Then turned the old man to his elder
son at his side. crying. go. Ta-ke
Run to the village and ask Of the
learned judge. Siban-quam. what shall
be the penalty upon the son that
strikes IL father. Co." And the brother
sped away.
The messenger returned. 1.-THE ora
Gle of the law. o father. demands that
black cross shall be tattoed upon the
Offenders brow" he said with much
solemnity. "and hence Shall the migrate
be driven an outcast upon the face or
the earth, homeless and despiSed."
And SO ere nightfall was little Kane
branded with the curse of ingratitude
and sent forth an outcast forever.
Fair Umay, the daughter of the silk
weaver down the valley road, stood at
the edge of her garden of peoples.
Suddenly she recognized Kane. whom
she loved. The lad was so changed
that she scarcely knew him.
But the young man, shuddering at
the sound Of her voice, sank to his
knees as he swept his hands before his
forehead, ooh. Umay -san!' he moancd
go away, l pray thee. Go. that
may not detile with even a glance one
| SO pure and good. For, behold. o
daughter Of the just gods, am hcacc-
forth an outcast, branded with slla!ii.'.
1 struck my father!
"Oh, dear little Umay-san. Thou
whom love so much-thou wilt heark
en- and believe me. Listen. | pray
| theev'
And then he told her all, even from
| the beginning. ending again and again,
"It was an accident-Oh, before all that
Is sacred to us. little mother of my
heart. it was an accident. | meant no
| wrong, and yet. thou seeSt here
And tragically he pointt ! with his pale
fingers to his crime stained brow.
"Go to the shrine of our fathers yon-
DER" she whispered. There remain
PROSTATE before them while l go and
plead thy cause"
| Soon did fair Umay return. but her
heart was heavy. HE babe me from
his sight forever, even cursed me-"
she moaned. go thou forth into the
world. o Kame-san." she added, en-
bracing the penitent. Go forth. but
| take comfort, for in spirit l shall be
ever with thee"
For weeks he wandered. One day
he happened upon a newly mustered
regiment of soldiers. They were on
their way to the transport ships for
China and the wars. and his prayer
found willing ears.
The way was hard and the strife
one Of peril and much blood. But step
by step. by valor and strength as well
as wisdom. Kame-san arose from the
ranks, for there was none such as he
now In battle-he was ever in the van.
At the siege of Port Arthur it was
Kame-san who led the charge through
the ranks Of the enemy to the heights;
then at last. in hand to hand combat,
in which four Chinese swordsmen went
down before him. Kane himself was
wounded unto death.
Five months later fair Umay was
bowed in dreams among the peoples by
her native valley road when she saw
strangers moving up from the sea.
There were two men. with scarlet
crosses on their arms. and upon the
reed couch which they bore lay a fig
ure. quite motionless and pale as death
ITSELF Though dressed in the garb of
an officer, his head was swathed in
bandages, the fond eyes closed.
"Oh, Kame-san! My Kame-sanr' she
walled. "Is it indeed thou whom |
love? Where hast thou been? What
means it alp But the soldier re-
pressed her with a gesture Follow"
he commanded in a weak whisper
Nori-san. the venerable. was seated
before his cottage. bowed in thought.
He was contained by wonder of the
fate of his beloved son whom he had
sent forth in anger. marked with a
curse, though he deserved it not
AS the litter approached and the
wounded one appraised, Kame's blur
ring eyes scarce recognized that bent
frame and attitude of sorrow.
The old man struggled forward
Thou. my SOM? he faltered. lis it in
deed thou returned to me?' Outspread-
ing his arms. he sank from sheer weak
ness In the dust.
The soldier wrenched his body from
the litter, gaining his feet. Then he
cried, Eyes. father; it is indeed thy
son. But fear not, for the curse upon
his brow is wiped away in blood Be
hold, Kame-san is again worthy of his
fathers and Of thee. o beloved one,
though the price be a soldiers life and
maiden's broken hearth
And thus did the hero Of Port Arthur
snatch the bandage from the matted
brow, disclosing the wound where the
black cross of shame had been slashed
away by the sword of the last defender
Of the fallen fortress. and so fell dead
at his fathers feet.-Criterion.