Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1899-11-10

Shall | tell you h story of little
Kame7 1t is q name to be spoken
with reverence.
OF the no caste. which Indicates n
tiller of the soil He lived near the
of Kioto. His homo was one
Of many comforts for a farmer whose
chief source Of revenue is n riceheld,
a small grove of mulberry trees and
an orange orchard.
Kane was the youngest Of FIVE. 1t
was his duty to carry the trays of silk
worm cocoons to the matched sheds
where the women dropped them into
boiling water. gathering with branches
the invisible skeins TO spin into visible
threads.
One bright morning little Kane was
seated with his venerable father be
fore the cottage. Nori-san had been
telling him tales OF his f~orefnthers, of
their heroism In the great wars of the
Shoguns and the rebellion against the
Eamauri. Kane fell asleep. much to
the elders displeasure, his young mind
filled with golden images and moving
armies Inspired by triumphant song.
Then the itlnerant barber came plod-
ding up the dusty road from the vii
lage. AS all the world knew, the bar
Der was the district newspaper, as II
were. who, while manipulating his
queer tools. told everything he knew.
1t was In the midst Of a recital of
the possibility of pig tailed invasion
over oil the land that a note of terror
escaped the old mans lips. The little
dreamer ut his side awoke with a
start. and In so doing overturned the
BARRIERS box OF queer combs, bottles.
boxes and razors. The BARRIERS an
CRY reproof was supplemented with n
growl from Nori-san, thus disturbed
In his toilet and the more important
news OF the coming a
LAD" he cried, have l taught thee
to sleep amid such perilous tlmes2
Get thee to the sheds and fail rice till
the sun goes down. Tomorrow, may
hap. thou wilt have come to thy
senses"
Kane arose. convinced In his heart
that he had done no wrong, but he
held his peace. moving toward the
sheds to bear his penance bravely.
Soon he was Joined by his father.
Kane did not salute him ~deferentially,
after his familiar manner The parent
waxed wroth.
"Son," he cried. what have l taught
thee to say to thy bettersf Where art
thy manners toward thy fatherf'
Tho boy only bowed In humility. then
resumed his task previously. The elder
seized his heavier hail and took posi-
ton at the other end Of the mat
Suddenly the comb fell from the
fathers freshly barbered hair. he bent
down to recover It ere It be broken by
the others fall.
Instantly the tip OF Kame's swift
flying iail struck the bowed head with
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, sobblng 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 II all as In some hide
Gus dream, and when at last the IA
Tiers eyes opened the boy fell upon his
face, throwing the rice chan over his
head In token OF yorrowful petition.
But the elder reco1ed 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 a father down.
What Art thou possessed OF a devil to
tall so lowT'
Then turned the old man 70 his elder
son at his side. crying. go. Ta-keI
Run to the village and ask OF the
learned Judge. sTban-quam. what shall
be the penalty upon the son that
strikes a father. Cor And the brother
sped away.
The messenger returned. 1.-THE ora
Gle OF the law. o father. demands that
a black cross shall be tattoed upon the
blenders brow" be said with much
aolsmnity. 'and hence shall the migrate