The Washington weekly post., 1900-04-24
THE MUSEME WITH
THE SILVER HEART
By WILLIAM RAY GARDINER.

scCOHu Jay ne was IN TOXIC with EhdA
| suit, terai hat, a paper sun umbrella
and japanese pug following to a string
II was dangerously acute attack of tn,
japanese fever.
Detached from his ship after Dewey.
| great victory to learn from the Japanest
their valuable secret of making smoke
less powder, his lifelong ambition was 4
be gratiied-to spend year among til,
shrines and lanterns. the geishas anC
| rickshaws. the jugglers and the chilGreI
with the patchwork hair in the japanese
capital.
How much more important than tht
powder that blows up ships Is the powder
that the bamboo puff leaves on the cheek:
or muSeme-by which name all unmar
ried japanese women are known-"Sing
ing Bob" never dreamed when he rented
the native cottage, with its forest garden
Of dwarf pines and blossoming cherries
its graceful galleries, with slender balus.
trades, overlooking the Shinagawa Bay
its high garden wall, and the temple rooted
lodge at the gate.
Piggot. the Englishman who gave ur
the house to him. left his liegemen with
the premises-the wonderful Watanabe
cook and interpreter, and the parchment
faced MuSaburo, the consumptive cooie
who was both gatekeeper and rickshdw-
man. That there was no mother around
did not induce any one TO ask question
about Musaburo's shaven-headed baby at
the lodge
Perhaps but for the plaintive baby Nor
gan would have sent Musaburo away. His
cough at nights kept the whole compound
awake, but it was only a question OF
weeks for Musaburo in this world, and he
remained at the lodge in peace.
Singing Bob" was as little troubled
with japanese matrimonial intentions as
the Jesuit missionaries down in the settle
ment, though he had been a guest of the
native establishments kept by many of his
brother officers and had been taught 10
believe with them that japanese mar
riages are like japanese lanterns-to be
folded and put out Of the way when the
candle burned out
In the silver Trilby heart he wore about
his neck-an abnormally large one crested
with oxidized fleurs de Iis-was the pic
ture of the girl who had clasped it there,
a Senator's daughter, with big blue eyes,
who had promised to go singing through
life with Singing Bob" 1t was charm
enough.
But when Watanate, short and with
very fat eyelid5 and a most ambitious
pompadour, appeared respectfully on his
knees outside the door, after waiting
seven whole days for Morgan to speak, a
new perspective was given the japanese
view stretching out before the lieutenant.
Donna San, excuse me, but will the
honorable master have young wife. or one
who knows the housekeeping?
''Eh?' gasped Morgan, the Trilby heart
Topping against his breast. "Ah, yes, to be
sure-a young wife or an old one! Give
me an hour, Watanabe, and 1 will tell
you. Never thought the matter over be-
fore. Suppose / have to have her, do I?'
Watanabe gave him a look of withering
scefn that only a Japanese cook can give.
Here was griffin indeed!
'Piggot San. ne have wife. Every for
eign masters have japanese wifer'
When the cook withdrew, Singing Bob
burst into a fit of laughter. VIII one
have young wife or an old one-will one
have beefsteak or chops for breakfast?
Little o Gin San came and. as all little
o Gin Sans do, she conquered. OF all
Japanese things Morgan had yet seen or
would see again, the little museme, in
her purple gray kimono, her pearl col
ored dzukin hood covering her forehead
and the lower portion of her laughing
face, was the daintiest. No piece of deli
cate Satsuma, no bit of sky colored cIoi-
some. no fragile ivory carving could COM
pare to her exquisite graeefulness.
Singing Bob thought the girl with the
big blue eyes might open the lid of the
Trilby heart and peep out without be-
coming jealous or shocked The next
three months was a Toxic honeymoon
that the poets from the time of Jimmu
Tenno down to the present era have
tried in vain to describe. Morgan, in his
ecstatic state, let o Gin San wear the sill
YER heart She did not discover it opened
Letters came By every steamer from the
girl at home-but Gin San couldn't read.
There were long trips in the Japanese
moonlight, in the double rickshaw, with
MUsabuTo in the shafts. AS he trotted
labOriously along, pulling the rickshaw
through the plum bowers and peOny plan
tations, the consumpsive coolie looked a
grinning deaths head. Moved to pity by
o Gin San, Morgan at times called a
passing rickshaw man from the road and
sent the half-dead fellow back TO the
lodge, where he fell in a coughing fit; or
he would be allowed to trot on behind
the rickshaw like faithful dog, picture
of pathos. as Morgan and o Gin San
laughed for joy.
The turning was sharp. The girl with
the big blue eyes wrote that she was
coming out TO Toxic. Singing Bob" was
plunged into despair. Little o Gin San
rubbed his brow. and made a cozier nest
than ever in his heart which his hands
could not tear out.
How did other men manage when the
candle burned out? The little museme
had been faithful wife and she had
grown very fond OF him. That a word
from him could absolutely divorce his
fragile, delicate little Josephine OF the
Orient did not help him.
o Gin san, too, became suddenly de-
pressed. Morgan came upon her weeping
just as be mad summoned up courage 10
tell her. He took the little creature in
his arms.
Il cry like Musabrro's naIshty baby "
she saId Don't sorry for ne, Donna san
Boo; / gladly cheerfuly 20 know you love
me"
And the little shrew laughed until her
dancing eyes drank up the tears Fron,
the yard came the cOnsumptiVe's hollox
C ugh, and the piercing waii Of the Eaby
She paled. and. bursting into tears, fed
from the room and out into the ward
Singing Bob Vas more utterly lnis.rs-
be that night than be ever vas before ia
MS lie 81 daybreak he found o Gin saa
had not been 20 bed. He called 70 Wafs--
abe. There Nas TO answer. He sesr,-;ief
the house to find nat he was alone in ~
misery.
HuTrying 10 the lodge, he pushed the
door open. just inside lay the body of shs
consumptiVe gateman, dead from = h-,n-
orrhase. Pinned 10 his kimOno wss fse
note.
Honorable Donna San: Mussburo 6ias
last night - Gin san have gone ana -
have. We beg your honorable usFi1n w
much fear you anger al US Musat t,f-r.
have been welded husband 10 o Gln San
tili he die sae make believe marry Vnll
JUiy 10 gel money Tor buy Musabyrn p1e-
.cine and 10 get sweet potatoes for - .
Ha0y. And = Gin Szn say pleaS@ Tscnn.
San Bob kindly excuse her-zhe I0ye n,
sabGfo loyal 10 death. SayOnara. Wafan-
a he"
Below there Wss a psstcripr vrffte-
very hurr.edly, but very honestly. !..rbs
museme have taken your silver heart foy
4 keepsake"
Tse Ss~ Tw;Iled silk Muslin.
Frou ire Nsz York Sen
For the new silks there Is a txillea suL
very fine. thin. ana -o,,