The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-03-02

shock Of coarse black hair standing
quite straight out from his head;
such unwonted poIiteness that the old
lady could hardly believe here ears; Il
what is that. nv booy2a she asked. lay
ing her knotted little fingers on his head.
he replied: such beautiful oner'
WHAT IS 4? Where have you put 1t3'
Kokichi took her hand and led her to-
ward the back of the house. Just then a
its tail should have been, darted out from
under the step and came to greet the @
like a hiss The only lady stopped short.
Who has taken off the cats collarz'
the creature was wearing its red and pur-
pie fril as usual
say Look then open them.
Now, lookr' he shouted suddenly. so
close TO her ear that she almost jumped
A terrible sight met her eyes. Black and
bleeding, with outspread wings 9 large
crow had been nailed to the shutter.
Round its dead neck was the cats best
fril kolxichi was already disappearing
Her fingers trembling with anger, her
faee looking as If it were eighty years
old. Shiwo got the collar off the grew
some bird and returned to the front Of
the house. There she sat down on the
She put the collar on its neck ana held it
to her for comfort, while from her dimmed
eyes fell a few of the slow. bitterly pain
Then it was time to get the priests sup
per ana put the house in order for the
night She was not one to permit her
death knel to interfere with things of
Swinging over the fire IN the floor. the
pith wick hoated, a little tongue of light,
and the china cups and bowls We're placed
on the tray She thought at first that
she would give Kokichi no pickles for his
supper; then she remembered saving in
the Book of Universal Maxims': IF
thou iced thine enemy, let double por>
ton be his. for a full stomach softeneth
the hard heart" So she put a big red
pepper in HolxSochi's saucer. among the bits
the house and seemed threatening TO dis
pace me roof; It was a pleasant and
wholesome stink IN the nose of the o Bas-
When the priest came from closing the
temple for the night his house Sas shin
ing like a lantern itself at the end of the
narrow courtyard. The window on that
in fanciful bamboo pattern Through
the paper the light shone DULY golden,
looked, the shadow of a little old head
with shorn hair drawn down under a
As he entered his mother smiled politely,
bowed her head almost to her knees. and
for she had strict ideas of what was due
to the head of the family. The priest
dropped his sandals on the step and came
How goes it, mother?" he asked kindly.
Have you had any more pain IN your
He was a stout pleasant looking man,
dressed with scrupulous cleanliness. His
head, of a strange, pointed shape, was
shaved -pitilessly close.
NO, Kito SAN, she replied, mot in my
hand but in my heart much pain because
of my inpiouS grandson. But pray deign
to eat first and we will speak Of him aft
Kito sighed deeply, and at once turned
give him energy to expostulate with the
criminal
Al few minutes later Master Ko5xichi
md 1afin q
expected to be sent to bed with only half
a supper. and great was his surprise to
find it more generous than usual. The red
cfiSi especially touched him up with some
thing like remorse. He remembered It all
At last Kokichi having taken his lee
ture with unexpectedly good grace, Went
son talked long after the little reprobafe
had forgotten their existence, and ShiWO
persuaded the priest to let her start OF
by her prayers. KftD knew nothing of the
old vow. He saw that she was terribly
troubled about the boy Nizko was a very
would soothe and please her to so there.
If only some Of oaS friends We're go
ingl" he exclaimed. At your honorable
age it is too far. to travel alone"
Yes" she replied, but there are longer
lenee. she seemed to have an inspiration.
NY SON, she said i vii take kokieEi!
eyes to his sins! myself-when was a
Know. Know, mother, SAID the
priest-he had heard the story of that
visit SO often that he knew it by heart
but the boy will worry you to death,
and get lost fifty times on the road
i will take Kokichi,, she repeated firm
~. 'DO you think / would leave you
alone with him as he is now2 And I will
speak TO a neighbor about coming in to
do the cooking and cleaning
shall you. be long away, mother?'
asked the priest
1T may be long said the old woman
bending over to dry teacup. Then she
went and pulled the mosquito net over
Kokichis foot which he had kicked out
from under it as he lay on the mat
The wife of the charcoal merchant was
surprised as she was sliding out her shut
tiers at the first streak of dawn to see
the 0 Bassan from the priests house
come hurrying toward her down the
street. The old lady was carefully dressed
in a clean blue gown, killed up for a
Journey Under it her one skirt. the
color of skim milk. tapped in the chilly
breeze against her brown legs, ana ner
Another pilgrimage2" exclaimed her