The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-06

| Of the story, in its varied FORMS must be looked
| for in India where conjugal fidelity, even unto
death, is exempliied II is in no other part Oh
! the world From the funeral pile. where the
widow joyfully makes her bed beside the corpse OF
! her husband arose the idea Of indissoluble mar
| riage like a phoenix out of the ashes. The
| standard Of judgment as to the ultimate require
ments Of the nuptial varies according to Gus
tom and traditional culture among different races,
! and in nations either on the same or on dlnereht
| planes of civilization In the story as mere given
/ we have 1.-THE fathless widow seen from the
Chinese point of view. BY bearing this in MIND
the reader will discover in this version IN spite
of its startling realism, not only the Chinese IDEA
of cOnjugal ethics, hut delicate moral worked
out in true Celestial fashion. -IranslatorI
| Kwang-Sang a sage of heavenly descent,
had acquired the power of separating light
and shadow. soul and body, and OF trans
| forming himself into a spirit. Out of
respect for his talents the King of Use
had given to him in marriage his daughter
Tien-she. She surpassed all other women
in beauty. Her face awoke love, like the
face of an angel. In spite of most tempt
ing offers made to him by the King,
Kwang Sang retired to the lonely lands
of the South, there to pursue his studies
and live the life of scholar.
One day. while passing a number OF
graves his attention was suddenly at
| tracted to new one. The mount was
not yet dry. A young woman sat by it
swinging an open fan over the grave.
Kwang- Sang enquired in establishment
who was buried there, and why she waved
her fan so diligently over the grave.
Without changing her position the wom-
an continued tanning the grave and an
In, MI no bn
buried here Is my dead husband. While
he lived his wife was everything to him;
but death snatched him from me. On his
deathbed his last words to me were these:
II you marry again, wait until the earth
on my grave is dry!' l fan the grave
because I fear the fresh turned earth will
be long tine drying"
Kwang-Sang seized the fan, waved it
few seconds. and instantly the grave be-
came perfectly dry.
Full of gratitude the woman gave him
the fan and walked ioyfully away; but
kwangSans returned to his own house
in much distress of mind
What is that my master has in his
hand? Whence comes that FAM" asked
Tien-she, his lovely wife.
Kwang- Sang told her everything Sus-
pecting something, Tien-she was irritated
and declared scornfully: THAT woman
is a creature without shame or virtue.
There are few women in the world as
unfeeling She"
During the husbands lifetime" replied
Kwang Sang. every wife speaks with alb
horrence of a second marriage; but after
his death each one longs to fan his
grave"
These words shocked Tien-she, who an
swered in passionate anger: Men ere
all alike; there is no difference between |
wise men and fools. How can you look !
DON upon all women and speak of them |
SO contemptuously, as If they were all in |
principle the same? For every woman |
stainless honor"
Il will not waste breath in vain |
speech" said Kwang- Sang nor Engage |
in senseless chatter; but should it be my |
misfortune to die would you, whose beau
ty rivals that of flowers and precious !
stones. be willing to wait three or Eve |
years before marrying again?"
"A faithful munster never serves two
princes" replied Tien-she "A chaste
wife never marries a second time. Who
ever saw virtuous wife drinking her
tea in two houses? Speak not to me of
three or five years. If the misfortune
you name should be my sorrowfp lot l
would remain a widow my whole life and
in my dreams think only of you"
You promise the impossible" said
Kwang- Sang.
You Think responded Tien-she, in
great vexation, that we women are ex-
actly like you men, without virtue or up
rightness. When one wife dies you
syraightway look about for another. You
give this one a bill of divorce and take
that one. The single excuse you are able
to make is that the one is as good as
the other; but you think a woman is fit
only for one man"
Tien-she then drew near Kwang-
Sang, snatched the fan from his hand,
and tore it in pieces.
He said nothing more, but few days
after that he became suddenly ILL., His
was of a very alarming charac-
ter. Tien-she sighed and wept at his ted
side.
My disease increases in violence very
rapidly" said Kwang- Sang, and l must
now bid you farewell forever. You will
soon be sorry that you destroyed the fan.
If it were whole you could fan my grave
very nicely with it,"
I
40 more of that. l follow one husband to
he grave, and no more. l swear to you
hat | have no thought of another
will die before your eyes to prove to you
now true my heart is"
Kwang-Sang's eyes grew dim. and his
breathing suddenly ceased. Tien-she (
broke out In loud and pitiful lamentation. I
lad in deep mourning, she lived in
llameless affection. weeping whole nights
md thinking constantly her affection I
or her husband and his friendship and
Owe for her. Sleep forsook her. and she
vas too i'll to taste food or drink
From far and near people came to ten
Ter their respects and to condole with
ler. On the ninth day there came. IN ;
'Xpectedly, a gallant young man whose
was like picture and whose
fps were incomparably beautiful He
gave his name as Wang-Sin, grandson of
he King of Tsu, and he had brought with
him an old servant. He had heard of
fwang- Sang and had come to receive in
'truction from him in the highest wis
ION. Finding the master dead he put on
Mourning apparel and desired to speak
with Tien-she.
She came into the hall, where the dead
ay to meet the prince and make suitable
to his ciyilities. Having
lone this she cast a furtive glance toward s
aim and so beautiful was his form and
ounerance that she was thrilled through 7
md through.
Although nv master is gone said the
Prince, u leg that Won Will sraciot sly PER
nit me 10 remain for a time under this
-Gof. 50 that | may look after and pIrtici- I
pate IN the funeral solemnties. provided [
me master has not left these to Chris
iaas And l implCTe the favor also of be- !
ng allowed to bSstcY glance on his /
asst work to the end that ! may be par