The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-08-28

said he would bring her to see US
) tonight. He told us all about how
glad she was to see him, and how
fond he has grown of her. Isn't it
romantic? just to think of that
/ poor man living all these years alone
when he had little daughter"
'Such cases are common i'll Japan"
Frank said, quietly. THE father
generally deserts the wife-fOr no
reason-and the children grow up
anyhow"
That night Mr.. Pierce brought his
little japanese daughter to visit
Grace Evans.
She was small, with a little oval
face, round which her shaing black
hair was softly pulled. Dressed in
an American costume it would have
been hard to determine her nation
ality.
Grace went forward 10 meet her
with both hands outstretched. 81 am
so glad to know you," she murmured.
The girl looked at her bright shin
ing hair, her great blue eyes, and
smiled a trife.
You are beauteefool, lig' eur sun
goddess" said the girl softly.
The other girl smiled, too, but she
did not deprecate the compliment.
And is the sun-goddess very beauti-
ful?"
'Yaes-lig' unto you-those eyes
and hair" the girl continued, abb
sorbed in studying her. Il thing
thad's nize, be vaery beauteefool.
Me? L not beauteefool - blag'
hair-eyes. 1 lig' golden hair lig'
thad-always l lig' vaery fair PEBBLES,
account he fair lig' thad-I thing he
Her father interrupted her, with
some embarrassment. "Natsu was at
one time-hem-sh imagined herself
in love with some American who
visited Nagasaki. She talks of him
constantly"
How ees thad?" the girl asked.
You say l in luf' Myi how tommy
thad is-how nize! Yaes, / thing [
luf all with my heart. Thad hearts
breakin' now foraever, account he go
away naever cum bag to poor liddle
me. Now whad you thing he say?
Thad some day wen I cummin' to
America | goin' to fin him." her voice
fell with its depression. Il nod fin
him. Fin lods of PEBBLES look IL him
vaery much. Bud thad's nod him"
The American girls face had grown
trife flushed. She did not answer
the Japanese girl. She glanced with
| L.
standing in the doorway, his eyes
fastened on Natsu's face with look
she had never seen there before.
Grace went up to him and put her
| hand on his arm. He shook it off
almost roughly, and his eyes followed
Natsu as she disappeared with her
| father into the next room. She had
not seen him.
| The American girl had grown very
white, but her voice did not tremble
III the slightest. She held her little
head erect and proudly.
| Il understand" she breathed.
But he had forgotten her alto
gether. The old fever of Japan was
coursing through his blood madly
now. With few quick strides he
crossed the room, drew aside the
| heavy curtains and called to her.
'Natsu! Natsu! Don't you know
me?"
The Japanese girl stood still in the
middle of the room. The JOY of the
moment overpowered her, but as his
arms closed about her, and he began
whispering to her that he loved her
had loved her always-she murmured
back between her happy sobs: "Oh,
merciful Kwannon, how good thou
art"
They left them alone together, for
| Grace had come into the room like
a pale angel and had firmly drawn
the entire family from the room.
Scarcely a word was spoken. Grace's
wonderful courage and frmness de-
ceived her parents, and led them to
believe that she was not actually suf-
fering, and they remembered how
she had put the marriage off from
time to time.
But later in the evening Frank
Garfield sought her in the now cold
and cheerless library. She was sit
ting by the empty CRATE, and there
was not trace of light or hope in
her eyes. He was too happy to see
or understand the mute suffering,
and only trace of embarrassment
and remorse fingered in his voice.
81 could not help myself, Grace.
Remember you sent me from you"
Eyes, [ remember" she said, wear
lily. And II am glad"
He repeated the words after her,
glad"
YES" her voice was very quiet
now, and the darkness of the room
mercifully hid her pale fadD.
81 was mistaken. l did not love
you" she added after a moment.
With a great sigh of relief he
passed out of the room. At the door
he paused, for he fancied he heard a
woman weeping, but it was doubt
less only the wind-Woman's Home
Companion.