The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-08
THE HEART OF A JAP.
IFrnrn the Reeord-Herald.l

lean student at the same big university
500 was a little fellow, like nearly ali y.
his race. Helen was a great sple NJ.
creature who lowered more than hea'i
above the little Jap. Professors ana
students alike had ample oDoortuil l,
to note the fact that Helen was hea.I
taller than 500. for the little 1apaheSe
was with her whenever opportunity
afforded.
The students said that Tokion came
very near being Greek word, ana theN
wondered how the name wandered 10
far-off Japan. They said that the Jap
didn't have much of the appearance ~
the Spartan about him, though ne az
have scholarship that might be called
Athenian. At his first name. 500. tney
laughed. It fitted him. they sald; ZOE
It was name that went with his puh9
and weight. OF course the boys cai'-st
him Susie" and the Jap never nllhu@u
at all until he found out that Susie Wa]
a. girls name. and that it was given tc
him in a SORT of contempt for his plgmy
build.
The Japs are noted wrestlers, and one
day Susie astonished a big fellow VINO /
had applied the girl name to nm py |
standing him on MS head ana nearly
breaking the tormentors neck IN doine |
1t. After that even the husky football
players sunk the name Susie and spoke /
to the little Jap cordially and called
him by the name given him In tnS
Orient.
Now Helen Sturtevant had attracted
500 the moment his eastern eyes beheld
her. It's curious, but it's as true as the
synoptic gospels that little men, that Is
extremely little men. generally manage
to fall in love with big women Helen
Sturtevant liked the devotion of tbs
Jap. She treated Aim with an amused
sort OF liberation. Every woman likes
devotion, even though it is shown by Il
little chap.
500 Tokion was a Buddhist. but he
had become a Christian. or what IS
more likely pretended conversion. SO
that he could go to chapel and sit near
Helen Sturtevant. 1t was a fair-faireS
goddess that he was worshiDing whl'e
on his knees, rather than the COO OF the
Christians Because Helen SturteVaht
was taking a course in elOcut-On ana
dramatic art 500 undertook the same
course, and this gave him other oppor-
tunities to be near the acored one
The cO-eds gOsSiped much, ana at
times rather nOisily about the devotion
of 500 to Helen. As the girls put II
the little Jap was awful cut uD aDout
the fair American and 1t was a shame
that because Helen SturteVant llked al
miration. she must encourage 500 to go
on breaking his heart when there was
no chance of Helen's mendlng II LOT
him in the way that 500 wanted.
Helen had so many beaux among the
American students that it is just barely
possible some of the co-eds thought that
she might let 500 attach himself to their
trains. for 500 was reDuted TO De
wealthy. and the big punches of hot
house flowers that went to Helen in
zero weather, when dollhouse flowers
cost a mint would have been very ac-
ceptable to any of the other fair sisters
of the university. Helen Sturtevant had
no very serious thought about the Jap
She did like him in a certain wav
and the bonbons he sent were delicious
and the flowers were fragrant and
surely" the girl said to herself. he
can't mean anything serious, for he
must know how utterly impossible 1t
would be for me to think of such a
thing as loving him, let alone marrying
him"
Helen sturtevant was bent on Follow
ing the career of an actress. She had
natural gifts. Absolutely impartial per
sons had told her that, and the girl felt
it herself. Her father was man OF
some means. and he grudged nothing
that would go toward the education of
his daughter and the helping toward the
realization of her dramatic dreams.
One day a dozen of the co-eds were
gathered in the university art studio.
They were waiting the arrival of an i'll
structor, and while waiting they sat and
gossiped. Helen Sturtevant was there.
The night before at a musical the atteE-
tions of 500 Tokion had been more
marked than ever. He had brought Il
great bunch of American Beauty roses
to be given to Helen when she had tri =
umphantly finished her part in the pro
gramme It was midwnter, and AmeTi-
can Beauty roses were quoted at FAB
uOus prices.
Helen" said one of the goods, you'll
bankrupt 500, rich though 1 understand
he is. Charlie Nelson sent me one rose
last night, and one Of the girls told ME
she had asked the price of beauties and
they were $3.50 each"
You'll do something worse than
bankrupt poor 500, Helen said another
student; you'll break his heart unless
you keep it sound by marrying him
Frankly. dear child, everybody is talk
ing about tRis thing, even the profes-
sors. Why dent you marry him?" the
girl questioned half mischievously
Helen flushed. The idea of marrying
500 was preposterous. DO YOU Suppose
any American girl would marry ar
Orlental2' she said. The far eastern
peoples have no more conception of thu
rights of a woman as a wife than has
the unspeakable Turk. They may think
they love a woman but not one Of them
would sacrifice his own pleasure for her
let alone anything higher"
An Instructor came into the studio anC
called the students out. Behind a screer
In the corner stood a mana man il
truth, though in stature he was but :
child 1t was 500 Tokion. He had beer
at work on a clay model when the stu
dents entered. He was about to max
his presence behind the screen known
when there came the words which hel,
him silent. Now he stood trembling am
with something in the depths of his orr
entail eyes that was past sounding IN
such thing as sacrifice known to my PEG
pie for those whom We love-" he murmure
to himself mo regard for the rights O
woman as a wife," Then 500 Toxic
murmured something in his native tongu
that sounded like a prayer
The next day there came a blow t
Helen Stprtevant. Her father had failed
failed utterly and miserably and she mus
give up her course The girl was crushe
bodily and mentally The news fie,
through the university. Helen's father
business had gone to the wall and Hele
was to leave The stage dream had var
ished with the rude awakening
500 TOkion heard. He sought the gi
out. She was sitting alone in a corn,
of a music room. He went to her SOFT,
He carried one rosebud spotlessIy whit