The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1902-09-30

iitions.
Il shalt return in the early autumn" said
Akana Soyemon several hundred years ago
when bidding good-by to his brother by
adoption, young Hasebe Samon. The time
vas spring, and the Place was the village of
Kato, in the province of Harima. Akana
was an Izum0 samurai, and he wanted to
visit mis- birthplace.
Hasebe said:
Your HumO-the Country of the Eight
Cloud Rsing-is very distant Perhaps it
will therefore be difficult for you to promise
to return here upon any particular day.
But, if we were to know the exact day, we
should feel happier. We could then pre-
pare feast Of welcome; and we could watch
at the gateway for your coming"
why, as for that" responded Akana, II
have been so much accustomed to travel
that can usually tell beforehand how long
it viii take me to reach place; and / can
safely promise you to be here upon par.
ticular day. Suppose we say the day of
the festival Of Choyo"
That is the ninth day of the ninth
month" said Hasebe; ''then the chrysanthe-
NUNS will be in bloom, and we can go to-
gether to look at them. How pleasant
So you promise to come back on
the ninth day of the ninth month"
ION the ninth day of the ninth month";
repeated Akana, smiling farewell. Then lie
strobe away from the village OF Kato, in the
province of Harima-and Hasebe Samon
and the mother of Hasebe looked after him
with tears in their eyes.
Neither the sun nor the moon," says an
old Japanese proverb, lever halt upon their
journey" Swiftly the months went by; and
~ r, -,
NUNS. And early upon the morning of the
ninth day of the ninth month Hasebe pre-
pared to welcome his adopted brother He
made ready feast of good things, bought
wine decorated the guestroom and filed
the vases Of the alcove with chrysanthe-
NUNS of two colors. Then his mother,
watching him, said: "The province of
Izumo, my son, is more than 100 'ri'+ from
this place; and the journey thence over the
mountains is difficult and weary; ard you
cannot be sure that Akana will be able to
come to-day. Would it not be better, before
you take all this trouble, to wait for his
coming?" NAY, motherI" Hasebe made
answer, "Akana promised to be here to-day;
he could not break a promise! And if he
were to see us beginning to make prepare
ton after his arrival he would know that we
had doubted his word; and we should be
put TO shame"
The day was beautiful, the sky without
cloud and the air so pure that the world
seemed to be a thousand miles wider than
usual In the morning many travellers
passed through the village-some Of them
samurai; and Hasebe, watching each as be
came more than once imagined that he saw
Akana approaching. But the temple bells
sounded the hour of midday, and Akana
did not appear. Through the afternoon also
Hasebe watched and waited in vain. TIE
sun set; and still there was so sign of AkaSa
Nevertheless Hasebe remained at the gate
gazing down the road Later his mother
went to him and said ''The mind Of man.
my son-as our proverb declares may
/ change as quickly as the sky of autumn.
But your ehrysanthemum flowers viii still
be fresh tomorrow. Better now tc eep,
and in the morning you can va rain
( for Akana if you wish" ''Rest we roth-
err" returned Hasebe; "but / still elieve
that he will come" Then the mother went
/ to her own room, and Hasebe fingered at
! the gate.
The night was pure as the day had been
\ all TIE sky throbbed with stars; and the
| white River of Heaven shimmered with IN
usual splendor. The village slept; the 81
| lence was broken only by the no g Of lit
| tie brook and by the far-away ha king of
\ peasants dogs Hasebe still waited waited
until he saw the thin moon sink behind the
/ nelghboring hills. TNen at last he began
/ to doubt and to fear. just as he was about
to Renter the house he perceived in the
distance a tall man approaching very light
" and quickly; and in the next moment he
recognized Akana.
"Ohl" cried Hasebe, springing to meet
him, Il have been waiting for you from the
morning until now! s. YOU really
did keep your promise after al
But you must be tired. poor hrot er'-come
in; everything is ready for you He guided
Akana to the place of honor in t E guest
room and fastened to trim the liz Is wlieh
were burning low. Mother" continued
Hasebe, felt little tired this evening and
she has already gone to bed; but ] shall
awaken her presently" Akana shook his
head and made a little gesture of disap.
proval. "As you will, brother" said
Hasebe, and he set warm food ARD wine be-
fore the traveller. Akana did not touch the
food or the wine, but remained motionless
and silent for a short time. Then reeking
in a whispers if he feared awakening the
mother-he said:
Now l must tell you how it happened
that came thus late. When I returned to
Izumo found that the people had almost
forgotten the kindness of our former ruler
the good Lord Enya, and were seeking the
favor of the usurper Tsunehisa, who had
possessed himself of the fonda castle. Blu;
had to visit my cousin, Akana TanI
though he had accepted service under Tsune
hisa, and was living, as a retainer, within
the castle grounds. He persuaded me tc
present myself before Tsunehisa; | yielded
chiefly in order to observe the character Of
the new ruler, whose face l had never seen.
He is a skilled soldier, and of great cour-
age; but he is cunning and cruel. / found
it necessary to let him know that l could
never enter into his service. After / left
his presence he ordered my cousin to detain
me-to keep me confined within the house
l protested that had promised to return
to Harima upon the ninth day of the ninta
month, but / was refused permission tc
go. l then hoped to escape from the castlS
at night but was constantly watched; and
until to-day could find no way to fulfill my
promise. ."
Until to-day" exclaimed Hasebe, in be
wilderment; "the castle is more than hun
drer ri from herel"
Eyes" returned Akans, "and no living
man can travel on foot hundred ri in on,
day. But I felt that, if did not keep m,