Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1902-07-03
A PROMISE KEPT.
BY LAFCADI0 irEans.

BT LiFCSDiO DESRS
This story Is taken from volume OF
japanese Miscellany recently published
by Little Brown & Co, Of Boston. Tho
volume is OF unusual interest and con-
tains much Of Japanese myths and ira
ditions.
81 shall return in the early autumn" said
Akana Soyemon several hundred years ago
-wnen bidding good by to his brother by
adoption, young Hasebe SamoH. The time
wac spring, and the Lace vas the village Of
kato, in the province Of Harima. Akana
was an Izumo samurai, and he wanted to
visit lis birthplace.
Hastbe said
your I1umo-the Country of the Eight
Cloud Kising-is very distant. Perhaps ii
will Therefore Le difficult for you to promise
to return here upon any particular day.
But, il We were to know the exact day, VIC
should feel happier. We could then pre-
pare feast Of welcome and we could watch
at the gateway for your coming"
Way, as for that" responded Akana, Il
have Been 20 much accustomed to travel
that | c,n usually tell beforehand how long
it will take me to reach a 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 ehrysanths
NUNS will be in bloom, and we can go to-
gether to look at them. How pleasant!
so you promise 10 come back on
the ninth day Of the ninth month!'
"On the ninth day sf the rinth month"
repeated AkanA, smiling farewell. Then Be
strode away from the village OF Kato in the
province Of llarima-and Hasebe Samon
and the mother Of Hasebe looked after him
with tears in their eyes
Neither the sun nor the NOON" says an
! old japanese proverb, ever halt upon their
journey" Swiftly the months went by and
the autumn came-the season of chryNnthe
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 a feast OF good things, bought
wine, decorated the gueHroOm and filled
the vases of the alcove with chrysanthe
NUNS of two colors Then his mother,
watching him, said: "The province OF
| Izuino, my son, is more than 100 'ri'' from
this place; and the journey thence over the
mountains is difficult and weary; and 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, mother" Hasebe made
answer, "Akann promised to be here to-day;
he could not break a PROMISE And ii he
were to see us beginning to make prepara-
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 thousand miles wider than
usual. In the morning many travellers
passed through the village-some Of them
samurai; and IIasebe, watching each az he
came, more than once imagined that he saw
Aknna 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. The
sun set and still there was so sign Of Akas a.
Nevertheless Hassbe remained at the gate,
gazing down the road Later his mother
went to him and said "The mind of man, i,
my son-as our proverb declares-may
change as quickly as the sky of autumn.
But your chrysanthemum flowers will still
be fresh tomorrow. Better now to sleep,
and in the morning you can watch again
for Akana II you wish "Rest well, moth
er," returned lIasebe; "but | still believe
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 the sky throbbsd with stars; and the
white River of Heaven shimmered with un.
usual spleudor. The village slept; the 81
lence was broken only by the noise of a lit
tie brook and by the iar.away barking OF
peasants dogs Hasebe still waited waited
until he saw the thin moon sink behind the
neighboring hills Then at last he began
10 doubt and to fear just as he was about
20 reenter the house he perceived IN the
distance tall man approaching very light,
ly and quickly; and in the next moment he
recognized AkAna
"Ohl' cried lIasebe, sprinsng to meet
him, 81 have been waiting for you from the
morning until now! So you really
did keep your promise after all
But you must be tired. poor brother come
in: everything is ready for you" He guided
Akana to the place OF honor in the guest.
room and FASTENED to trim the lights, which
we're burning low Mother" continued
Hasebe, "iAt little tired this evening, and
she has already gone to bed; but | shall
awaken her presently" Aksna shook his
head and made a little gesture OF disap.
proval. As you will. brother" said
HAsebe, and he set warm food and wine he
fore the traveller Aknna did not touch the
food or the wine, but remained motionles'
and silent for short time Then, speaking
in whisper il he feared awakening the
mother he said:
"Now must tell you how it happened
that | came thus late. When | returned to
lEumo | found that the people had almost
forgotten the Kindness ct our former ruler
the good Lord Euya, and were seeking the
favor OF the usurpcr Tsunehiss, who had
possessed himself OF the fonda castle Bu;
| had to visit my cousin, Akana IauN
though he had accepted service under Tsuue
hisa. and was living. As retainer, within
the castle grounds. lie persuaded me t,
present myself before Tsuuehisa welded
chiefly m order to observe the c arNc,ey oi
the new ruler. whose face had never seen
He is a skilled soldier and of r.cof g sur
age but he il cunning and crrc' i.vrd
IL necessary 20 let him know .t / ...
never enter into his service. ; i"r 7 p
his presence he ordered my cou'ia 90 &c a
me TO keep nv confined Wit boz tie hors,
| protested that | had promised to return
20 Ha-,ua upon the ninth day o' tNe mint
month. but | was refused rernisi t,
go. | then hoped 10 escape tr'm the ,astl'
al nisll. but Was constantly watched auc
until to- day could hnd no way 20 iuldll M
promise
Until today" exclaimed Hasybe, in be
whdermeut. the castle 10 more than a hun
drer ri from here
YES" returned Aksns. and no hviul
4 man can travel w foot a hundred m IN on,
, i.y But I telt that, II did not keep w.
. promise, you could not think well ot me-
and remembered TIE ancient proycrh
n ''rams yoku ich, ulchl nj sen n W. yuku
. t"rhe ~oul Of man yan Journey a thousAu,
ri" IN a day. Fortunately ! had been al
lowed 20 keep my sword, thus Gully was
! able 10 come T. you, he scSd T.
- our moth-
With these words Ne stood up. and in th
same instant disappeared
Then llasshc knew that Akaaa had kille,
e himself IN order to iul6ll the promise.
"a RI is aRsyi s99Ai 10 "a Ensnsl
y mile, s@-