Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1903-03-14
The Love OF 500
T0kion.


N--------$
r T Is name was 500 Tokion and
M he was the only Japanese
student ut big university
on Il big lake. Her name
was Helen Sulricyant and she was an
American studcnt ut the same big uni
vcrsity. 500 was Il little fellow like
nearly all of his race. Helen was Il
great, splendid creature. who lowered
more than head above The little
Jap. Professors nul students alike had
ample opportunity % note the fact
that Helen was Il head taller than 500,
for the little Japanese was with her
whenever opportunity afforded.
The students said that Tokion came
very hear being Greek word, and
Hey wondered how the name wan
dcrel 10 far-oif Japan. They said
that the Jap didn't have much Of the
appearance of the Spartan about him,
though he did have scholarship that
might he called Athcnan. At his first
name, 500, they laughed. 1t fitted him,
they said. because it was a name that
went with his build and weight. or
course the boys called him Susie
and the Jap never minded at all until
he found out that Susie was n girls
name, and that it was given to him
in n sort of contempt for his pismy
build.
The laps are noted wrcstlcrs, and
one day Susie a"toniShod a big fellow
| who had applied The girl name to him
by standing him on his head and near
ly breaking the tormcntor's neck in
doing it. After that even the husky
football players sunk the name Susie
and spoke to the li.tlc Jap cordially
and called him by the name given him
in the Ori,nt.
Now Helen Sturtevant had attract
ed 500 the moment his Eastern eyes
bcheld her. It's curious, hut it's true
as the synoptic gospels, that little men,
that is extremely little men, manage to
fall in love with big women. Helen
Sturtcvant liked the devotion of tho
Jap. She treated him with an amused
devotion, even though it is shown by a
little chap.
500 Tokion was Buddhist, but he
had become a Christian, or what is
more likely. pretended conversion, so
that he could so TO chapel and sit near
Helen Sturtcyant. 1t WAS Il fair-halred
goddess that he was worshiping while
l.. L., Al, -
the Christians. Because Helen Sturte-
want was taking Il course in elocution
and dramatic art 500 undertook the
same course, and this gave him other
opportunities to be near his adorcd
one.
The goods gosSipcd much. and at
times rather nosily about the devotion
Of 500 to Helen. AS the girls put it the
little Jap was Awfully cut up about
the fair American and it was Il shame
that because Helen Sturtcvant liked
admiration she must encourage 500 TO
go on breaking his heart when there
was no chance of Helen's mending it
for him in the way that 500 wanted.
Helen had so many beauX among the
American students that it is just bare
ly possible that some OF the goods
thought that she might let 500 attach
himself TO their trains for 500 was re-
ported to be wealthy and the big
punches OF dollhouse flowers that went
to Helen in zero weather, when hot
house flowers cost Il mint, would have
been very acceptable to any of
the other fair sisters of the university.
Helen Sturtcvant had no very serious
thoughts about the Jap. She did like
him in certain way, and the bon-bonS
he sent her were delicious and the
flowers were fragrant and surely" the
girl said to herself, 'hc can't mean any
thing serious, for II" must know how
| utterly impossible it would be for me
to think Of sucl: thing as loving him,
let alone marrying him.
Helen Stur;cvant was bent OH follow
| ing the career Of an actress. She had
natural gifts. Absolutely impartial
| persons had told her that, and the girl
felt it herself. Her father was a man
of some means, and he grudgcd moth
ing that would 90 toward the education
of his daughter and the helping toward
| the realization of her dramatic dreams.
One day a dozen OF the goods We're
gathered in the university art studio.
| They We're waiting the arrival of an
instructor, and while waiting they
sat and gossipcd. Helen Sturtevant
was there. The night before at n
musical the attentions of 500 TOkion
had been more marked than ever He
had brought great bunch of American
Beauty roses TO be given to Helen
wien she had trumphantly finished
her part in the program. 1t was mid
winter, and American Beauty roses
were quoted at fabulous prices.
Helen" said one OF the goods,
you'll bankrupt 500, rich though |
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 an
other student; you'll break his heart
| uiichs ou h'''p IL SoulN ny ihdiiH iiS
him. Frankly, dear child, everybody is
taking about this thing. even the pro-
fessors. Why don't you marry him."
the girl questioned. half mschievously.
Helen flushed. Tie idea of marrying
500 was prcposterous. DO YOU sup
pose any American girl would marry
an Oriental:' she said. The Far
Eastern peoples have no more concep-
ton of the rights of Il woman as wife
than has the unspeakable Turk. They
may think they love woman, but not
one of them would sacrifice his own
pleasure for her, let alone anything
higher"
An Instructor came into the studio
and called the students out. Behind Il