Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-09-14

DAILY SHORT STORY
CHERRIES.

The day he landed IN Japan ne
found her in the groves at Yamato,
when there was celebration for the
coming of the blossom which is wor-
SHIPPED in the April weather-the bios
som of tire cherry.
Sewall thought there was only one
name for her. and, though his vocabu-
larry was indistinct and incomplete, he
managed TO make her understand that
he would call her Cherries.
Honorable Yellow Hair" she said,
falling into his mood. 1T thangks me,
yaes.'
And so that was the meeting of Sew
all and the little woman whom he
called Cherries.
Spwan was 4 writer of fiction. His
friends said he wrote the ''fctionest'
kind of fiction-the kind that doesn't
sell-but somehow he had managed 10
get a book published, and the sales
had given him 4 royalty which he re-
Iigiously saved in order that he might
go to Japan.
So, after he had come in the spring
he had found one day in the gardens
the girl that he called Cherries She
was not of the Japanese type. In the
first place, her hair lacked the ebony
DlackncSS which so surely denotes the
type. And then her eyes were not
black, like those of her sisters. and
her checks flushed readily, which is
another thing that indicates the mix
ture of foreign blood. But beyond this
there was no difference. She wore the
costume of the people, and her walk
was that uncertain and attractive tod
die which the American sees only in
japanese plays. She was mere girl
in years as we'll as in actions, and
when Sewall found her she talked to
him in the manner of one who but in
distinctly understands the construction
of the western language.
From that day Sewall seemed to see
her everywhere. In the celebrations
in the garden and in the tea places
where he went for rcfreshment there
was always the vision of the little girl
he had seen in the day when the cher
rieS blosSOmed in the groves. But it
was not in her physical being that he
saw her, for after that first day lie
could find her nowhere. He simply
dreamed of her. and cherries" came
to be Il word that stood out on every
page of the white paper upon which
he tried To write his impressions of
Japan.
Who she was he did not know. The
American consul had presented him to
her, and The American consul had gone
away to Kobe on mission, 80 Sewall
could not ask him the name of the girl
who had charmed him out Of his days
work
But one day, after two weeks which
had seemed as many years TO Sewall,
he found her in the gardens with her
sisters, playing with the paints and the
brushes. painting cherry blossoms on
dainty screen. He approached, and
she recognized him instantly.
Most august Yellow HAIR" she
said lit is of pleasantuess that my
misera tie vision is greeted with thy
sight"
Il am very glad to see you again."
said Sewall gently. though in his heart
he wanted 10 say, Il have wanted to
see you all these weeks
"YaeS:" said Cherries.
Yes" said SewalI as he sat down on
| the ground beside her
And then lie told her how his mother
was coming out from America and
how she was very great woman.
"Bigger'n thaetE" said Cherries,
| stretching her arms out as far as they
would go.
We'll. no." replied Sewali. hardly
that big. but mean that she is Il great
woman because she is president of a
lot of societies. and she writes books
and reads papers at clubs, and all that
sort of thing"
"Yaes," said Cherries and that
was as near as she ever came to say
ing yes
and now" continued SewaH. Il
| want you to meet my mother. She will
be here tomorrow, and I am to give a
little tea for her at the hotel. Will you
and the sisters Gomez
1T gives me moOch thanCkS. most
Honorable Yellow Hair said Cherries,
as she bowed low and showed the most
marvelously beautiful neck and the IN
usual little curls that clustered at the
| back.
The next day Sewall gave the tea ut
the hotel. His mother had arrived. and
Cherries and the sisters and the consul
and his wife and lot of other Amer
| leans We're there.
Sewan presented Cherries TO the
mother. The great woman raised
| her lorcncttc and regarded the little
| girl critically.
"Reautiful.'' she exclaimed. why
don't Won marry her. my boy. and take
! her to New York. She spoke play
| fully IL English
| But what was it that the Honorable
Great Woman was pleased to says"
asked Cherries.
she asked why didn't marry you
you be my wife, you know" said Sew