Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1905-08-31
The Empress
of Tin Gou
A LEGEND OF OLD JAPAN

1T was evening. The guards stood
stifiy at the doors OF the imperial pal.
ace, where all was quiet and asleep
Silently, secretly. a man scaled the
garden walls, stole softly through the
poisoning flowers and hedges. and
making his way into the palace. abrupt
ly entered the room OF the sleeping EN-
press.
The man advanced unhesitatingly in
to the beautiful chamber, dimly lighted
by lamps that burned beneath silken
shades. Startled by the sound Of foot
steps, the empress awoke, but she did
not cry out.
She looked at the man. recognizing
him. II was the brave Gen Take-outsi-
No-Soukoune, and his battle dress was
soiled with blood and dust
With a quick movement the empress
tore aside the thin gauze curtains and
sprang to meet her midnight visitor.
tall. gracious and beautiful as moonlight
in her white robes.
You herel" she cried. mot on the
field Of battle? What has happened? De
feat?"
Take-Outsi bowed low.
mo. worshipful empress, he said,
worse than that"
What What?"
THE descendant OF the gods, the sub
lime emperor. your glorious husband, is
dead. He was fighting at the head OF his
warriors. leading them to victory A
Korean arrow smote him He has re-
turned to the celestial regions"
"Ah!" walled the empress, wringing
her long, thick hair. Did not foresee
II? Was not ghostly advice given me
that the ruler Of japan, the luminous
grandson Of the sun goddess, must not
march in person against the enemy?
Tsoui-Ai-Teno would not believe me.
and now he is no more He has left the
earth, my heroic lord. the son Of the
prince of warriors"
Then suddenly the empress grew quiet
and she commanded the general to rise. /
'All is then lost?' she said Victory
has escaped us?'
Nothing is lost. most honorable SOW
sreign," replied Take-Outsi, still kneel- |
ing.
THE victory is suspended only. re- !
ceived the body of the mikado in my I'M
worthy arms. laid him ID his tent, say |
ing that he was merely wounded. that ne
would soon recover. Then. intrusting /
the body to guards whose silence is the
price Of their lives, have come hastily.
my pathway strewn with dead horses,
10 your feet"
The noble warrior lifted his eyes to
hose of the charming empress In his
gaze she read heroism. genius and devo-
ton.
A strange and wholly new emotion
woke within her. Ii was as If the soul
If her husband had come to strengthen
her own She felt herself ready TO brave
III dangers. she. the careless, smiling
pride who trembled at the slightest
warming.
Thanks. illustrious chief she said
o Take Outsi. you have done we'll. The
nikado still lives; he is only wounded.
o-morrow we will set forth on our jour
ley to Join him in the camp. IL is ! who
will take his place. We viii march to
ictory And TO you. Take-Outsi, give
he title Of Vandalism. %
For many days the illustrious En-
iress Zin-Gou had been on her way.
'ake-Outsi accompanied her and new
egiment. which she had raised TO reen-
orce the army followed her.
The lancers marched first armed aEd
wearing visored helmets. from which
dated a tiny flag behind the left ear.
hen came the archers. their brows
ound with a band of white cotton, the
nds flying in the breeze. and their backs
ristling with long arrows. while in
heir hands they. carried the long. lac
uered bows. A second body Of archers
)llowed these. bearing a sling Of Curl
us shape with which they threw stones /
, a great distance. H.
The empress. mounted on a beautiful +
orse. whose curly name formed a noble I
rest. rode al the head Of her army. and
nus they came 10 the banks Of river
allied Matsoura- Gawa
Then the beautiful Zin-Gou ordered a G
alt. She was a woman before every a
hing. and a singular idea had come 70 7
er; she wished to fish in the river O
Standing upon a little knoll she threw '
pr line into the water, crying aloud: n
sIf am to succeed in my enterprise il
fish will nibble at my bait; II not, ii v
i'll remain untouched" h
A solemn silence reigned and every a
re was fixed upon the line in the hand RI