Connecticut western news., 1906-07-05
CHERRIES
Copyright. 1eoi. by H. P. Taber.l

som of tls cherry.
 Sewall thought there was only one name for her, and. though his vocabu- lary 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 Tt thangks me, yaes."
 And so that was the meeting of Sew all and the little woman whom he called Cherries.
 Sewall was writer of fiction. His friends said he wrote the ''fictionest" kind of fiction-the kind that doesn't sell-but somehow he had managed to get a book published, and the sales had given him royalty which he re ligiously saved in order that he might go to Japan.
 So, after he had come in the spring season to the mountains of Yamato, 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 blackness which so surely denotes the type. And then her eyes were not black, like those of her sisters, and her cheeks 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 dle which tie American sees only in Japanese plays. She was a mere girl in years as well 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 refreshment 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 be saw her. for after that first day he could find her nowhere. He simply dreamed of her, and cherries came to be a word that stood out on every page of the white paper upon which he tried to write his impressions of Japan.
 Who she was be did not know. The A irot hoI taAl Tr. her, and the American consul had gone away to Kobe on mission, so 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 d dainty screen. He approached, and she recognized him instantly.
 Most august Yellow Hair," she said. 1t Is of pleasantness that my miserable vision Is greeted with thy sight,
 T am very glad to see you again." said SewGn gently. though in his heart he wanted to say, Il have wanted to see you all these weeks"
 .Yaes;' said Cherries.
 Yes" said Sewall as he sat down on the ground beside her.
 And then he told her how his mother was coming out from America and how she was Il very great woman.
 "BiSger'n thaet:" said Cherries. stretching her arms out, as far as they would go.
 Well, no," replied Sewall, hardly that big. but I mean th"t she is a great woman because she Is president of a lot of societies, and she writes books and rcaGs papers at clubs. and all that sort of thing"
 "Yacs." sail Cherries. and that was as rear as she eve- came to say ins yes"
 And now" continued Sewall. "I want you to meet my mother She will be here tomorrow, and am 10 g.ve ntt.e tea for her at tic hotel. VIII you and tho sisters como?'
 II; gives me wocch thanC,is. most Honorable Yellow Hair" sad Cherries. as ske bowed low and showed the most Elarvelo:,s.y beautiful neck and the un- usual little curls that clustered at the back
 Tho next day Scwall gave tEc tea at the hotel. HIS mother had arrived, and Cherries a:l the sisters and the consul and h.S wife and q lot of other Amer jeans were there.
 Scwall presented Cherries to the ncotEer. The great woman" raised her lorgrette and regarded tEe little girl critically.
 "Beautif,,Ir' she exclaimed. Why don't you marry he.. my boy, and take her to New York;" She spoke play. fully In English.
 "But what was 1t that the Honorable Great Woman was pleased to say:" asked Cherries.
 "She asked why didn't marry you you be my wife, you know" said Sew Ill. "will you?" And his voice was earnest.
 Tt would give me mooch thangks," said Cherries. Then into her checks came a flush such as Scwall had seen when he gave her the name.
 So that is how Arthur Sewall, writer If 6ct{op oomn fo win hiS JononeSe