Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1906-03-08
THE EMPEROR
AND HAPPINESS
BIZ josef KEATING
lcopyright, 1905, BY Joseph B. Bowles.l
a STORY on OLD JAPAN

BY mysterious means an old man
had got into the palace. No one
could tell how He had reached even
the very door of the throne-room be-
fore anyone discovered him.
There sat Yoritimo. the greatest of
all the ancient emperors Of Japan
who had fought SO hard against might
and against right to win that throne
lie had gained the thing that should
make him happy Yet he looked un-
happy
why do you Gomez commanded the
emperor
ITO bring you happiness"
The emperor leaned back in his
throne and smiled sadly.
"Old man, said he. you cannot
bring me what is already here"
The old man bowed low.
"The Son of Heaven" he said
wishes to test me- answer: Die
not the WEAKNESS Of life overcome
your majesty but a moment ago?"
The emperor sighed.
You say the truth. have gained
all things. and.I am not happy. Ii
WEAKNESS of spirit fell into slumber
here Gpon my throne Of gold and
dreamed oh! | have dreamed such
things! | dreamed a magician sough
10 transform me into strange shape
He sought to enter my very soul un.
der the pretense of bringing me happi
ness"
''Son Of Heaven put in the Old
man; your mood shall be your rem
edy A life Of fighting leaves no time
for love-"
"What?"
Il mean that your crown lacks a
jewel"
"A jewel! Is not my crown com
plete?"
The old man bowed humbly
1T is not complete; it lacks the
turquoise ornament"
THE turquoise ornament ex.
claimed the emperor in anger.
The courtiers around, as they heard
this, drew closely together in an ex-
cited group, staring at the old man and
at the emperor.
Can this be true?' said Yoritimo.
He lifted his arms and took the
crown from his head. He rested the pre-
cious thing upon the golden arm o.
the throne. Then he stared down
upon it, and in the heart of the gilt.
tering jewels that covered it he de-
tected vacant place.
The turquoise is lOst!" ne ex
claimed.
The old man bowed humbly, smiled
cunningly, and said:
II have found the malady-shan l
find the remedy?"
Your life shall depend upon that.
What says your magic now?'
The answer took away the breath Of
ell present:
MY magic says that in this the
master shall obey his slave"
mo magic can harm me" the en-
Teror said. 81 cannot be made more
unhappy than | am. will give this
slave his wish. Speak on"
The old man raised his head and
looked steadily before him. He
crossed his arms upon his breast and
said:
The Son of Heaven will obey his
slave and will sail in the boat upon
the sacred lake within the walls Of
this royal palace"
az, voror 1,D1yoa dou,v ,,vov, = -,
snspiciously.
'Is that all your magic?"
1T is"
Then let the royal boat" com
manded the emperor, "be made ready
with all the rowers-"
1.-The rowers must be chosen by me,
put in the old man, quickly.
lit shall be So" agreed Yoritimo.
He came down from his throne and
he'd the way out of the palace to the
sacred lake. The courtiers followed.
But the mysterious old man suddenly
disappeared.
When the emperor came to the brink
Of the lake he found the royal boat
ready, and in the boat sat 20 virgins,
with beautiful long black hair ana
lovely forms and shapely limbs; and
they were arrayed in silver nets in
stead of ordinary robes. Each maiden
held an oar, and all the 20 oars were
made of ebony inlaid with gold.
No one gould find the old magician
But the emperor, true to his promise
that he would sail upon the sacred
lake, stepped into the boat. AS he did
so he could not help noticing the
beauty of the young girl that sat be-
hind all the others in the stern, and
seemed TO he their leader. The en-
Ieror sat behind her, and looking at
her dark hair, his heart leaped-for
binding the shining black folds he saw
the turquoise ornament he had lost
from his crown.
Now, instead OF hurting command
OF death at the delinquent, he found a
strange pleasure in wishing that this
beautiful girl should never lose an or
-. l. 4.