The bee., 1908-05-07
"A LADY OF
MIKAD0'S COURT"
An Episode Of the New York Art
Colony.
ny JESSIE N. PARTLoN


The artist, idly sketchlng his thou.
sandth American Girl" was startled
to perceive small, gorgeous figure
wrapped in sinuous folds OF gray and
cherry silk. bowed In mock humility
at his very feet.
Seven devils" exclaimed st. Ives.
splashing carmine all over the "Ameri-
can Girls naughty mouth.
"Jes' me, mos, high mlghtiness:
Etsu make YER fine model-ver' moch
need money!" explained the wadded.
silk bundle before him. The shining
black coils of hair rose from their
humble position to disclose a fresh,
girlish face. daintily red as to lips.
immobile as bronze.
This. then. was no gift from the
gods, but a commercial transaction!
All the artist in st. Ives nature rose
to the quaint colorfuI little lady.
Etsu. taking stupefaction for ac-
ouiescence, lifted bundle Of costumes
from the floor and battered toward the
dressing room.
- - NNbVu0 onN was UhChs Aunltnu
OF the cherry blossom silk she was
swathed In a heavy kimono whose
midnight luster was glorifed BY gold
en- storks gravely reposing on one leg
against a background OF perpetually
rising suns
"Etsu YER fine lady OF mikado's
court" she said proudly, making a
deep genudection.
st. Ives eyes took In greedily the
1.-THE figure, the small, iower-like face.
and heavy coils OF scented hair. He
stared till the "ver' fine lady" became
disturbed she dropped to the floor
in a pretty attitude and with childish
dignity and dlrectness said: Lady
play samisen. YER honorable great ar
list please to paint"
And so, from day to day, St. Ives
reveled In color.
Etsu had been posing for him for
two weeks, and the studio. with It's
litter Of East Indian bric-a-brac, ugly
Chinese idols, and rare tapestries. was
permested with the faint fragrance
that chung 70 her kimonos.
To-day Etsu had arrived at the stu
do early. When he inserted his own
latch key. a strange. eeris murmuring
reached his ears, and as he threw
wide the door he beheld Etsu prone
on her face before an image Of Bud
dha he had picked up in the orient
She was praying softly and rapidly.
Gone was the childlike naivete and
lmpenetrable calm OF the little Japan
ese model. A strange exaltation
breathed from every fold OF her Siiken
garments. and she hurriedly tucked
her tiny fiag-the emblem OF Japan
into her sleeve as she mounted the
models throne.
We'll. Etsu. I see BY the papers
your country Is recalling its subjects
there's TO be war. II seems!"
"Yes. august highnessl" replied Eft
aui "the sacred one has spoksn-hap-
py they who can obey"
She was strangely anxious to be
gone--the days work was spoiled and
st. Ives released her.
Lifting a curtain that concealed an
old cabinet to get Etsu's customary
fee. he stood appalled,. The cabinet
had been forced open. papers and color
tubes lay all about, but every penny
the cabinet held had vanished
Gone. too. was Etsu. and without
the bit OF silver for which she always
waited.
In an instant st. Ives was half way
down the stairs; a second and he
gained the street. There, like an ami.
mated water color. was Etsu, two
blocks away.
Etsu melted into narrow doorway
Of Chinatown. and still he followed.
Almost at the threshold of an inner
room she was met by slender young
Japanese equipped for a journey.
did you get it," he fairly Kissed.
Quick. quick; the son OF heaven
calls"
Here, Hojol" She pressed hand
full OF loose bills into his outstretched
hand. "Kawannon guard you and
bring glorious deatn.
Jostling ST. Ives in the dark passage
Hobo rushed forth-from her he loved
TO the great red death Of a Japanese
soldier who falls In battle fighting for
the emperor.
But Etsu, for whom there remained
only the small white death of women
and children, drew from her silken
sleeve small vial and drank deep.
The pungent scent Of peach kernels
filled the air.
And st. Ives staggered out into the
sunlight to gaze with horrined eyes
ON the long streamers Of "BanEai"
and picturesque Japanese nags that
nuttered in an alien breeze.
False.