Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1908-10-29
THE SPIRIT |
OF THE FAN |
j By BEATRICE \. RICE
Copyright. by sAortstOry Pub. Cos

OopyrlSnL. oy Soor8torH 1ob- COZ
The fan had been sent to me, with
a lscquerSd gong and a tiny Jade ele-
phant. from Nagassti, japan. 1t was
of ordinary workmanship, with abso-
lutely nothing about 1t to excite any
unusual curiosity. The blendsr sticks
were of cedar wood enamelod black,
and the upper section OF stiff white
paper, gildsd on one side sad deco
rated ON tbe other with a small house,
quite CROOKED IS to outline and blurred
as to coloring. Examining the fan
more closely 1 was abls to discern. APP
parently creeping from che doorway Of
She dwelling. q most viliainozslook-
ing individual, CARRIED IN the dress Of
his country. sird7d about the waist
with brilliant red sash. The muscular
body was Silzhtly bent. and the CLAW
like fingers "a the right hand clutched
the hik Of louH. slender weapon,
something like q dagger In shape. the
sharp point stepped as though Ia
blood, dark drops # which fell from
the blade. Ny attention, however.
was more especially attracted TO what
seemed to have been a freak OF the
artists fancy or q ptsos of clear, sheer
.carelossnSss. OAs ear was entirely
missing fron the creatures ugly head,
while the other one had bean most
prominently delinSatsd.
"A crude oAOxSh bit Of work." I
thought, yet wAat q world Of Send
ish dev1ltry has bSan depicted on that
small painted oountenAnee," for the
black eyes slantod lock Of most afro
cious vin1icttveacSs straight into
mlne, and / actually found myself shud-
,dertng as 1 gazsd back into them.
AS I. half intsrestsdly, let ny syes
rest upon The rough yet picturesque
;sketehing, was OF a sudden surprised
into something akin to excitsmeat 1t
might have been a trick Of imagine
ton, but 1 could have sworn, at the
moment, that a faint light had ap-
peared in one of the tiny windows of
the crooked house. Some trick of
those clever little Japanese" ] NUT
tered to my self. and curiously turned
the fan over to see II could discover
any concealed mechanism that would
warrant the effect produced SO strange
only an expanse of dull gilt, relieved
with one or two pink-bilIed hsrons,
land luxuriant lotus blooms. ! quickly
turned the other side about and ex-
claimed aloud with astonishment
Before my eyes . human being, per-
tectly formed, although greatly reduced
t. size. was moving here and there In
Il. Ie lighted room OF the house on the
ia - The small face ressmhled q won
del dni piece Of ivory carving as It
resi- ed its duslEy background Of blue
blac Z hair. waxed and folded, looped
and eoiled into an elaborate couture
"a Ia JeponRise" and decorated gor-
geousl.T with gilded pins and creamy
white ia ponioa buds. A splash of
gold &C ca utuated tbs brilliant scarlet
of the fun under LIP and the trans
parent fbldA of pink undsrgown cast
soft. rosy 4 'ushes against the white
neck and thru at. while the outer kimo-
no of tender est green and silver
showed sIasheA Of pearl color where
the flowing slee> YES fell open and back
from the rounded arms.
Presently, 1 san her lean her head
a little to one sia > and. placing one
hand with palm slisA ltly curved against
her ear, listen atteA lively, and then,
rising PRECAUTIONARY 10 her feet, run
quickly back of one Of the paper par
titions or screens that divided the
room into sections. My curiosity had
now become 30 intense Ahaf felt
must not loss sight Of her for even
an instant and found, MUCH to my
delight, that by holding the fan ct
certain angle could see her shadow
quite plainly reflected against the
screen.
Evidently her abrupt exit had been
caused by the arrival Of someone,
whose dark reneEtion gave the impress
sion OF tan, broa d-shouldered man In
uniform. Uhe man held out his arms
to the woman. Again and yet again he
embraced her. Bending his head to
hers, he imprinted a kiss upon hsr
forehead. For a moment she stood
with bowed head, as though receiving
a benedtction, her hands'. held closely
between his own, resting against his
breast. After a time she gently with
drew one hand and slipping It into the
loose drapery OF the pink hmono she
drew out a small folded paper which
she thrust into his fingers, closing
them over II. and. carrying his hand
to her lips. she kissed 1t repeatedly.
AS L watched with breathless inter
est the little romance being enacted
before me 7 Wsat inprss sed with 4 feakr