Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-10-15
(Copyright, by W. q. Chapman.)

along the street, her shining coils of
hair unprotected from the sun and
wind, save by a brilliantly colored silk
umbrella. Tia Sau did not belong to
the ~aristocracy of Japan, for If she
had this little Girl would not have
wandered about alone as she did
but she was as sweet and true a wom-
an as though she had numbered kings
among her ancestors, and her fellow
Japanese were not the only ones who
admired her.
Most honorable friends" Tia Sau
confided to Mau Wa, Loo Iii and See
Tau, as the four squatted about the
piece of mating on which Tia Sau
laid out her pictures and paints, Il
am admired, e me, my unworthy
self, by one of the American men"
and a rich red blush stained the
cheeks of little Tia Sau.
Mau Wa smiled in a superior man
ner. MY most illustrious father spoke
to me this morning. and told me that
girls who encourage the admiration
of others than Japanese, are no better
than the geisha girls" she said, a little
primly. There was a chorus OF dissent,
and the slanting eyebrows of Loo Iii
fairly met in her disdain.
Most honorable friend" Tia Sau
said angrily rising, you dishonor US
all by such talk" and it looked for a
moment as though there would be a
regular schoolgirl fuss, when See Tau
cried, to change the subject:
"oh, see, how handsome is this ex,
%cellency," and she held up a photo
graph of a frank FACED, fair haired
young man of about %, which had
slipped from between the pages OF the
book she had been holding.
Tia Sau turned still redder, muir
muring:
1T is of him | spoke and the 9th
er three bent over the picture chat.
tering as only girls can, be they white,
brown, black or red, even Loo III join
ing in.
He is one of the honorable en-
gineers who worked upon the great
bridge" Tia Sau explained, trying to
hide her face in her hands, while Mau
was not well for her companions to
encourage the attentions of the Amer
leans, and yet she appreciated the
good looks of the handsome young
man.
tia sau, tell me-" Mau Wa said
sternly, what makes you think that
the excellency admires your"
Little Tia Sau, who was only IA
hung her head. 1t was hard to ex-
plain everything.
Tell" came the command.
81 won't" sobbed the Japanese mai
den, and the four friends parted in an
ger, even See Tau feeling hurt. After
they were gone Tia Sau put on her
handsome pale lavender kimona, tied
on her pink and yellow obi (sash) that
outlined her little bustless figure, and
with a crimson flush picked a great
bunch of the cherry blossoms the
young engineer had admired. With
these in her hand and the silk umbrel-
la over her shining black hair, the lit
tie Japanese maiden crept out to the
doll house of a boarding place where
French Pheyton lived.
Tia Sau crept along, the red show
ing through the brown of her skin,
contrasting with the black of her hair
and eyes and making a very lovely pic
ture. She was a dear, quaint little
picture, and the American boy, home
sick, was charmed when this child, az
he regarded her, came around the
corner of the house and asked shyly:
rs his most honorable excellency
bored again."
Once he had teld her be was hscrea
as he was, nov that work was done
and he was forced to wait for further
orders.
Yes, baby, I'm bored" he returned.
smiling. showing bis big, white teeth
that Tia Sau so admired.
.sTia San drive the hored away, che
announced triumphantly, advancing a
little and showing her own teeth.
Sure. Come right on" French said
gayly, ''and I'll take your picture
again" and he went inside for his ko-
dak. One of his pleasures had been
to snap this pretty Japanese girl.
"You love me?' Tia San astonished
him by asking. but as he regarded her
as a mere child, he returned frankly:
Sure, you bet | do then fell into
a reyerie, absorbed with his thoughts
OF Rose and their marriage, which
was to take place as soon as he re-
turned to Gods country.
Il love you. Tia Sau returned, lift
ing shy eyes to his face. but he did not
heed. and so she grew a little holder.
Il want that you make to me like
American mems do to their sweet
ones" and the pleading cadence In her
voice struck him.
What do you mean, baby?" French
ASKED, bending fOrward n laying q
gentle hand upon the dark tresses. To
III. A~A~>.A-x 2-A 49,