The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-04-04

was the waving of sable banners and
the throb of jungle tomtoms wherever
he passed; slaves bore his seepter and
mitred crown before him. And some
where near him, always, at rest or
journeying, here in this American hotel
even as heretofore in African villages
or during the roar of battle, holy men
read the verses of the sacred Koran.
Listening as he unused. the Emperor
could distinguish the rhythmic Arabic
cadences rising and falling, flowing
ever fowing-through the eenser-per-
fumed airs of an outer chamber; and
mingled with the murmur were tinkling
bells and the low chords of an Eastern
guitar from where his slim dancing
eunuchs and amazons.
But the minister of police was a
long time absent. Annoyance dispers-
ed the Emperor s quietude, and he
reached his ieweled hand toward a bell;
greater heads and rolled from execu-
TONERS blocks for lesser crimes. He
could shut his eyes Of nights and see
them grinning at him, mummy-like and
bodiless. if he chose. A milder mood
succeeded, and he did not ring. Rather,
a sudden impulse seized him to leave
all this pageantry and imperial bar
barrie state and enter, thus impene
trably disguised as he was, unaccom-
panied and unprotected, into the alien
streets of his home. He arose slowly.
Yes, he would go out among the Amer
leans, seemingly one of themselves, and
penetrate to the old brick house on
ont was on First Avenue and quiet
side street. The gate would be loose
on its hinges, the doorbell would not
ring He remembered it all distinctly.
A fiower-trough adorned the box-like
porch, and few climbing roses elus-
tered on the railing. He and She used
to sit on the steps in the old days,
back in the shadow of peach-tree
where the flare of the corner arc-light
could not strike them; and there, two
shadowy figures blending into one,
they whispered sacred babble. He re
membered the thin, -mouthed
laughing girl So well, with her sud-
den fretfulness and swirling humors,
her odd, deep searching phrases of
thought and queer little ignorant
speculations and fanciesl But, of
course, that would all be changed. Not
she, at least, would be there as of
cid, and the house itself would prob
ably be gone. He crept from the room
warily. No guard was in the hall, for
had he not cleared the way that he
might leave unseen? A side door ad-
mitted him to the deserted twilight
street, and in moment he was shut
fling the pavements, apparently a
lounging unfortunate, wandering home
ward after an unsuccessful search for
work.
In moment the Emperor detected
him, walking as slowly as he walked,
pausing when he paused, not advanc-
ing near enough to be examined or
challenged. An over officious soldier
of his suite, no doubt. He turned to
send this fool to the guard house; and
then he noted that the dim figure was
, blue-uniformed and helmeted. 1t was
an officer of friendly power, rep
| resentative of the American police,
! detailed to guard the great man s
sacred person from an archie or relig-
ious fanaticism. Though he might
wish to be alone, courtesy to a friend
/ ly power forbade refusal of the
profered guardianship; so again the
Emperor resumed his way. nor thought
more of this silent watch that followed
The house was as he remembered it;
| nothing was changed, except that the
roses had grown on during his absence
and now made of the little porch a
dark bower where only specks and
| twinkhng lines of illumination pene-
Al CHI
the gate was still unhinged, nor would
the bell ring when he pulled it. 1t
might have been yesterday that he
called here and She came to the door.
He raped, but no one answered. Turn
ing the knob softly, he found the door
| unlocked, and entered the pantry like
hall He knew it well. Hardly FUN
bling, his hand reached through the
darkness to one of the doors, whence
line of light streamed from under,
! and opening, he entered Her old living
| room. No one was there. There were
many changes; it was all new furni-
! ture, new rugs, new paper and paint,
| but many of the old knickknacks re-
manned. His own picture-he. beard
| less youth-rested on the mautel, with
| others beside it. The Emperor tip.
| toed across the room and stood at
gaze, absorbed in the features of his
| long vanished self.
| With the clicking of door latch he
! turned to see that a woman had enter
| ed, woman. sorrOwful and gray-hair-
ed, with care-lined mouth and wrin-
| kled cheeks. 1t was She, past doubt
| but hanged-changedi Instinctively
/ his eyes went to corner where hel
photograph was used to hang There
| it yet was, and there she smiled al
him with her old, frank, half childish
! half angelic look of love. He turned
! back and forth, staring from the real
ity to the former reality, and repeat
edlv he passed his hand over his eyes
She did not speak, but fxedly gazet
at him, while the lines grew deeper
about her mouth. and the pain in he
soft eyes darkened their depths.
Another door opened-the hall doc,
this time-and the forgotten oficia
stood on the threshold He touched
his hat to the mistress of the house
This mani he suggested. and
advancing. laid hand on the Emper
or $ shoulder. He seemed suspicious
] followed and saw him enter. L
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