Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1910-04-08
A GE|SHA GIRL,
BY SADIE oLcorT.


ciation.l
"By the spirits of your ancestors
beseech you to hide me!'
The words were spoken by a young
Japanese who rushed into q tea house
where stood startled geisha girl. 1t
was more than forty years ago, when
the followers of the mikado and the
shotgun were struggling for the su-
premacy In Japan.
"What is it, Herobumi?" asked the
girl quickly.
"The shoganites! They are after me.
If they catch me they will kill ME.
Quick, Nikama!"
The girl dartcd glances in every d.
rection, and finally her eyes lighted on
what she at once recognized as the
best place for concealment. In every
Japanese house is dust hole. The
ground floor is raised about two feet
above the earth and square hole is
cut in the floor, into which the dust
and litter of the rooms are swept.
Get in there, quick" cried the girl
pointing to the hole.
Herobumi sprang into the hole, dou
bling himself up to occupy the space
Nikama put board over it, and on
the board she placed brazier, thus
concealing the hole and making it APP
pear that the brazier rested on the
floor. Then she sat down before the
brazier, in which was fire, and ap-
peared to be laZily warming herself
In another moment band Of armed
men rushed in. The girl looked up ut
them in feigned surprise.
"a man is here" said their leader.
"whom we seek. We saw him enter
Where is he:'
"You arc welcome TO look for him"
eve will see for ourselves" replied
the man. and, with his followers. he
began a search Of the premises. They
moved furniture; they opened closets;
they pulled out drawers. Into every
Granny i'll the house they peered, but
none Of them thought of the dust
hole. Thinking him they sought had
simply passed through and had gone
on, they rushed out as hurriedly as
they had come in. When they were
we'll away the girl called to the hider:
"Therc is nothing now to fear, Hero
bunli, but you had better remain
where you are for awhile in case they
come back"
"Thank YOU, Nikama. You have
saved my life. l knew when l came.
having been here at times for tea. that
l would not he betrayed, but l did not
know that would find one who by
her presence of mind would keep my
head on my shoulders"
The girl went out and looked about
and. finding all pursuit Of the fugitive
in that vicinity had been abandoned.
returned to the house, removed the
brazier, and Herobumi came out Of the
hole. He did not think Of the dust
with which lie was covered. but Nj
kama did. and. getting a wisp broom,
she brushed his clothes. Then he took
both her hands in his and said to her:
"You are but poor geisha girl. while
l am Of Il far different rank. but !
promise that you shall never regret
the act Of this day
When it was dark he slipped out of
the tea house aud found more per-
manent place of safety.
One day-it was after the Shotgun
had been permanently defeated and
the mikado securely placed upon the
throne of Japan-a jinrikisha stopped
before the tea house. Nikama was
standing at the door, and who should
she see alight from the jinrikisha but
the young man whose life she had
saved. He came up and led her ont
on to a veranda.
II have not seen you for a long
WHILE" she said. 81 feared that tie
shogunites had caught you at last"
"No; was too slippery for them
But all my inventive powers-and
there are those who esteem them con.
siderable-are as nothing compared
with yours. Had it not been for your
quick acting brain l should not now
be here
The girl. naturally pleased at his ap
probation of her act, smiled and
blushed.
II told YOU shat you would not re-
greet your act Of that terrible day.
continued the visitor. NOR shall you
l wish to make you present. will
first offer YOU that which value most
highly and which will include within
itself all can give you. Then if you
prefer Il part rather than the whole
) you n:ay ask for what you like and !
| Will give il.
"l"H H::ruk in riddles. HcroL.mi
or Father. yea speak Ike the mhi,dc
When Yea say you will give what
ask. Axe You. IL young man not yet
thirty years Old. so powerful that yor
can give me anything | ask"
Il can at least give you that which
prize most"
And that is
myself
The girl stood locking at him in as
tonishnent. NJ high caste Young ma,
in Japan was likely to marry Il gcish;
girl
II am the whole" resumed tn,
vOlinr man .'If Won don't find mo 4,