Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-09-27

ssThoY0 was man VINO lived IN CaS
city Of Takamatsu, on the island Of
ahikoku. His name was Kimaga. and
he vas much respected by all who
knew hfas. for he was painstaklngly
devoted to IL. aged and mos honor.
l.>ble parents. " trade he was . ma,
Iker NJ va.e.-.--what you call him
potte..
"One day wn,le Kimaga was walk
ing upon the road, he saw before him
On the ground letter He picked It
up. It was sealed. but he discovered
upon the outside curious writing
which he could not make out. Intact,
Eklmaga could not read at all. He
was very poorly educate.
! But Kimaga was charm by the
grace and beauty Of the writing.
Though he could not read It, It fas-
cinated his eyes. He decided to keen
dt, making no attempt to ind the right
tul owner. You must know that In
Nippon beauty IL worship by the
humblest workman.
1T happened that tho letter hao
been written by q Chinese SPY. ana
1t contained a report concerning our
Notifications. Now there is in Nip
pom very secret service. It ia not
responsible to the government. It 10
compose Of mobiles who for many and
many a generation have bound them
selves by strong oatn to do patriotic
service which the government itself
might be too embarrassed to under.
take. II they are oblige to use ex.
treme measuros ond >r> .,~o.+os ~.
cause OF what they have done they
calmly accept the punishment Of the
law without explaining their actions.
Sons OF noble houses have been exc.
cuted for assassinating secret enc
mics Of Nippon. and they have met
this fate as their oath demanded.
Members Of this secret service
knew about this letter Of the Chinese
spy. They knew, also. that it had
been lost. and before long they
learned that Kimasa had picked 1t up.
How they learned all this does not
matter. But they also knew that the
relations between Nippon and China
at the time were Of such a strain that
their government, not wishing to give
cause of war, would hesitate to pun.
fish the Chinese spy.
In the meantime Kimaga had be.
come SO enamor of the letter that
he could not bear to let It 70 out OF
his possession. When he was alone
he would feast his eyes upon the
beautiful writing. But 1t was not
long before he discovered that men
were watching him, ana he became
filed with fear. Why should he be
watched? Had he done q guilty
thing?
so greatly did the fear swell in
him that he decided to take the letter
back to the place where he had found
1t. and drop it again in the road.
But when he got to the place and
looked for a last time at the writing.
1t give him such longing to keep It
that he thrust it into his breast again
and hurried back to his shop.
THAT night a man came to see
Kimaga.
Are you Kimasa, the maker Of
vases?' he said
"Kimaga, all trembling. replied that
he was.
Then said the man, I have como
to you with high purpose. You have
a letter which does not belong to
you. Give 1t to me-
Does 1t belong to you? asked
Kimaga, his desire putting armor on
'.his fear.
"Tnat IS not to be asked replied
tho man. I am samurai For the
glory of Nippon you mus give me the
letter.
But Kimaga did not wish to LET
the letter go. How do you know that
! have it?' he said. You have not
Been it.
1T is enough that I know said
the man. Three days allow you. If
by then the letter has not been placed
ON the altar Of the war-god, in the
shrine of Samiya, then you will be "a.
sassinated'
With that the man went away.
"Kimaga was now almos' dead with
fright. For the first day he did moth.
Ing but weep. The second day he put
on mourning and set his affairs in
order. The third day he held the let.
ter In his hand for many hours and
filled his mind with the beauty Of the
writing. He could not give It up.
Rather would he die. And ct last he
placed it In q lacquer box and buried
1t deep at the foot of the largest cher.
" tree in his garden.
"I&e arose to go back into. hts
house. an his head was bowed over
with terror. You see. he felt that
many eyes were watching him from
the nearby walls, an he thought he
heard breathings and the whispers Of
strangers. What should he do nowr
He dare not advance: he dare not
stay where he was. So exceeding af-
frighted was he that he groaned
aloud. From all about him came
groans that answered his. Once more
he groaned. and once more his ears
were filed with the answers.
Then he took one step toward his
house. Nothing happened. He took
lnather step, an his knees they shook
like Thea palsy. The breathings an
seem. oh, SO much nearer
now. But he muster all his strength
ln' put ,out his foot for the third step.
i did net reach the ground before the