Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-01-28


door.
Certainly You all know the way.
Celia" he found time to murmur as
her hand rested In his for brief In,
slant, 'this is a surprise-a pleasant
surprise"
II am glad you feel So" she breath.
ed quickly. "They urged me to come,
and gave way to the impulse" Then
] she had disappeared with the other
women. while her husband Joined the
men at the fireplace.
At table there was much curiosity
about the stone lantern. FLANDERS
has one that he picked up In the
Aomori province 1t has all sorts of
n history--battle, murder and sudden
DEATH" remarked Bob Clayton to his
host
mine has more modest history"
hesitated Stanley, his eyes meeting
Celia's across the table for an instant. \
at is more of romance, although
there is note of tragedy hidden there
in"
"Tell it," they urged In concert, al. 4
thought Celia Stanley's voice was
scarcely heard.
Nasogi, with his strange intuition of X
things as they should be, had arrang,
ed the table so that Celia sat opposite
her husband-in fact 1t was her old
place as the mistress of his household.
only 1t so happened that Nasogi had
never before seen or heard of Celia,
nor did he know that his master had
wife.
Ethan Stanley looked around the Ia.
BILE and with slight stiffening of his (
shoulders proceeded to tell his guests \
the story of the stone lantern.
"And So" he said In conclusion, his
eyes avoiding Celia's wistful gaze, "the
abode of peace and joy lies desolate.
The widow, broken hearted because
her loved one did not return from the Z
war, makes her home with her indul.
gent parents, and somewhere In Man.
churia's unfriendly solitudes there lies
the one who did not return. In the
studio yonder is the stone lantern that
lighted the garden at night when the v
plum trees were in bloom and when n
the wistaria hung in long purple clus-
ters from the trellises. The abode of 4
peace and joy has become the house
of. sad memories"
There was silence then for several Y
moments. Even Nasogi had paused n
with extended tray, his beady eyes fas-
tened on the narrator's face with I'M "A
mistakable excitement. The conversa-
ton shifted to another topic and was
for the moment forgotten. The Japa-
nese moved noiselessly to and fro, the
impressive mask of his face now and
then breaking into queer distortions "a
fbat ha In
Joy or sorrow or mingling of both.
Before they adjourned to the studio
for coffee and while they fingered at
the table the Japanese glided from the "a
room. When they entered the studio m
he was standing beside the lantern
rubbing his hand on the stone in
manner which in any other person "a
might have been construed as ges.
ture of tenderness.
"Excusen he said efficiently as he n
passed from the room. Stanley saw IN
his face and followed him into the
dining room.
"What is the matter, NasogiT he !.
asked quickly. "Have confidence. Re- ii
member am your friend. Are you in
trouble?" I'LL
A look of proud reserve froze the NJ
emotion from the mans face; then, III
with Stanley's encouraging smile, tears IA
came into the onyx eyes, and his head NJ
bowed humbly.
Master. the story of the abode of #
peace and joy! A soldier returned
from the wars to claim his beloved IA
wife. Ere he reached home he was u
confronted with the story that she be- 81
lieved him dead and had married an e'
other, and rather than disturb his hap 81
piness and because he was jealous that Il,
she had cared so little for his memory ~
the soldier turned back and went to IN
the new country that in another land I'D
he might become wise and great and XII
learn to live without the love of wom- M
an. And the place he came to was ~
a great city, and after a few years is1
had passed he served a new master, *.
one who brought into his studio the GU
very stone lantern that had once stood PSI
in the soldiers garden in PARKWAY ia III
pan. The soldier recognized it imme- n
diately, but he did not understand I'M
til he heard his masters story" t01
you will want to go home at once" VA
said Stanley heartily. "Get your MI
things together, Nasogi, and start to- IA
might. SOIlc W iut 1OI huouey ptIorc ~
you go.' III
"When my work is DONE" said the ls.
man gratefully as he began to clear '
the table. At
"And the lantern, Nasogi-you will
want to restore that to the abode Of
peace and joy?" ,
Excuse" said the Japanese softly. PHI
IF my honorable master win keep II
rs recollection Of much happiness
ne conferred upon a foolish servant II
will cause me gratitude. My garden ars
will have joy and peace even If II
acks the lantern" he said happily. 1
mine will have the lantern, while Acl
It lacks joy and peace" said Stanley StYc
'ather bitterly, X
But Celia's hand was thrust through NJ
lis arm, and her soft cheek rubbed
against his shoulder fa*
Cannot we have joy and peace and 4, 4
he lantern, too dearw she whispered. ft''t
i am so sorry, Ethan i wonder If t
nav NOT stay with YOU I have never .xtS