Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1911-01-21
The Stone
Lantern
And How 1t United Two
families
By CLARlSSA MACKiE
Copyright By American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.
By cLARISSA MACKIE

The japanese servant moved noise
lessly about the studio, bringing order
out OF the chaos that always followed
one of his masters busy days. The
priceless oriental rugs were straight.
encd, the window drapcrics carefully
adjusted to admit the fading glory of
n reflected sunset. and Nasoli vanished
from the room at the moment Ethan
Stanley entered from the adjoining
bedchamber.
The young man surveyed the luxuri-
Gus appointments OF the studio with n
discontinued frown on his handsome
face With knitted brows he crossed
the room to the easel where his lust
picture was hidden by n curtain.
Presently he dropped the curtain and
turned to fluid the japanese standing
at attention In the doorway.
what is 1t, Nasogi?" asked Stanley.
"The telephone calls, sir replied the
man.
"Who Is it,
"Mr. Clayton, sir"
"Ah, how are you, Bob" Stanley
was saying over the wire. Certainly.
Delighted Bring the whole crowd.
was going to dine alone. but Nasogi
Is n magician and can spread feast
for n dozen. Eight-thirty. Good. BE
sure to bring your fiddle. Goodby.
"NasogI Mr.. Clayton and four friends
will dine with me tonight at $50.
There will be three ladies' in the COM
pany Can you manage it in three
hours:" He looked Mt his watch.
Most certainly. sir. 1t will be
ready at the hour. will go to the
market again Immediately" In an in
slant the japanese had bowed himself
from the room and Stanley was alone.
He flung himself into Il deep chair and
lighted n pipe.
The pagoda shape of Il stone lantern
was outlined against the twilight
space OF the window and reminded
Stanley of the gray day he had first
seen It In neglected garden beyond
the gates of Tokyo. 1t was what he
had been looking for ever since he had
come to Japan. He might have bought
Il score of stone lanterns in the orien-
tai shops of New York. but his par
ticular stone lantern must be found
by himself IN some place where II had
stood-in the garden of some home or
among the ruins of temple. These
things have associations or they could
find no place in his collection.
He remembered the day, gray with a
fine mist of rain. lie had bowled out
Of the city with his favorite rickshaw
man between the shafts. and when the
first light shower came the runner had
turned into tiny tangled garden
where small house stood deserted
among the plum trees.
As Stanley found shelter In the We
randa he spied the stone lantern near
ly ovcrgrown with some clinging vine.
"Who owns this house, he asked
quickly.
The runner named man In the
neighborhood. 1T was his daughter
who lived in the house with her nus
band They were newly married. and
they called II the abode of peace and
Joy But the husband went away 10
war. ana he never came back. The
daughter lives with her parents, an in
consolable widow. and the little house
Is Il place of sorrow"
Stanley thought over the little trag-
edy that had been briefly played out
here, and then when the rain had stop
ped lie sought the house of the owner
and found II easy To purchase the
stone lantern.
my daughter Will be glad. II
gricvcs her To see even Il distant
glimpse of her former abode. shall
tear down the house one day and turn
the place into playground. said the
ligniied old gentleman.
II was dark now and his pipe had
gone out. Stanley switched on the
elcctrics and then eXtineuished them.
lighting IN their place several softly
shaded lamps.
As he dressed for dinner he Won
dcred idly who the girl was that the
ClaytonS were bringing with them
Bob had said ii was friend of his
wife's. ana Mrs. Clayton had so many
friends II was useless TO puzzle his
head over that. The other couple were
the Testers. The Claytons AMI the
Testers We're his most intimate friends
and had been Cclia's. too. before she
and Stanley had quarrcled and sep
arated. Celia had returned 10 her par.
ents. and Stanley had gone to Japan
and lately had returned 10 occupy the
studio alone. Under the circumstances
he rather wondered at the Claytons
bringing along strange girl
Years Of travel and HI ri work had
not softened the blow of Celia's de
sertion after the bitter foolish little
disagreement He had written once,
hut she had never replied 10 II. He
tried not to think OF her In that way
alone there was peace of mind.
Exactly at $50 the elevator stopped
M his aoor and NaGoyi throw Oppn