The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-11-09

same blood. If she had been a son, that wound in her fathers heart had been healed. Through her arm the family would have fought.
 Perhaps that. too. might be-" she said presently in low voice. Should I augustly marry one not of too exalt- ed a station, he could receive adoption into our family"
 He looked into her deeply flushing ssce. "You think of the Lieutenant Ishida Hetaro," he said. Tt is true that the go-between has already deign- ed to sit on my hard mats. He is, think, in every way worthy of our house. I would rather he were in the field, with a sword in his hand-I know not much of this Secret Service What are his present duties? Doubt less''-with a spark of mischief in his hollow, old eyes-"you are better in- formed than l."
 "He is in the household of one named Bersonin, man mountain like our Mrestlers, whose service Japan pays with a wage"
 His scanned face clouded. ITO cun- ningly watch the foreigners incom- ings and his outgoings and make au- gust report to the board of extraordi- nary information" he said, with a trace of bitterness, ito play the clod when one is all eyes and ears. Hon. orable it is, no doubt, yet to my old palate it savers too much of the actor strutting on the circular stage. But times change, and if to live we must ape the foreigners-why, we must bor- row their ways till such time-the gods grant it be soon-when we can throw them on the dust heap. And what am I to set my debased igno- rance against my princes and my em- perorw He paused moment and sighed 'Ishida is well esteemed" he continued presently. He has dwelt in America and learned its tongue, necessity, it seems, in these tOpsy turvy times. Yet as for marriage, waiting still must be. These are evil days for us, my child. From whence would come the gifts which must be sent before the bride to the husbands house? Your mother"-he paused and bowed deeply toward the golden butsu- dan in its alcove-"may she rest on the lotos terrace of Amida!-came to my poor house with a train of coolies bearing lacquer chests-silken fton, kimono as soft and flmy as mist, gowns of cloth and of cotton, cush- ions of gold and silver patternings, jew eled girdles, velvet sandals and all lovely garniture. Shall her daughter be sent to a husband with a chest of rags? No, nog'
 She leaned her dark head against his blue clad shoulder and drew the scroll from his trembling fingers.
 "I wind your words about my heart" she said. Waiting is best. Perhaps the evil times will withdraw. I have prayed to the Christian God concern ing it. But your eyes are augustly wearied. Let me read to you awhile"
 He settled himself back on the mat, his gaunt hands buried in his sleeves, and, snuffing the wick in the andon, she began to read the archaic grass writing 1t was the "Shundai Zatsu- wa" of Kyuso Moro:
 "Be not samurai through the wear ing of two swords, but day and night have care to bring no reproach on the name. When you cross your threshold and pass out through the gate go as one who shall never return again. Thus shall you be ready for every adventure. The Buddhist is for ever to remember the five command ments and the samurai the laws of chivalry.
 "All born as samurai, men and wom- en-, are taught from childhood that fidelity must never be forgotten. And woman is ever taught that this, with submission. is her chief duty. If in unexpected strait her weak heart for sakes fidelity, all her other virtues will not atone.
 "Samurai, men and women, the young and the old, regulate their conduct according to the precepts of Bushido, and samurai, without hesitation, sac rifices life and family for lord and country"
 For long time in her blue and white room Barbara lay awake, listen- ing to the incessant chorus that came on the deepening mystery of the dark the rustic of the pine needles outside her window, the kiri-kiri-kiri-kiri of a night cricket on the sill, and the waver- ing chant of a toiling coolie keeping time to the thrust of his body as he hauled his heavy cart. The shadow of twisted pine branch crossed one of the windows, and in the infltering moonlight she sould see the yellow gleam of the gold lacquer Buddha on the Sendai chest.
 She could imagine it the same image she had found as little girl in the garret and had made her pet delight. For an instant she seemed to be once more child seated on her low stool before it, her hands tight clasped, looking up into it's immobile counte- nance, half hoping, half fearing those carven lips would speak. On the wings of this sensation came childish mem ory of day when her aunt had found her thus and had thought her praying to 1t. She remembered the look of fro zen horror on her aunt's face and her own helpless modification, for she did not know hovv to ovp1oin