The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-06-04

Thanks" returned Tado laconically
where do you liver asked Briscoe,
not as if he cared hang whether his
erstwhile servant lived or died.
''Tokyo, sir. Mr. Briscoe."
II may be In Japan myself next win
ter. If you will give me your address,
Tado, I'll look you up If need val
ct" remarked Briscoe patronizingly.
"Mr. Briscoe is most too kind" muir
INJURED Tado. with a smile IN his eyes.
He took from his pocket a neat white
card inscribed with a few characters
in Japanese.
Most anybody can direct the honor
able foreigner" he limited and so fad
ed from the room, only to appear at
intervals during the meal. and when
morning dawned he appeared not at
all, and Briscoe ate at his club.
The idea of a trip to Japan appealed
to Briscoe's jaded sense of enjoyment.
He had never visited the orient, and
1t was only a few months after his
Wallets departure that Ned Briscoe
found himself crossing the Pacific to
Nippon's fairy Islands.
He had been In Tokyo three weeks
and had quite exhausted all the gave
ties in the foreign quarter before he
thought of Tado Hashoiuri Then it
happened that he came across the neat
card among the folds of his wallet.
"I've missed the services Of a man."
unused Briscoe. turning the paper over
in his hands. Suppose look him up
Very likely he will be glad of a job
with me. No one could shave me like
Tado."
After a leisurely breakfast Brlscoe
called a ricksha man and gave him
Tado's card
''Take me to that place." he said,
getting into the vehicle
The man stared at the easy going
American. and an added respect came
into his voice and manner as he lifted
the shafts and started down the long
street that lifted into a hill In the dis
lance
1t was an hours ride at swift trot.
and the man between the shafts seem
ed .tireless. Ned Briscoe felt rather
bored at first, but presently the beau
ty of the suburban landscape and the
manifestations of tireless industry as
exhibited by the tiny farms scattered
everywhere and yielding produce from
every inch of soil set him to thinking
He could see that each of the peas
ants bent above his daily toll was do
ing some share In the work of the uni
verse. Soldiers drilling barracks show.
ed him where one might serve his
country. All about him were tense,
purposeful faces. He thought of the
bored reflection that had met his own
face In the mirror that morning.
Now they were passing beautiful
country estates, and over high hedges
he caught glimpses of gardens laid out
In miniature reproductions of natures
widest fancies.
Now the thought of Tado occurred
to him.
"By Jove. he must be working ont
in one Of these placesp' he thought
uneasily.
Nevertheless he said nothing, and
when his ricksha finally turned into a
gateway fanked by great stone Ian
terms he would not have been sur
prised If he had been whisked around
to the kitchen entrance.
Instead of that, the vehicle drew up
under the formal portico of a hand
some dwelling. and an obsequious
maidservant pushed back the paper
door and invited him to enter the re
ception room
Briscoe removed his shoes and thrust
his feet into the straw slippers waitin;
In the veranda and followed the ser1
ant into the reception room. Here be
waited while his card was carried to
his late cook He had hesitated about
this ceremony. He had asked for Tado
Hashojuri, and the maid had nodded
and smiled and disappeared.
Presently she appeared and beckon
ed him to an inner guest room. Here
the light was DINNER, but there was
little Tado Hashojuri standing attired
in rich robes with a queer smile on
his lips and an added dignity in his
manner. He was talking to the Amer,
lean minister, whom Briscoe knew
very well.
"Ah, my old friend, Mr.. Briscoe,"
murmured Tado in his hating English
and with fash of white teeth at the
newcomer. Welcome to Nipponr'
THANK you-much obliged. I'm
sure" stammered Briscoe, quite taken
aback by the evident prosperity of bis
late servant
If | may have one word with the
baron-you will excuse us, Mr.. Bris
coe?' asked the American minister.
and as Tado accompanied the diplomat
to the door Ned Briscoe had time to do
a little more thinking before his host
returned
well, Baron Tado," said Ned when
Hashojuri returned to the room, 1T
seems I've been putting my foot in ii
all along. Please explain"
Tado did He said he had gone to
America to study the country and its
people. Suddenly his father had died
and he had to return to Japan as the
head Of his house.
II was much anger" be said polite
~, "at some plate episodes in our ex
perience, and think maybe when you
come to Nippon might revenge my
honor, for am the son of a samurai
Mr.. Briscoe and pass not insults! But
when returned to my own country
what left behind. insults and all
seemed small and mean beside the
great questions of war and ones coun
try and life and death. So ] forget
and am your very good friendT' he
held out his hand. and Briscoe was
glad to clasp it.
Strange to relate. it was through the
man who had one time been his valet
and cook that Ned Briscoe reached 3
realization that he. too. had country
to serve in some capacity and that his
wealth had been given him to use
widely In the case of Ned Briscoe
xroc ac.ocioY, oyho1 ha no ~