The Red Cloud chief., 1913-10-09

gfrlS. TerrOr-torror or what Nttu
her cold and rigid Their slances
dropped
Have you heard the story of the
ivory vase?" asked the stranger in an
ordinary tone OF voice.
mo, only that Mrs. Din found Il
after a long search in monastery
near Queiling." said Alice evenly.
And Mr. Dinham's vase came from
a nunnery In North China" said the
stranger in musing tone. Perhaps
you would like to hear the story OF
how the ivory vases came to DO
nader"
II would" said Alice.
"Will you not sit DOWN.
Thank you-no--the story cannot
be very long"
We'll. several hundred years ago
there lived In the North Of China a
very beautiful maiden who was deeply
loved by a carver OF ivory They were
to be married for, strange to relate.
their parents had chosen that they
should wed each other and so there
was nothing to cloud their happiness.
One day they quarreled-it was
about the details OF the wedding feast
or the color OF the bridegroom's robe
or something equally tritling, no doubt:
but they Quarreled and the carver in
ivory went far away, to Quei-ling In
fact. and became a monk. The girl
became a nun and entered a convent
not far from Peking.
Years passed. and during these
years both the nun and the girl re-
pented and grieved for each other
Filled with sorrow and remorse the
carved many beautiful articles that
went forth into the world and made
the monastery famous. In his spare
time he engaged upon task that oc-
cupied every moment and It took fivo
years to complete the task. He carved
the first Of the ivory vases. And In
to the carving he wrought the story
OF his love and broken romance. When
he had finished one vase he took an.
other beautiful piece Of ivory and
spent Ave years fashioning another
one exactly like It. and this second one
he wrapped in a piece Of silk upon
which he had written a poem, and he
placed 1t In box and sent 1t by q
private messenger to that far away
nunnery in the north Of China, to tell
his sweetheart that love still lived
within his heart in spite Of his retire
ment from the world
"The second vase he kept ever be
fore him In his cell and when he died
1t was held as wonderful example OF
his art and occupied for centuries an
honored place among the treasures o!
the monastery.
THE girls vase was treasured In
the same way and was known as the
nuns vase Down through the year.
these vases have come-perhaps tC
teach lesson In forgiveness-to show
that love outlives death-may trans
late the meaning OF the carving Il
your" he asked gently.
Please" whispered Alice.
She watched his fingers as the!
passed over the delicate carving OF tn,
ivory, pointing here and there as h'
; spoke:
Here are the lovers preparing TO
their marriage-see the exquisite flow
ers he is sending to her? Here ar
her parents and even the aged grand
mother and all are smiling and happy
} Next the lovers In altercation-the,
turn their backs and each 60 differ
ent way. See the woman weeps ant
; the man takes pack on his shoulde
and Journeys over mountains AM
} streams. Each Is In search OF forget
, fulness. Each one enters a house O
silence-they are so far apart. the nun
merry and the monastery. Behold thei
! anguish after the irrevocable step ha
been taken! But the man forgive
and labors to perfect the vases so q
to tell his sweetheart that lovers quar-
. rels are pitiful mistakes that can ruiz
, lives and-ah!" Raymond B0rde
stopped short
He never finished the story, 10
Alice was sobbing softly on the otf
3 sary for him to come around and TAX
I her In his arms and comfort her; 70
D what was the use OF telling her tn
+ story so like their own II he could nc
kiss away her tears and convince he
3 that It was not too late for them to b
happy?
:, The ivory vase lay neglected on tn
table, but II had served the purpose {
: its creator-to bring parted lovers Il
gether.
(Copyright, 1919. by the Mcclure New
q paper Syndicate.)
g Perfect Man.
r It appears that the theosophist