The Irish standard., 1914-03-21
'DEF|ED THE M|KADO
BY JANE CRAWFORD.

BY JANE CRAWFORD.
My aunt's predictions as to my fate
we're dire and dreadful. II continued
longer to defy the traditions of my
family. My prediction for girl.
bachelorhood was thorn in the
flesh of my worthy relative. who d.
clared she didn't know where l got
1t. She mentioned 1t as a disease
that had stolen upon me in spite Of
her watchful care. Again and again
she recited the matrimonial achieve
ments of my family. My mother was
a bride at seventeen. My two sisters
were debutants and brides simulta-
neously. She herself was twice re-
lict. while at twenty eight I still
roamed the earth under the name to
which was born. reminded her Of
my engagement to John, which al
ways served to divert her wrath to-
wards that most devoted and consid-
crate of lovers. She had no personal
objections to John; on the contrary,
she, in common with other designing
mothers and aunts, realized that he
was a most eligible parti, but court
ship of three years standing! Well, 1t
was not SO in her day. A more i'm.
patient wooing was far more fatter-
ing than such patient waiting. It was
bad enough for a. man to be i'm
mersed in musty books studying the
manners and customs of the heather
Japanese, but to made those manners
and customs the sole subject of con-
versation with his flance, that was
Too much!
She admitted the japanese were an
Interesting people, and John talked
we'll, but she threatened to assert her
authority as my legal guardian and
break OF the match. laughed and
so did John, knowing that she
couldn't and wouldn't. We demanded
why we should rush out upon trou-
bled sea when we were both enjoying
the calm of the harbor? Why slip
the ropes from the present pleasant
moorings?
Which flippancy she received in
disdainful silence.
My perversity finally got upon her
nerves and she took to her bed,
threatening to go into a decline, but
our good doctor persuaded her that
long sea voyage would restore
her poise and, wonder of wonders.
she selected the Oriental route, with
Japan as the objective point, and one
beautiful spring morning we landed
In the kingdom Of the Mikado, that
land of sunshine and flowers, and con-
trary customs where the little brown
people laugh when they should weep
and make merry when they mourn.
I met Carolyn Warrington one morn
ing strolling through the shops in
Tokyo, and after the first greetings
were over she demanded: aren't
you married yet?"
mot yet" responded.
Take care" she cautioned, ''the
laws are strict here regarding old
maids" at which we both laughed.
and after promising to see each other
soon and often we parted.
Married yet! An. old maid, In
deed!" I'm year younger than she.
But her recurring words were like
the pricking of q pin. l. wondered
what she meant by that law. Some of
her nonsense, Of course. She was al
ways a joker, and then l forgot all
about 1t in the bewildering display of
silks and 'curios, but when I returned
to our hotel found my aunt In a
state bordering on hysteria. The
cause was little Japanese gentleman
who looked like toy in the conven-
tionaa black that Americans wear
only after six o'clock in the after
noon. He was bowling and salaaming
and endeavoring to force upon her a
roll Of parchment, which he said was
letter. 1t was wSitten by the yard,
and looked like the laundry check for
the entire kingdom.
Il am the Imperial Go-Between, -
he explained, turning to me.
looked properly impressed. "Yesl
Go-Between what?"
Read the letter: it will explain"
"But can't read Japanese: I'm
sorry"
"Ah, then will translate" and In
beautiful, correct English he read q
most interesting epistle. It said that
in this charming country Of his the
affairs of the heart were managed by
a third disinterested party, called q
Nakodo, or Go-Between. That when I
lady refused the husband selected for
her by her relatives the Emperor
himself took hand and chose hus.
band for her. was long past the age
when the women Of Japan marry:
quite an old maid, IN fact. WINGED,
but smiled and blushed when he con.
tinued that I was too rich. and faz
too beautiful to live longer without Z
husband. He said other nice things,
which am too modest to repsat. In
short, the Emperor. mindful Of my
many dns points had selected for my
husband hia own aldAr hrnfhar ana