Mansfield mirror., 1914-02-12
DEFIED THE M!KADO
BY JANE CRAWFORD.

Ny aunts predictions as TO my fate
were 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 de-
clared she didn't know where l got
II. She mentioned 1t as 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 | 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 flatter-
ing than such patient waiting. II was
bad enough for 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 iance, that was
loo 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 fiippancy she received in
disdainful silence
Ny 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.
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 YETI"
| Not 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
1.-THE pricking OF a pin. wondered
what she meant by that law. Some OF
her nonsense, OF course. She was al
ways joker, and then l forgot all
ABOUT II IN the oewildering display ot
silks and curios, but when / returned
to our hotel | found my aunt in q
state bordering on hysteria. The
cause was a little Japanese gentleman
VINO looked Ike toy In the conven
tonai black that Americans veal
only after six O'Clock In the after
noon. He was bowling and salaam!ng
and endeavoring to force upon her q
roil OF parchment. which he said was
a letter. 1t was written by the yard
and looked Ike the laundry check fol-
the entire Kingdom.
i am the Imperial Go-Between.
he explained. turning to me.
looked properly Impressed. Yes!
Go-between ~hatE
head the letter; 1t Will explain
But ! can't read Japanese: I'm
sorry
An, then | VIII translate and in
oeautiful. correct English he read a
most interesting epistle. 1t said that
.1.,,, ~ ,h, haar, ,yaro ,,,n., -,