Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-02-13
DEFIED THE MIkADO
Dy JANE CRAWFORD.
MY aunt,s predictions as to my fate

KY VFANC OhSNvF
My aunt's predictions as to my fate
were dire and dreadful, if | 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 | got
1t. She mentioned it 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-
lfct, 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 fiatter-
ing than such patient waiting. 1t was
bad enough for a man to be inn
mersed in musty books studying the
manners and customs of the heathen
Japanese, but to made those manners
and customs the sole subject of con-
versation with his fiance. 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 off the match. l 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
moorfngs?
Which f1ippancy she received In
disdainful silence.
nerves and she took to her bed,
threatening to go into 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
Imet Carolyn Warrington one morn
ing strolling through the shops in
Tokyo, and after the first greetings
We're over she demanded: Aren't
| you married yet?s
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 vet, An old maid. In
| deed" I'm year younger than she
But her recurring words were like
the pricking of pin. ! wondered
what she meant by that law Some OF
| her. nonsense, of course She was al
ways a JOKER and then forgot all
about it in the bewildering display OF
| silks and curios, but when returned
| to our hotel ! found my aunt In q
! state bordering on hysteria The
cause was asHttle Japanese gentleman
who looked like toy in the conven
tional black that Americans wear
only after six o'clock in the after
noon. He was bowling and salaam:ng
and endeavoring to force upon her
| roll of parchment, which he said was
a letter. 1t was written by the yard
and looked like the laundry check fol-
the entire kingdom
Il am the Imperial Go-Between,
he explained, turning to me.
looked properly impressed Yes
Go-Between what?"
Read the letter; it will explain"
But | can't read Japanese: I'm
sorry"
''Ah, then will translate" and IL
beautiful, correct English he read {
most interesting epistle. 1t said thai
in this charming country of his tbs
affairs of the heart were managed BY
third disinterested party. called {
Nakodo, or Go-Betweens Chat when .
| lady refused the husband selected fol
her by her relatives the Emperor
| himself took hand and chose a 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 | was too rich, and fal
too beautiful to live longer without
/ husband. He said other nice things
which | am too modest to repeat. Ii
short, the Emperor. mindful of m,
many fine points had selected for my
husband his own elder brother and
was commanded to come at once tt
the Imperial Palace to be united il
marriage to this worthy gentleman
laughed heartily. What absurt
nonsense! I'm not Japanese"
1T doesn't seem at all funny tt
me-" remarked my aunt grimly 8
knew some ridiculous thing woult
/ Cruelty in Justice Courts.
4 Sir RufIlS Tsaacs Eugland'S lOr(