Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1915-09-28
A TRUE LITTLE STORY.
(By Louise Norton Brown

letters.
After dinner that evening, we two
being the only guests in the reading
room and both in search of the Tokyo
paper, we spoke to each other.
Itdeveloped that he was in the army,
and his regiment, the til Punjahs
had been transferred from India to
Hong Kong. He was taking his sum-
mer vacation in Japan and for two
weeks had been walking and was on
his way across the mountains to Kus-
atsu and KaruiZawa.
His admiration for the japanese
won my heart and we talked of many
things. He spent three or four days
at Ikao and every day we chatted and
walked or took some short excursions
together.
1t was possible to talk with him on
so many subjects. We discussed
books, music, painting, the technique
of writing and painting, questions of
life and conduct, military matters
and a host of other things. He was a
lieutenanU-a most enthusiastic young
soldier, and spoke of his dreams of
achieving something worth while in
his profession.
When he left to resume his tramp,
it was with genuine regret on my
part, although he made me promise
to let him know when / reached
Hong Kong later in the year, on my
way down to Manila. He wanted me
to take dinner with him, he said, the
day my ship was in the harbour.
l promised gladly, and as he STROBE
off in marching trim [ thought to
myself that of all the young fellows
| had ever met he seemed one of the
most delightful-a clean-minded boy
he was, too, l was sure, with eyes as
clear and blue as the summer skies.
A few weeks later l was in Tokyo
1t was just before the war broke out
and things were seething. New bull
letins were posted in the office of the
hotel every half hour and at intervals
one could hear the gogai boys as they
raced through the streets with
punches of jingling bells in their obi
calling the extras which both the
Japanese and English papers were
printing.
Day by day the news grew worse
and before left Tokyo for Kyoto
Belgium, France, Russia, England
Germany and Austria were all at wa
and Japan was preparing for trouble
across the Yellow Sea.
Often during these tense days
thought of young Lieutenant A anC
wondered where he was in France
Of course he would be at the front a.
| soon as he could get there, and as hi
father was General A and Sir A
| B. was his cousin, | knew that h,
could have any thing he wanted.
| even wrote few lines and sen
them to an address in France which
/ felt sure would reach him AM
begged him to write me brief DIES
cription of conditions there.
The summer drifted into autumn
and then the winter rains began
My annual flight south had to b
faced, so one stormy, blusterin
morning when the great Yasak
Maru left its moorlngs in the Kob
harbour bound for Singapore sh
took me with her on my way t
Manila.
The big boats stop at Shanghai an
Hong Kong on the way down and
was to stay over a boat in the latte
place. L regretted so much that
should not see my nice young English
man again, and wondered if he wer
still safe and we'll or lying dead Of
some Belgian battle field.
l knew that he must have lief
Hong Kong long before.
A few days later l was on my wa
with friend to Happy Valley wher
the polo grounds and golf course ar
situated. AS we took our seats il
the train l heard some one exclaim
"Well, Mrs. -! How do you do?"
| Looking around, saw, to m,
establishment, Lieutenant A a
smiling and blue eyed and charmin,
as ever.
He was on his way to play golf will
some friends who were waiting TO
him so we had only a moment il
which to talk, but he asked if h
might come in later and have tie:
with me.
How sorry | felt for him How
disappointed he must be, with hi
keen interest in military matters, t.
be stranded on that side of the WorlC
when Europe was writhing in agony
l remembered my brother who en-
listed with the Rough Riders for tn,
Cuban war and then spent the sum
mer in a dog tent ia Tampa, fairly
burning up with disappointment anC
indignation at not being sent across
into the thick of things. How vel
L had understood And how sorry !
was now for Lieutenant A.
He came in later in the afternoon
The Chinese boy brought the tray OF
tea and cakes and as we drank our
tea, my illusions were slowly and
painfully dispelled.
"Why no." he said, he was having
a jolly good time right where he was.
He liked Hong Kong and he didn't
care about going to Europe and be-
ing killed. He didn't see why he
should hesitate in saying so. He was
an only son and his father and moth
er were jolly well determined to keep
him where he was.
He had his golf clubs beside him
and looked the thoroughbred l had