Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-18
BY JOHN LUTHER LONG

Great honor would It he, most august
Lord Montomori to be married to you
Nevertheless what our fathers have
spoken is mserably true. 1 could not
bear you perfect children. Therefore"
But that was quite nouRh. The father
and son protested their obligation to the
| father Of Momo-San and with low pros
trations went their way.
To the relatives the father OF Mono
San said
Little good fortune is there In female
children. Bowed low is my miserable
! head. Shnmed am | before the gods
| Counsel me what to do with her"
she must be put away" answered
several at once
out Of sight" cried several others.
Then will the gods forget her" said
wise bronze from Nagasaki.
Said an uncle from Hakodadi:
There Is n retreat on the mountain OF
Spring Snow. In the summer II is less
cold Others are there. | see them being
led down to the valley. They live long
Some, three years."
when do you return?" asked the
father
Tomorrow"
she shall go with you"
To Momo-San he said
Prepared"
II will be ready" said the girl.
Then they left her alone there, to be
forgotten OF the gods.
But you know, of course. that Vardog
was not far away. And 80, when he
very slowly and gently drew the satin
hands into his she did not tremblo and
draw away. II, indeed, she remembered
the teaching of the Young Ladies' Old
Book OF Decorum concerning bnrbRrlnns
at this moment. She let him have them.
"Aexcuse. dear Barbarian" she said, in
sobbing whispers. II have that lonesome
ness. There Is now no one but you,
Yes" whispered foolish old Vardog.
with an ecstasy he could not keep out
of his voice.
You sound lig' you glad dearest Bar
barian!" said Momo-San. with surprise.
Yes" was again all that VardoE could
trust his voice with.
Momo-San's head dropped to his shout
der
"Thass wrong?" she asked. "Hade on
you? I'm that tired"
That's right" answered VardoE.
80 YER. YER tire" sighed Mono. sud
denly letting go and rclapsing upon him
like wornout child. "Thass hard work
be outcested by aeverybody-Eods an
augustnesses"
"Did they really outcast you?" asked
Vardog, the triumph in his voice.
"Yaes."
"The-the water-sodIcr too?"
"Yaes."
Vardog laughed and closed his arms
about the lonely girl.
Even Japanese could not entirely mis-
understand this.
Dear Barbarian-you lig' liddle blIn'
acknowledgement"
"a little" almost shouted old Vardog.
II told you about that. I won't tell you
again. It's bad for you. It's Pathological.
No. won't tell you again that-1 love
you!"
He laid his lips on hers. She did not
shrink. She was even not much sur
priced. He had explained this American
custom. and had said that 1t would be
certain to happen II he ever became en-
gagged to her.
observation-disclosures is not that
you wan me-bllne--"
"Yes! shouted Vardog. disgracefully.
How that Is sweet. dear Eijinsan. But
not marry-lig' you once say--no, no. no!
Course not. Jus be good frien-mebby
woman. Thass 'nough happy"
Yes! Marry" cried vardog.
"Gods!"
And there was no more for long time.
Then Momo-San whispered:
"rhen-then, take me. dear Eijinsan.
far far away. Mebby to your own coun-
try, where Is no dizgraze-jus' loave-
happy. Now, dear Barbarian-else to-
morrow they take me to n mountain al
ways full snow, where the gods forget
mean l die-and go to the hells."
Yes" said Vardog. II came here to
find happiness. and It is flung at me!
Now I'll take you back to show Slmplng
that I've found It! Come! Do we have
to ask any ones consent?"
"All outcast me- said Momo-san.
"Yaet---"'
She went about her little shinjio touch
ing happily here and there. At last she
took from the tokonoma a doll
tpIy. a.
'Mcrican wive have doll?"
This one WILL" said Vardog.
He put 1t into her sleeve himself
Come, Eijinsan," whispered Mono San
"All my souls are yours!"
Night had fallen. The temple bells OF