Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-23
A STORY FOR SPARE MOMENTS
A PUfriofic Cn0rL
A Patriotic Spark

O.CHIQUA-SAN came up the garden path,
" path overhung with wistaria vines :.
great masses of the lovely purple blossoms
brushed her face as she passed. and well
they might. for It was a lovely face that
they touched two merry brown eyes
blinked rogulshly from II there was a re-
trousse nose and full red lips and the
rounded cheeks were flushed now prettily
As she walked she was humming some
dainty Japanese air, elusive. yet with n
vague hint of sadness. But O-Chiqua- San
was not unhappy-most decidedly not. For
did not the golden sun shine warmly down
on her. and the deep blue sky smile ten
derly. and had she not on her very prettiest
kimono. and was she not going to tea with
her very dearest friend, Yuwa Kiota? So it
was not to be wondered that the light came
and went in the soft brown eyes. and the
wild rose color flushed her cheeks And II
was no wonder that Lieutenant Yotsua,
home for the first time in eight years from
service, rubbed his eyes and looked again,
believing that 1t was just fairy vision
that came dancing toward him. As his
shadow tell across the path, 0-Chiqua- San
looked up startled and seeing the leuten-
ants gray eyes looking whimsically at her.
stammered, "Wh--what wish you. sodier?"
Then, fearing that she had been bold
turned hastily and fed down the path.
August twilight over all Japan! The
fragrance of the honeysuckles drifting
through the warm air a few faint stars
glmmering dimly in the sky. yet blue Twi-
light as 1t always Is, full of deep shadows
and redolent with faraway fragrance o.
Chiqua-San surveyed 1t all breathlessly
from the veranda of her fathers house, and
thought longingly of her school days just
ended and the dreary monotony of the life
that was to come. Her father sat there be-
side her. silent, as was his custom, and she
81. t,,,lF f11 ~E,,I 4,
features.
Just now he had told her of the man
she was to marry in a month-a man
whom she had never seen and never would
see till the wedding. Rebelous and angry,
she had demurred but there had been no
relentng; IT was her fathers right to COM
mand her thus, and to that inevitable power
she must mutely bow her head. Once she
would not have cared, but now it was diff
ferent; for had she not learned, in the
many golden days spent in her fathers
garden. to love the young lieutenant and
to dream happy thoughts of the time after
the great war should end?
O-Chiqua-San felt the bitter sobs rising
in her throat and turned in sudden anger
toward her father. Bus how could she
explain? What was there to explain? What
did her father know of that curious thing
that the English teachers had told her was
love? How could he understand. he who
always showed the greatest respect and
Difference toward her mother. but never ten
derness? Through the vague shadows a
tiny spark like a freely. glowing steadily
1t was the ieutenants cigar. and somehow
the light seemed to enter into her very
heart and comfort its weary throbbng.
Lieutenant Yotsua was going away. and
O-Chiqua-San was going too Far far away
in that foreign country of America they
could find happiness together. Let the army
..Int.x l. LAT 1,A ~1A