Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1926-03-05
is SHE
HAPPY?--THE
QUESTION
BY MICHAEL WHITE
&c BY short story Pub Coz

III not quite as other japanese,
Nl that is. you did not run up
against a mental blank wall
the moment you passed the region Of
conventional courtesy II his use Of
English acquired in Japan was per-
haps trife quaint, he made up for
this disadvantage by an evident de
sire to be pleasing. That was why
Bingham exerted special effort TO
respond to a letter Of introduction Oh
behalf Of Hiroshima. That was how
they came to be seated together at the
grand opera, waiting for the raising
of the first curtain
Hiroshima regarded the scene
through his gold-Tinmed spectacfes
with much interest. never having wit
messed a grand opera before. He
watched the filling up Of the house,
the entry Of the orchestra, then slnept
his eyes over the tiers Of boxes. and,
expressed his admiration for the ex-
quisitely gowned and bejeweled oecu-
pants What Hiroshima thought of
our deeollete custom, which would be
so terribly shocking in Japan, he kept
discreetly to himself
As matter Of fact his whole inter
est was presently conferred on a par
ticular box Among the party that
took possession of It was as charm
ing and dainty an appeal to the eye as
was to be met with in the whole house.
In contrast to her fashiOnably attired
companions. a Japanese woman's pic
turesque kimonO and rich obi was most
effective. And after her kind she was
extremely pretty
Bingham, following Hiroslhmas
gaze, also noticed the stranger. and
recognized her as the bride Of an
American who had resided in Japan
for some years. Mr. Garelock. the hus
band, stood behind his wife's chair.
and seemed proud OF the attention she
received in glasses Ieveled on her from
other boxes. She was evidently more
of novelty than the latest extrava-
gance in diamond tiaras. Then the
curtain went up on the first act.
Hiroshima was too polite to stare
continuously at the box containing his
fellow countrywoman. but Bingham is
certain he saw and heard little Of the
opera. His eyes it is true, were fixed
steadily in front, but it was as if the
present scene were lost to view. in
some far-off Renaissance of which his
impassive features failed to disclose
any significance. Toward the end Of
the last act he seemed to display more
interest in the theme Of the opera. and
at its conclusion rather surprised Bing-
ham with a pointed comment in the
form of question.
II think your opera very nice. yes.
very nice; but the lovers were-as you
say-to be happy in the end?'
Yes. 1 guess that was about how it
finished up replied Bingham.
"Ah" calculated Hiroshima renec-
lively. 1--WE wish ii should be-as YOU
say--like that finish up. But with you
is it always so in that wayT
mo, am afraid not always" re
piled Bingham.
"Ah! not so always" nodded Hiro-
shima.
To complete the evenings entertain
ment Bingham took Hiroshima over to
n fashionable restaurant. Hiroshima
was much pleased, gratifed, and i'm
pressed with the whole mise-en- scene
the artistic decorations, the flower
adorned tables, and the prevailing at
mOsphere Of sparkle and gaiety. At
least he was struggling with the Eng
fish language to express himself in
such wise, when the party from the
opera, of which the Japanese woman
was member, entered. Hiroshima at
once grew silent. He did not turn to-
ward the table occupied by the opera
party. hut looked as if he were again
distracted. In the meantime Bingham
nodded toward one or two members of
the party whom he knew. and adj
dressed his Japanese guest.
"What a delightful picture your fel.
low countrywoman makes" he said.
with genuine admiration. ''She is re.
markably pretty"
Hiroshima came out of his mental
haze with as much of a start as is pos
sible with one OF the vigorously self
controlled subjects of the mikado.
"Ah, she looks. yes yes as you
say-very pretty, That is how she
looks"
Well" ventured Bingham. detect
ing subtler meaning in Hiroshima's
words than lay upon the surface.
"Well, If she feels as happy as she
looks, guess there's not much more
TO be said"
Hiroshima methOdically removed his
spectacles and wiped them, adjusting
them again so that the focus was ex-
actly right. He was particular about
his spectacles. having. as he casually
explained, once found difficulty in
training a gun on the Russians owing
to slight imperfection in one of the
lenses That was merely an Incident