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CANADA

NATIONAL LIBRARY
BIBLIOTHEQUE NATIONALE

"> ' \1 M II Ai K(.- - Ml |;kll \ III I. \rll . 1 I 111 k

A JAPANESE
BLOSSOM

ONOTO WATANNA

ILLUSTRATED BY

L. W. ZIEGLER

NEW YORK AND LONDON
HARPER & BROTHERS
PUBLISHERS M-C-M-V-I

1 38 7 J 7

.4,'/ r,i:hls rtscrrrd.

I'ublibhed October, 1906.

TO
MY CHILDREN

ILLUSTRATIONS

"they called across merrily to

EACH OTHER" Frcn„spu'c.

"MARION SAT ON A GIGANTIC MOSS-

GRtWN ROCK, LOOKING ... AT

THE CHILDREN IN THE FAMILY

PO^fD"- Facing p. 52

"the LITTLE WAITRESS BROUGHT

HER SAMISEN, AND . . . BEGAN

TO PLAY AND SING " . ... " 170

"he SEIZED HER HAND SUDDENLY

IN HIS OWN AND FELL ON HIS

KNEES BEFORE HER" ... '* 226

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

THE children sat in a little semi-
circle about their gramlmother,
listening intently as she reaJ to them
the last letter from their father in
America. Ever since they could re-
member, his business as a tea mer-
chant had taken him away from
Japan on long visits to the foreign
countries. His latest absence had
continued for three years now, and
little Juji— bom a short time after
his departure— had never seen him.
As the grandmother finished the let-
ter, the children instinctively looked

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

first of all at Juji, sitting there in
placid indifference, stolidly sucking
his thumb. Juji had ceased to be
the baby of the Kurukawa family.
Afar off in America a new, strange
baby had been bom, and had taken
the place of Juji, just us its moth-
er one year before had taken the
place of Juji's mother, who was
dead.

When the old grandmother, with
whom they made their home, had
gently broken the news to the chil-
dren that their father had taken
a new wife from the daughters of
America, she had impressed upon
them the seriousness of their duty
to their new parent. They must
love her as a mother, rcA^ere her as
their father's wife, remember her
with their father in their prayers,
and endeavor to learn those things
which would be pleasing to her.

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

Gozo, who was the eldest of the
children— he was seventeen years of
age— set his little brothers and sisters
a bad exiimple. He grew red with
anger, allowing himself to be so over-
come by his feelings that for a mo-
ment he could not speak. Finally,
he snapped his fingers and said, as
his eyes blazed:

"Very well. So my father has
put a barbarian in my mother's
place. I cannot respect him. There-
fore I cannot further obey him. /
shall leave his ^ouse at once!"

At these r ationary words, his
old grandfati. • commanded him
sternly to keep his place while he
taught him a lesson.

"To whom," asked the old man,
"do you owe your existence, and
therefore your first duty in life?"

The hot-headed boy, who for a
nimiber of years had had neither
3

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

father nor mother to guide him,
answered, immediately:

"To the Emperor I owe my exist-
ence and duty, sir. He comes even
before my father. Therefore, in leav-
ing my father's house to enter the
service of Ten-shi-sama [the Mikado]
I am but doing my highest duty."

The grandfather looked at the
flushed face of the young boy.

"You will enlist.?"

"Yes, sir."

"You are too young, my boy."

"I can pass for much older," said
Gozo, proudly.

"You are but seventeen," said his
grandfather, quietly.

The boy's heart heaved.

"Life would be unbearable here,"
said he, " with such a change in the
family."

"Do not use such expressions be-
fore your young brothers and sisters,"
4

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

saifl the grandfather, sternly. "You
alnK)st make mc think you arc un-
fit to be an elder brother."

At this Gozo winced and became
pale. He had always been proud of
his position as the young master of
the family.

Then his grandmother spoke, and
her words reached the heart of the
boy.

"Be not rash, my Gozo. Our
dearest daughter, your mother, would
have been the first to urge you to
filial thought for your father."

"Grandmother," cried the boy, "I
can't bear—" He flung his hand
across his eyes as though to hide the
tears. Now all the children began
to weep in sympathy with their big
brother. Miss Summer, the daugh-
ter of their father's friend, set up
a great wail, declaring between her
sobs that never, never, never could
5

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

she be induced to wash the feet or
be the slave of a barbarian woman.
For Summer, though but twelve
yea-s old, was some day to marry
(}ozo— so their fathers had said—
and in Japan a daughter-in-law is
under the command of the mother-
in-law.

By patience and reasoning, the
grandparents at last exacted from
Gozo a promise that he would not
leave home until his step -mother
came to Japan. It was possible she
might never come. Gozo, the prond
and stubborn, sullenly gave the prom-
ise. During the months that fol-
lowed, however, he seemed greatly
changed in disposition. He became
studious, quiet, given to gloomy
moods, when he would lock himself
up m his room and brood over what
he considered the wrong and insult
done to his mother's memory. He
6

A JAPANKSE BLOSSOM

would have found it hard enough to
hear if his father had married a
Japanese woman, but the thought of
an American mother overwhelmed
him with dismay. He pictured to
his young mind her influence upon
his sisters Plum Blossom and Iris,
t\velve and eight years old respec-
tively; in boyish indignation he saw
her punishing his little ten-year-old
brother Taro, who could not keep
his face and hands clean nor keep
his clothes whole. One night Gozo
dreamed he saw his step -mother in
the guise of a hated fox-woman sound-
ly switching with a bamboo stick his
little, fat, baby brother Juji. When
he awoke in the middle of the night
to find it only a dream, he got up
from his couch, and, going to where
Juji slept, carried him to his own
bed. He held the little, warm body
closely in his arms. Juji slept on,
7

A JAPANESE liLOSSOM

and snuggled down comfortably in his
brother's arms for the rest of the night.
It was the following morning that
the letter had come from America
telling of the birth of the new baby.
As if this news were not bad enough,
the father, unconscious of the resent-
ment he had awakened, announced
his intention of returning at once to
Japan with his wife, the jw baby,
and his two young stcp-childrcn, for
he had married a young American
widow.

The children's faces wore a fright-
ened expression as the grandmother
read the letter aloud. Little Plum
Blossom glanced stealthily at her
brother; then suddenly, to the sur-
prise of them all, she spoke up:

"Well," said she, "Daikoku [god
of fortune] is good. He has given us
another sister. / shall make him a
great offering this year."
8

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

Iris, who was a ere echo of her
sister, ventured a little sing-song as-
sent.

"I shall make a big offering, too."

Taro grinned apj^rehensively in
the direction of his moody brother;
then said, defiantly:

" As for me, / shall beat every sin-
gle day of the honorable year that
barbarian step - brother " ; for there
was a little step-brother of the same
age as Taro, and the latter, boylike,
longed to try his powers upon him.

Gozo ground his teeth together.

"The gods only know," said he,
"what you poor little ones will do.
As for me, f shall not be here to bow
to the barbarian. My time has come.
The Emperor needs me."

"Oh, please don't leave us. broth-
er," said Iris, resting her face on his
hand; "I shall die of fear if you are
not here to help us defy her."
9

A JAl'ANIiSE BLOSSOM

"Childivn, hush!" cried the old
grandmother. " Never did I dream
I should hi\ir such words from my
cliildreu. Ah, had my beloved
dauj^hter lived, you little ones would
have had more filial principles."

"It is not right to distress grand-
mother," said Plum Blossom, "and
it is very wrong to sjjeak: evil of one
we do not even know. I, for one, am
going to— to — l"\-e the foreign devil!"

"So am I," sciiDcd Iris, still caress-
ing Gozo's hand, " b-but I shall hate
her if she drives our (iozo awav!"

Gozo patted the httle girl's head,
but said nothing.

Meanwhile, little Juji's thumb had
fallen from his mouth. For some
time he had been watching in per-
plexed wonder the expressions upon
the faces of his brothers and sisters.
He could not decide in his small
mind just what was troubling them

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

all; but troubled they surely were.
The \vee[)ing Iris had finally decided
Juji. Plainly something was wrong.
The l)aby's lower lip, unnoticed by
any one. had gradually been swelling
out. Suddenly a gasp escaped him
the next moment the room resound-
ed with his cries. When Juji cried, it
seemed as if the very house shook
Though not often given to these
tempestuous storms, he seemed fairiy
convulsed when once started upon
one. He would lie on his back on
the floor, stiffened out. First he
would hold his breath, then gasp,
then roar. Juji's crying could never
be stopped until a pail of water was
thrown in the face of the enraged
child. This time, however, he be-
came the object of intense com-
miseration. The children felt that
hr had acquired .somehow a sense of
their common calamity.
II

A JAPAMiSIi BLOSSOM

The scmiming child was alu>r-
natcly hugged and petted and fanned,
until finally, his fat little legs kick-
ing out in every direction, he was
carried from the room by Gozo.
Out in the garden, the big brother
ducked him in the family pcmd.
Kind travellers in Japan have made
the extraordinary statement that
Japanese children never cry. Cer-
tainly they could never have heard
Jujt— and there are many Jujis in
Japan, just as there are in every
country.

Juji's crying fit broke up the little
family council for that day, but he
was the only member of the family
who slept soundly that night.

The little girls cried softly together,
as they whispered under the great
padded coverlid of their bed. Taro
was quite feverish in his imaginative
battles with his step-brother.

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

As for Gozo, he sat up all night
long, gazing with melancholy eyes at
the stars, thinking himself the most
miserable being on the face of the
eanh. He, too. like Juji. needed a
httle pail of something dashed upon
him, and sot)n he was to have it!

H, dear, how I can ever boar
tliis corset!"

Plum Blossom subsided in a little,
breathless heap on the floor.

Early in the day both she and Iris
had been dressed in their best — a
plum-colored crepe kimono for little
Plum Blossom, and an iris-colored
crepe one for little Iris. Their hair
had been carefully arranged in the
pretty mode at thi^ time fashionable
for little girls in Jai)an. Flower or-
naments glistened a c ^xe sides of the
glossy coiffures. The grandmother
had regarded them with pride when
the maid brought them before Ikt,
'4

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"Certainly," said she, "your father
and mother will be proud to see you."

"And ii'C have a great surprise, too,
for her," said Iris, her bright eyes
dancing.

Plum Blossom put a plump little
hand over her sister's mouth.

"Hush! Not even grandmother
shall know yet."

Grandmother smiled knowingly.

"And now," said she, "ean you
say all the big English words— you
remember?"

"Yes. yes," cried Iris, excitedly.
At once she began to shout in her
most smg-song voice:

"How de do! Ver' glad see you
two days. Thanzs your healt' is
good. Most honorable welcome at
Japan. Pray seated be and egscuse
the most unworthy house of my
fadder."

Plum Blo.ssom was chanting her
'5

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

welcome before Iris ha«l quite fin-
ishetl.

" Mos' glad you cum. Come agin.
Huppy see you. Come agin. Liddle
girl, welcome for sister. Liddle boy,
tofx Nize bebby! Please I will
kees. So!"

She indicated the kiss l)y putting
a little, open mouth against her
sister's cheek, leaving a wet spot
behind. Iris wiped her cheek care-
fully with one of her paper handker-
chiefs; then as carefully she re-
ixnvdered the spot where her sister's
moist lips had rested.

Ever since their father had been
in America, the family had been
learnmg to speak English. Their
teacher was a missionary f)riest, and
now. at the end of three years, even
the smallest child could speak the
language, though imperfectly. In
unk-r to obtain fluency, they had
If.

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

made English the spoken language
in the family. The speeches of wel-
•:ome to the stop-mother were com-
posed by the grandmother; the chil-
dren had learned them like parrots.
Madame Sano tapped both of the
little girls on the shoulder and
carcs.sed them. Clinging to each
other's sleeves, ofT they tripped into
the other ro(jm, where was the great
".secret." The secret consisted of a
few articles of American attire, which
the little girls had induced a jinriki-
man to bring them from Tokio. All
of the money Gozo had left behind
for them as his parting gift had been
expended thus. How the boy's an-
gry heart would have stormed had
he known his little sisters had spent
his gift for such a purpose!

Plum Blossom wore a corset out-
side her kimono. Some one had told
her that this was the most imj)ortant
»7

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

article of a barbarian woman's ward-
robe, and the ti^'hter it was the bet-
ter. So the little Japanese girl had
tied herself by the corset-string to a
IH)St. By dint of hard jnilling slio
had managed to encase her plumj)
form SO tightly that she could
scarcely breathe. Iris, with hands
clad in large kid glo\es. was drawing
on a i)air of number five shoes. Her
feet were those of the a\-erage Amer-
ican child of seven or eight years.
At this juncture Miss vSummer (who
Ix'ing engaged to (.iozo wa.- always
called "Miss" l;y the little girls)
oiiened the shoji and thrust a flu.shed
and excited face between the parti-
tions. She was six months older
ch i v,-hen Aic had Vy-ailed cdoud her
determination not to wash the feet
of a barbarian mother-in-law, but
she seemed as childish and sillv as
ever as she cainr tittering into the

i ,

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

room, an enormous straw hat, from
which (lanj,'lc<l ribbons and bcdraj,'-
j^lcd ostrich-fetithers, upin her hi-ad.
The sisters gasped in admiration,
their eyes purple with envy an<l won-
der. Only in pictures had they seen
anything so jjorj^eous as that hat.

"Where did you },'et it?" in(|uired
Plum Blossom, lettinj^ the corset out
a bit by the simple method of breath-
ing hard, hence snapping thi' fragile
cord.

"Well." said Summer, confiden-
tially, " I will tell you if you will
never, never repeat it to my future
husband."
Gozo?

Summer nodded. "Gozo hates
much Otami Ichi," said SummiT,
wiLii meaning.

Plum Blossom's scorn burst the
last string of the corset. It sli])pcd
from her as she arose.
'9

MaMH

) I

A JAPAXESE BLOSSOM

"Hi," she said. "Otami Ichi! He
says ho is two years too young to ])e
a soldier. He is older than Gozo.
Did you take gifts from him/"

vSummer giggled and shrugged her
shoulders.

"Why not? His honorable father
keeps a fine foreign store in Tokio."

It was Plum Blossom's turn to
shrug. She undid her obi and tied
the corset to her with the saslv

"What do you suppose Taro has
been doing?" said Iris.

"Something bad?"

"No, not bad exactly," said Plum
Blos.som, who dislikec' her future
sister-m-law. "He has been learn-
ing jiu-jitsu."

It was Summer's turn to gasp,
thus displacing her elaborate head-
gear.

"What! A b.'djv of ten learn jiu-
jitsu?"

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"Eleven," corrected Plum Blos-
som. " His grandfather was samu-
rai. Ver' well. That grandfather's
friend teach him jiu-jitsu — a few
tricks of jiu-jitsu."

"What for? Will he, too, fight
the Rus.sians?" inquired Miss Sum-
mer, sarcastically.

"N-no," said Plum Blossom., dubi-
ously, "but he says he will fight
somebody."

"And little Juji," put in Iris, "has
a fine present for our dear mother."

"What is it?"

"A bag of peanuts!"

"That's nizc. How can I keep
this hat on. It falls off if I move."

"You must pin it on," suggested
Plum Blossom, "for so the fashion -
books say. There, take one of your
hair-pins." She adjusted the hat
back to front on Summer's head, and
fixed it firmly in place with a long

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

hair-dagger she took from the girl's
coiffure.

Summer found a seat :md began to
fan herself languidly. "My sleeves
feel very heavy to-day," said she.
"\Vhy.>"

"They are niueh weighted," de-
clared Summer; "I carry in them
live lovedetters."

"Oh! Ohdi! From our Go/.o:-
Why, has he already written to you.
Summer?"

"I'll tell you a secret," said Sum-
T"^^'", giggling. "Xo, you must not
listen, Iris. You are too young."
She whispered into Plum Blossom's
car. Suddenly the latter thrust out
her little, plump hands.

"Go away. You are not good
girl. Only my brother should write
you love-letters!"

Plaintively Summer made a gest-
ure of annovance.

A JAI'AM:;SK BLOSSOM

"I mui.t spend a lifetime with
Gozo," .said slie. "Therefore, is it
not better to have a httle fun first of
all?"

Iris eried out something in a very
jeering voiee. Summer pretended
she did not hear.

"What is that?" eried her sister,
exeitcdly.

"Oh, 1 know who wrote '■ immer's
love-letters to her."

"Who did?"

"She wrote them herself."

"I did not."

"You did."

"I did not!"

"You did, for your cousin told mc
so."

"Oh, the wicked httle fiend!"

"Young ladies," called a maid

from below. "Come, come; come

quickly. Your father is seen. The

jinrikishas! Hurry! Your honor-

lI'Anhsiv hlossom

aljk- jjjrandmothcr wishes you to be
at the door to welcome him!"

In a panic the Httle girls rushed
about the room, gathering up their
various articles. Then, grasping each
other's sleeves, they tripped down
the stairs.

Ill

WHILE Iho husband assisted the
children and nurse to ahght
from tlie jinrikishas, Mrs. Kurukawu
the second stood looking about her.

She was a little woman, possibly
thirty-five years old. Her face was
expressive, showing a somewhat shy
and timid nature. Her large, brown
eyes had a look of appeal in them as
she turned them towards her hus-
band. He smiled reassuringly and
put an affectionate hand upon her
arm. Immediately her momentary
restraint and fear left her.

"Is this the famous Plum Blossom
Avenue.?" she asked, indicating the

3 25

'■i\

ii\

I i

A JAl'ANHSE BLOSSOM

budding trees under which they now
passed, and which served as an ex-
quisite pathway throuf^h the }j;ardcn.

"This is Pkim Blossom Avenue,"
rciihed lier husband, "and as you
see, I keep my promise. You know
I eabk^d to Japan to have the plum
blossoms all in bud for us when we
should arrive."

"How good of you!" she laughed.
"Just as if you didn't know they
bloom at the end of March! But
where are the children ? You al.so
promisecl that they would be under
the trees waiting for us."

Mr Kurukawa looked a bit worried.

" It's strange," he said. " Ah, here
come my mother and father-in-law."

His first wife's father and mother
hastened down the path to meet
them.

To the delight of the little Ameri-
can children, the old man and woman
26

A JAPANKSrC BLOSSOM

favfjrcd them with the most wonder-
ful bows they hurl ever seen. In
fact, the l)()y afterwards insisted
that the old man's bald head had
literally touched his own boots.

'i'he new wife held out both her
hands with a pretty impulse.

"Oh," she said, "I have heard all
about you — how very, very good you
have been to the children."

The old couple did not quite un-
derstand what she said, but feeling
a,ssured that it was something com-
I^limentary, they began a fresh scries
of bows, repeating over and over
again one of the English words they
had learned.

"Thangs, thangs, very thangs."

Mr. Kurukawa now inquired anx-
iously for his children. He had cer-
tainly expected they would be at the
gate to meet them. The grand-
mother explained that only a mo-
27

lAI'AXKSl-. Hl-OSSO.M

I '

nu'iil lieloiv tlu' Iw'i) iHU' boys hail
Ix'i-n with hrr, and she liad sent iin-
mc(hatcly for the Httlc ij[irls. Hut
just as they came ti> {hv door thr
httlo hoys had run away in frij^'ht.
and were now shyly hiding sonic-
wherc.

"Gozo"' Wiial of iin/.it'f"

The two old ])CopU' looked at each
other. They did not know what to
say.

"Pray come into the hou.se, my
son," said Nhidame Sano. "We can
better sjjeak there."

They had been talkinj^ in Jap-
anese. Xotinj.; her husband's look
of worry, Mrs. Kiirukawa anxiously
inquired the rea.son. Without ex-
})laining, he led her into the house.
As they entered they were startled by
the strange .sound that greeted them.
It was like the sharp sigh of a wind
in an empty house. In reality it
28

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

was the panic-stricken flij,'ht from
the hallway of the children of Mr.
Kurukawa.

Grouped closely together . the four
children and Miss Summer had re-
treated to the far end of the hall,
where they awaited the advent
of the dreaded "barbarian" step-
mother, for such Gozo had made
them believe she must be. For
many months they had conjured up
in imagination pictures of their step-
mother and her children.

They had seen but one foreigner
in their town, the missionary, who
had been their teacher. Him they
had held in as much awe and fear as
they would a strange animal.

Now their father appeared in the
hall, holding by the arm what seemed
to the children a most extraordinary
looking creature, while behind them
came, hand in hand, the strangest
29

A J.\l>ANF.Sn: BLOSSOM

lookinij little hoy and jrirl, with eyes
so bijj that Plum Blossom thought
them like those of a j,'()hlin. The
face, however, which frij,'htene(i them
most was that of the Irish nurse,
who bore the baby in hiT arms. The
children jT:azed only a moment at
this outlandish }.;;roup; tlien with one
accord they fled, each in a dilferent
direction.

The stranj^ers comin,c[ from tlie
out-door sunlij^ht into the darkened
hall had barely time to see the chil-
dren ere they were gone. They had
a hazy glimpse of a patch of color at
the end of the hall, and then its sud-
den, wild dispersion. For a moment
they stood looking a!)out them in
blank astonishment. Suddenly Mr.
Kurukaw... who was ebulHent with
humor and good-nature, burst into
laughter. He laughed so hard, in-
<leed, that his wife, the children, and

A JAPANHSI-: BLOSSOM

the nurse joined him. This unu lal
mirth in the house hr()U},'ht the chil-
dren cautiously back, loo curious
and inquisitive to withstand the
novelty of the situation.

Through the pa])er walls little
fingers were cautiously thrust; little
black eyes peered at the new-comers
from behind these frail retrenchments.

When his mirth had subsided, Mr.
Kurukawa favored his wife with a
sly wink, and then quick as a flash
he pushed buck one of the shojis, dis-
closing the little figure behind it.
He lifted it up by the bow of its obi.
Something strange stuck closely to it
and invited the gaze of Mrs. Kuru-
kawa. It was the corset!

At the same time the father per-
ceived it, and, pulling it off, held it
aloft.

"Ah, ha!" he cried, "here is surely
a little flag of truce."
3'

A JAPANKSn FJLOSSOM

) '

IK' tliri-w it aside and caught the
litlU", tri'tiihliti^ Plum Blossom in his
arms. haji:^'inj,' hor tightly. Shi* hid
hiT face in his bosom. After a time
he set her down ujx)n the floor.

"This," he said, "is IMum Blos-
som. In Ameriea she would be
ealleil Roly-poly -she is so fat, and,
like her fatht-r. j^ood-natured," and
lie pinched her cheek, "(io ncnv,"
he bade her, "and ki.ss your new
mother."

Slie went obediently, but with fear
in Iicr eyes, towards Mrs. Kurukawa.
Thf latter knelt and held out both
her arms. She was eryinfj a bit, and
possibly it was the tears and the
sweet .sound of her voice that won
Plum Blossom. She tried to re-
member the speech she had learned,
Imt the only words that came to her
li])s were:

"Come a;..,mi," and this she kept
32

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

mechanically reiterating. " Come apin
— come agin — come a^in."

Here it is painful to relate that
the younji son v)f Mrs. Kurukawa
chose to make himself heard in un-
couth American slang. Hilly sjMjke
almost reflectively, as if he had
heard that "Come agin" somewhere
bef(»re. "Come agin, on agin, gone
agin, Finnegan!"said Billy, jiromjjtiy.

"Oh, Billy, hush!" said his moth-
er, reprovingly, but Plum Blossom's
face radiated. Here was a kindred
spirit, one who had repeated her own
words. 'Come agin," and then pos-
sibly finer ones.

Meanwhile, Iris, showing first a
curious little topknot, gradually pro-
jected her head, and then her whole
body through the dividing doors.
She stood in the opening greedily
watching Plum Blos.som. Half hid-
den behind her scanty little skirt,
33

• ji?*>^r^' '"^r^-^prn

I I

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

the small, fat face of Juji peered.
Though no one so far had seen him,
Juji, with the usual consciousness of
two and a half years, was alternately
showing and then hiding his face, be-
ing divided between a desire to stand
joyfully on his head, or indulge in
one of his famous roars. Iris, edg-
ing farther into the room, drew him
after her. Mrs. Kurukawa perceived
them. On the instant Juji sank to
the floor, impeding the further prog-
ress of his sister by clinging to her
legs.

"Oh, the darling little boy!" cried
the little American girl, and ran to
him to lift him up. Juji's lip began
to protrude ominously. Plum Blos-
som sprang into the breach.

"Juji! Juji!" she cried, in moth-
erly Japanese, "don't cry! Good
boy! Give nice present to — 1-lady!"

Whereupon Juji held out a grimy
34

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

little hand, from which Plum Blos-
som extracted a crumpled paper
package. She presented it to Mrs.
Kurukawa with a smiling bow.

"Peanut!" said she, in English;
"nize. For you!" She had remem-
bered the words now.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, darling."
said Mrs. Kurukawa. Wishing to show
her delight in the gift, she added :

"Come, we will all have some."

She emptied the contents into her
lap, then stared for a moment.
Gradually her astonishment changed
to laughter.

The package contained only shells.
Juji had eaten the peanuts.

Plvmi Blossom and Iris felt com-
pletely disgraced. Iris, from the
shelter of her father's arms, whither
she had gone, now flew towards the
wicked Juji.

"Oh. the bad boy!" she cried,
35

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

Juji's lip broke. One of his terrific
roars ensued. He was borne from the
room by the humiliated little girls.

"And now." said Mr. Kurukawa,
rubbing his hands and speaking in
a loud voice: "Where are mv sons?
Taro!" he called.

Promptly the boy answered. He
came literally tumbling into the hall,
which, with the panels pushed aside[
had now become a large room.

Taro's eyes evaded his father.
For some time he had been watching
intently the American boy from his
peep-hole in the paper shoji. As he
appeared at the call of his father, his
eyes were still riveted upon his hated
rival. Suddenly he made a catlike
spring in the boy's direction and
landed sprawling on Billy's chest.
For the astonished Billy, tripped un-
awares, was lying on his back. A
great flame of indignation, and yet
36

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

almost unwilling admiration, stirred
within the heart of the prize fighter
of a certain Chicago school.

Could it be possible that this little
mite of a Jap was sitting victoriously
on his chest ? He growled and moved
a bit, but Taro, wildly trying to keep
in mind the few jiu-jitsu tricks he
had lately learned, touched the boy's
arm in a sensitive place.

Billy rose like a lion shaking ofT a
troublesome cub. As Taro caught
him about the calf of his leg, Billy
reached down and took the little
Japanese boy by the waist and
coolly tucked him under his arm;
then he marched up and down, sing-
ing at the t(jp of his voice :

" Yankee Doodle came to town,
Riding on a pony —
Took a little Jappy Jap
Who was a bit too funny!"

i i'

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

Here it may be well to explain that
Billy, besides being the prize fighter of
his school, was also the class poet.

Mrs. Kurukawa rescued the little
"Jappy Jap" fr„m her big son's
hands, and gave the latter a repro\--
ing look, saying:

"Oh, Billy, is that the way to
treat your little brother.''"

"Well, mother," j^rotested Billy,
"he did get funny, now didn't he'
father?" He appealed to Mr. Kuru-
kawa, who was patting the ruffled
head of the discomfited and con-
quered jiu-jitsu student.

Taro's expression liad undergone
a change. In his little black eyes a
gleam of respect for Billy might have
been seen. Suddenly he nodded his
head significantly, and made a mo-
tion of his hand towards the garden,
signifying in boy language the in-
vitation :

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"Come outside. I'll show you
some things."

Out they wandered together, ex-
cellent friends at once.

"Sa-ay," said Taro, pausing on
the brink of his own private gar-
den brook, "you— you," he touched
Billy with a stiff little finger — "you
— Gozo!"

Billy was at a loss to understand
what " say — you — Gozo !" could
mean, but he liked the look on
Taro's face, so grinned and said:
"Me — Gozo." Taro nodded. He
had paid Billy the highest compli-
ment in his power, likening him to
the hero of the Kurukawa family,
the great, elder brother Gozo.

I i'

,>fi

MEANWHILE, in the house, Mr.
Kurukawa was inquiring ur-
gently for Gozo. Where was he?
Why was he not the first to greet his
parents? The grandparents would
not respond to his inquiries, but re-
mained silent, looking very dejected
and miserable. Their aspect alarmed
Mr. Kurukawa, who now clapped his
hands loudly. Several servants came
mnning into the room in answer to
his summons. Immediately the mas-
ter questioned them :

"Where is my son Gozo?"
But all the response he received
from the servants was a profound
40

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

silence, broken by that hissing, sigh-
ing sound peculiar to the Japanese
when moved, a drawing in of the
breath through the teeth. Mr. Kuru-
kawa recognized a boy who had been
his own body-servant, and to him he
strode, seizing the latter by the
shoulder of his kimono. But the
boy slipped from his hand to the
ground and put his head at his
master's feet. There, with his face
hidden, he answered the questions
put to him.

"Speak, my boy, where is Gozo?"

"O Excellency, young master —
sir — " he broke oflf and began to cry,
beating his head as he did so on the
floor. Mr. Kurukawa raised him
forcibly to his feet.

"What is it, Ido? Has anything
happened to our Gozo?"

He could hardly bring the words
out. The bare thought that mis-

4 41

I I
, I

A JAI'ANKSK BLOSSOM

fortuiu- hail befallen his eldest son
horrified him.

I(l() (Iriiul his face on his sleeve,
and from his new hiding-place sjwke:

" Young master, sir, gone away,
O Excellency!"

Mr. Kurukawa's grasp on the boy's
shoulder relaxed. He stepped back
and stood a moment silent, his hand
against his forehead.

"What is it. Kiyo? What is it?"
asked his wife, going to him and
throwing an arm about him.

The color came back into her
husband's face. He laughed a bit
weakly.

"I thought it possible that my
boy was--"

She held his hand tightly, her eyes
full of tears.

"Oh, I understand. I do," she
said. "But where is he?"

Her husband stepped back to the
42

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

Spot where Ido had been. Then he
saw that in almost complete silence
the servants, including Ido, had
slipped from the room.

He fancied he heard the slight
movement of their feet on the pad-
ded floor beyond the shoji. Im-
petuously and insistently he clapped
his hands again, and silently they
answered his summons. Nearly all
the servants of the Kurukavva family
had been in their service for years,
some of them having served the
grandparents. Their averted faces
alarmed Mr. Kurukawa. This time
he did not question them.

"Send Plum Blossom-san to me
at once," he said.

The little girl was brought in. With
her Iris and the consoled Juji came.

The father took the eldest girl by
the hand ; kneeling, he spoke to her
almost pleadingly.
43

I
i

A JAl'ANliSIi ULUSSOM

"Tell father all about Goxo," he
said.

Plum Blossom grew very red and
lo(jke(l towards Mrs. Kurukawa.
Then she sp<jke low in Japanese, her
hand half pointing in the direction of
her step-mother.

"She — she — send away our Gozo,"
she said.

At the mention of Gozo's name
Juji paused in his eating of a juicy
persimmon to give signs of a re-
newal of his late tear-storm. Little
Iris drew him comfortingly into her
arms, soothing him in this wise:

"There, there, Juji, don't cry!
Gozo is coming back some day. Oh,
you should laugh, Juji, because our
Gozo is so brave and fine. Think of
it! He is a soldier of the beloved
Ton-shi-sama!"

"Soldier!" cried Mr. Kurukawa,
and leaped to his feet. "My boy a
44

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

soldier!" he cried, almost staggering
forward.

"Yes, father," said Plum Blossom.
"Gozo is a g-grcat soldier now!"

Mr. Kurukawa went towards the
grandparents.

"What docs this mean? He was
left in your charge. He is only a
child — a mere boy of eighteen. How
could he enlist at such an age?"

"He passed for older,* said the
grandmother, slowly. "We did ev-
erything to prevent his going — but he
has gone."

"Ah, I see — I understand," said
Mr. Kurukawa. For a nioment his
face was lighted as a look of pride
swept across it. "The boy was in-
spired. He could not wait to come
of age. He wanted to give his young
life for his country, his Emperor. I
am proud of him. Where is he
now?"

i . :

ill

',1

A JAPAXRSK ni.OSSONf

"Thf last !imc vvc heard from him
lie was at port Arthur. That was- -
two months ago."

"Ah-h! Condescciiii to give me
his letter- "

The grandmother slowly and re-
lucUintly lo'»k it from her sleeve and
handed it t the father. Mr. Kuru-
kawa's eager hngers shook as he un-
folded the letter, a long, narrow sheet,
covered with the hold and character-
istic writing up and down the pages
of his son tiozo. As he perused it
his face grew darkly red. The sheet
rustled in his hands. When he had
finished he crushed it, and stood for
a moment in silence, anger and sor-
row combating within him.

"So." he finally sjx)kc, "it was not
honorable loyalty to the Mikado
which inspired him, but a mean emo-
tion — hatred of one he does not even
know. I expected better of my son."
46

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

lie let. thr crumiikd letter fall
from his hand. SttK)})ing, the grund-
mothiT picked it up, to place it tcn-
flerly in her sleeve. She sjxjke with
a touch of reproach in her voice:

"Kurukawa Kiyskichi," she said,
"never before have I heard your lips
speak bitterly of your eldest son.
Be not inspired to feel anger towartls
him." She glanced at Mrs. Kuru-
kawa as though she v.eri- the one
at fault. "Gozo is a good boy, has
always been so. It was not hatred,
as you say, which prompted him
to leave his own. Call it rather
a boy's feeling of resentment, that
the place of the one he had loved
dearly — his mother — should so soon
be filled — and by a bar — "

She did not finish the word. Her
son-in-law stopped her with a stern
gesture.

"Say no more, hon< liable mother-
47

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

in-law. It is enough that my son
has, without so much as referring to
me in the matter, left my house. In
his letter he speaks slanderously of
one who is good, who was ready to
love him as her very son. She is my
wife just as much as Gozo's mother
was. She is not an intruder in her
husband's house, and my son has no
right to question her place here. Of
his own free will he has left his
father's house. Very well, he shall
never return to — "

" What does it all mean ?" broke in
his wife with agitation. "Tell me
what you are saying, Kiyo. Where
isGozo?"

"/ will tell unto you," spoke the
grandmother, going towards her.
" Better, madame, that you should
know. I say not English well, but — "

"I understand you."

"Gozo — our bov — go way — mek
48

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

'■1

soldier — fight Lussians. He angry ac-
count you — therefore he be soldier — "

" Account — me ! Why, I don't un-
derstand — that is — Yes — I think I
do understand. He was opposed to
his father's marriage?"

"He love his mother," said the old
woman, and then began to trem-
ble, for Mrs. Kurukawa had hidden
her face in her hands. The grand-
mother spoke uncertain^-

' ' Pray egscuse — I sawry — ve 'y
sawry. Gozo — Gozo — bad." She
brought the word out as if it hurt
her to admit this much of her best-
loved grandchild.

"No, no," said Mrs. Kurukawa,
softly. "He is not bad. I under-
stand him. Why, it was only nat-
ural." She moved appealingly tow-
ards her husband. "Don't you
remember, Kiyo, I feared this — that
the children might not want me."
49

ii '

I '

I? I

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"And I told you," said he, quickly,
"that it was not my children you
were marrying, but myself."

"You are angry with that boy,"
she cried.

"Angrv! I will never forgive
him!"

"Oh, you don't mean that."

" We will not talk of it any longer,"
said her husband, turning away.

The boy had written :

" The barbarian female who has taken
my mother's place is a witch — a fox woman
— a devil! Otherwise how could she have
worked u])on my father's mind so soon to
forget our mother.'' I could not remain at
home and face such a woman. Better
that I should go. Here, at least, mv
bitter thoughts can do no injury. How I
long to be exposed to great danger! May-
be, if I die, my father will be sorry!"

Such unfilial, rebellious words were
unheard of from a Japanese son.

.so

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

Left to the care of his doting old
grandparents, Mr. Kurukawa saw-
clearly how much Gozo had needed
the guiding hand of a father.

MARION sat on a gigantic moss-
grown rock, looking with some-
what wistful eyes at the children in
the family pond. She envied them
their intense enjoyment. The family
pond, it should be explained, ,vas
also the family bath-tub. It was a
great pool of water, set in the heart
of the garden, a beautiful and allur-
ing spot for the children. All about
it the blossoming trees bent their
heads as if to look at their own re-
flected images in the mirror of the
water. The Kurukawas had added
to its natural beauty by placing
along its banks huge rocks of strange
52

M\l;l(iV SAT 'i\ A l.H.WIIl M( i-.,-C,|<( i\\ \ km K. liMiKINl".

.\ i ,111. liiii.nki.N IN ni: iamii.\ I'umi"

i.'

A JAl'ANliSE BLOSSOM

formation, very charming to look
at, and comfortable to sit upon.

Out over the water a sort of pleas-
ure booth was built, over which the
wistaria vines clambered and bloomed
in wild profusion. This was the dolls'
house of the little Japanese girls. In
the water were two diminutive sam-
pans and also a raft, the property of
Taro, inherited from Gozo.

The pond was a natural one. It
might have been termed a small
lake, but the family had always re-
ferred to it as "the pond," and even
had called it the "bath," for that
was its chief use. The little Kuru-
kawas dipped into it sometimes three
times a day in the summer. They
had almost literally spent their lives
in it. Even three-year-old Juji would
throw his fat little hands over his
head, and dive into the water, swim-
ming as naturally as a wild duck.
Si

A JAI'ANKSK BLOSSOM

h !(

Xow as Marion watched the shin-
injT brown bodies of her step-brothers
and sisters her eyes unconsciously
filled witli tears. Why could not
she throw aside her white starched
clothes and join them in their pleas-
ures? It was not that her mother
would not permit her; but Mar-
ion's sensitive soul had been deeply
wounded by the manner of her step-
sisters when first she had put on a
kimono, and had gone, with innocent
friendliness, to join them. At first
the little girls had regarded her with
amazement. Summer, who happen-
ed to be with them, hid her face be-
hind her fan, where she giggled and
tittered in the most provoking way
imaginable. Plum Blossom asked,
bluntly :

"Wha'sthad? Dress?"

"My kimono," faltered Marion.

" Where you git?"
54

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"Mother bouj^ht it at a Japanese
store in Chicago."

Plum Blossom shook her head dis-
approvingly, while Iris, in imitation
of Summer, began to titter also.

"Thas nod Japanese," said Plum
Blossom, severely.

Marion had moved proudly and
silently away.

"Mother," she cried, running into
her room, with crimson cheeks and
flashing eyes, "give me back my
own clothes. Oh, I never, never,
never want to wear these horrid
things again," she sobbed in her
mother's lap.

And now, a week later, Marion
still wore her white starched gown
of piqu6, and sat there on the rock,
quite alone; for Billy was one of the
happy bathers in the .shining spring-
pond. It was against him she felt
most bitter. He was her own, own
55

A JAl'ANliSli BLOSSOM

brother; yet there he was quite at
home with the enemy, even some-
times pushing the boat which held
that "nasty Miss Summer," who was
at the root of all her trouble. She
felt sure she could have been happy
with Plum Blossom and Iris had not
Summer, in some way, influenced
them against her. And as for dear,
little, fat Juji, why, she just loved
him! — even if he did scream every
time she came near him and ran
from her as fast as his little, fat,
frightened legs could carry him.
Summer had told him Marion was
a fox-girl, who would bite him if
she caught him. At first Juji had
regarded this announcement with
doubt. Full of confidence because
of the winning, smiling face of
Marion, he had even timorously gone
into her arms. Lo and behold, she
had indeed attempted to "bite"
S6

|i|i

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

him, for such the kiss had seemed to
Juji, who had never been kissed in
all his life. After that, Juji had kept
his (listimcc from the "yellow-haired
fox-girl."

There was a sudden squeal of de-
light from the pond. Something
flai,hed in the sun a moment. Then
over went the sampan in which the
three little Japanese girls were seat-
ed. Billy had tipped it over, im-
mersing the three girls, who came up
shaking their little black heads, and
swam towards the raft, upon which
they clambered.

Leading from th. booth to the
shore was a little arched bridge, part,
indeed, of the pl-asure-booth. Sus-
pended between a pole on shore and
another half-way out in the water,
was a long, delightful bamboo rest!
The gymnastic Taro would climb out
on this pole as easily as a kitten ; he
s 57

A jai'Am:si; hi.ossom

would twist and twirl about, and
end with his head han^inR over the
water atid his feet clinj^in^ to the
pole. ICach time he performed these
tricks Hilly was filled with an in-
tense ambition to tnmsport his step-
hrothi'r to America, to exhibit him
to his old school-mates.

Now the rock on which Marion sat
was close to the shore end of the
bamboo pole, and near to the little
arbor. As she sat there in sad de-
jection. Taro softly clambered up
from the water end of the bamboo
]H)le and crawled along the ridge un-
til he stood over the head of the un-
conscious girl. His body swayed,
imtil he restetl in his favorite posi-
tion and hung by his feet from the
lK)le. One quick, sharp push, and
the next moment the little girl on
the rock was plunged head-foremost
into the water below. Taro had re-
58

A JAI'ANI-Sli HLOSSOM

vciijiod tho upsetting' of his sisters
frf)ni the l)f)at by Billy. The latter
went sucKlenly white to his lips and
lyjgan swimming frantically in the
direction of his sister.

One fleeting,' glimpse of the hoy's
horrified face Taro hatl; then he un-
derstood. Marion could not swim!

On the instant he threw up his
arms and dived. Never had Billy
seen anything so quick as that
lightning dive and swift return of
Taro. He supported his step-sister
while he swam with her to the
shore. She had been hardly a min-
ute in the water; but she was fright-
ened. Her little hands and face
were blue, her teeth were chattering,
and she was shivering and crying
hysterically, although it was sultry
and warm. The first words she
spoke were:

" Billy— I— I'm all right. Pl-plcase
59

A JAl'ANKSli BLOSSOM

. i'

I (

don't fight Taro about it," for Billy
was ini5j;naciously regarding his step-
brother.

The other children were now all
about her, Plum Blossom's motherly
little face looking very concerned.
The water was dripping from the
kimonos of the three Japanese girls.
As they looked at the drenchetl
Marion a kindred feeling must have
possessed them simultaneously, for
suddenly they all laughed outright
in unison, Marion joining with them.
She was almost glad of the adventure
now, as she said:

"If I had on a kimono — I'tl — I'd
go into the water with you."

"You want kecmono?" inquired
Taro, eagerly.

"Yes." she nodded.

He 1)rought her his own.

She laughed with delight, and Iris
and Plum Blossom clapped their
60

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

hands. What fun to see the yellow-
haired one arrayed in a boy's kimono!
But Marion had disappeared with the
garment. A few minutes later she
returned clad in it, to the uproarious
delight of every one.

Taro himself wore with great pride
one of Billy's bathing-suits.

As the sampan moved down the
surface of the tiny lake, Marion con-
fided to Plum Blossom, who held one
of her hands, while Iris held the
other:

" I wanted so much to go into the
water, but — I thought you didn't
want me. Oh, dear, I feel so comfy
in this dear old loose thing," she
added.

"Tha's nize," said Plum Blossom.

"Vaery nize," agreed Iris.

Summer, sitting in the stem of the
boat, opened her paper parasol. The
sight of it sent the little girls into
6i

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

another peal of laughter. When
Billy upset the boat the parasol had
shared the fate of its owner as it was
thrust into her obi in front. The
efTect of its bath was ludicrously ap-
parent. Being of paper, it split in
several places as she opened it.
Now as she held it loftily above her
head, water of several shades of
color rolled from it to splash upon
its haughty owner, for just at this
moment Summer was endeavoring
to make an impression upon the
sisters. She had succeeded beyond
her expectations. The boat rocked
with the wild gale of their mirth.

r i

IT was the day after Marion's acci-
dent that the baby was Icxst, or,
rather, "shtolen," as the nurse-maid
put it.

Norah had taken it in its carriage
a short distance from the house. In
Chicago it had been her daily duty
to push the baby up and down the
street on which they lived. The
Kurukawas' garden was of a fair size,
but its dimensions were limited for
Norah's purpose. Moreover, the girl
was intensely homesick "tor the
soight of the face of a foine cop!"

When she had gone to America,
one of the first things she noticed
63

W '

!■;

f (

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

was that all, or nearly all, the police-
men were Irish. The idea occurred
to her that it mitjht be the same in
Japan. And so, unmindful of the
instructions of her mistress not to
leave the vicinity of the house, Norah
sallied forth, and wandered on until
she came to the main street of the
little town. The news of the pres-
ence in the street of a most ex-
traordinary looking foreign devil, a
giant in size, pushing an outlandish
jinrikisha with a pale-faced, yellow-
hair baby in it, spread like wild-
fire through the surrounding streets.
Soon a small mob of children and
a number of curious men and wom-
en were following and surrounding
Norah. Some of them ran ahead of
her, impeding the progress of the
baby - carriage. At first Norah re-
garded them with inherent good-
humor, but after a time she I>ecame
64

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

embarrassed and annoyed. A little
girl of about seven years had actually
climbed over the front of the car-
riage, and there she perched, regard-
ing the baby with great curiosity.

Norah stopped. One hand sought
her plump hip, and the other doubled
to a fist, which she shook.

"Now, you young spalpeen," said
she, "you climb down, or I'll put
you down none too gently. Off with
you, you haythen imp!"

The little girl regarded her unblink-
mgly, but the surrounding crowd
began to jabber excitedly. Norah
turned upon them.

"Shure, it's a fine lot of haythens
you be! wid nothing better to con-
sam yersilves wid than the business
of others. Off wid you all, or Oi'll
make short worruk of the boonch of
yez."

A threatening movement cleared
6S

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

'1^

i I

a space about her. Her fightinjj
blood was up. She began to lay
about her in every direction, spank-
ing a little boy on her right, pushing
along by the ear another, and cuff-
ing a giggling maiden of fifteen sum-
mers, whose tittering had for some
time irritated her. But in attacking
the children following her, Norah
made a mistake. The "haythens,"
merely curious at first, now became
aggressive. In a few minutes there
was a concerted rush in the tlirection
of the 'rish girl. She took fright at
this, and at the top of her voice
shrieked :

"Police! Police! Murdher! Hilp!"
Her cry had immediate cfTect.
Some one came running towards iier.
The crowd fell back, and indeed dis-
persed almost in silence at the ap-
proach of the little, uniformed figure
which descended upon them. He
66

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

made his way straight to Norah with
wonder. She watched the magic
effect of his coming upon the crowd,
and as he came up to her she sixjke
admiringly:

"Shure it's the Mikado himself
yer afther being, I should think,
from the grand way you're threated."

He touched her arm with a hand
of authority.

"I have the honor to arrest you,"
said he, in distinct English.

"Arrest me!" shouted the now
irate Norah. "And who in Harry
are you?"

" Police, " said the little man , shortly .

"You a policeman!" cried Norah.
"Now the saints forgive you for the
lie! Shure, I niver saw a policeman
of your sawed-oflF size before ! Where
I come from—"

But the grip upon her arm had
tightened. Indignantly Norah sought

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

'^1

ill

to withdraw, but to her astonish-
ment she could not move. The Httle,
"sawed-off " [)ohceman held her in a
tighter grip than any Irish policeman
could have done. Norah's red face
blazed.

"It's yer.silf that '11 be arrested for
the outrage." she .said, anil then be-
gan to wail aloud in most distressing
accents.

"Oh. wirrah. wirrah, wirrah! And
why did I iver lave the ould coun-
try .> And why did I iver come to
this haythen land of .savages ? Shure
it was love for the innocent babe
that—"

She stopped and turned to look for
the baby. Carriage and child were
gone !

A frightful scream escaped the lips
of the terrified girl. Then she col-
lapsed heavily in the arms of the
little "haythen" policeman.
68

VII

IT wf)ul(l he cruel to dwell upcm
the sufTcrinjis of Norah. She came
to consciousness while being carried
txxlily through the streets by half a
dozen of "the finest" in Japan. But
she retained consciousness only long
enough to give vent to another ter-
rific shriek and then faint again.
When next she came to, she was in
the "dhirty haythen doongeon," as
she termed it. There Mr. Kurukawa
found her, secured her release, and
took her home.

But the baby! It was only a little
after nine when Norah had gone forth
so bravely. By five in the afternoon
69

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

the search for the baby had not end-
ed. Everybody in the village ap-
ix>ared to have had the baby at one
time or another through the day.
The little one had been passed from
house tx) house as an object of curi-
osity. Its clothing was a marvel to
all Japanese eyes; its blue eyes were
extraordinary; its little wisps of yel-
low hair the most amazing of sights
ever seen in the little town; and its
milk-white skin positively unreal.
Japanese mothers brought their own
brown ofTspring and put them side by
side with the littl'j white baby. They
patted its little, chubby hands, and
put their fingers into its mouth. The
latter never failed to please the Kuru-
kawa baby, which immediately fell
to sucking the finger greedily. After
a time, however, as no milk was forth-
coming from the numberless fingers
thus olTered, the baby became cross.

A JAPANESE IlLOSSOM

Then nobody wanted it any longer.

Mr. and Mrs. Kurukawa and a po-
Hceman went about the town hunting
for the child. The mother was al-
most prostrated, but insisted on ac-
companying her husband. As they
turned away from each house the
mother grew paler and more fearful.
Finally the policeman suggested that
they abandon the search until the
following morning. It was getting
towards night, and the Japanese re-
tire early.

The parents would not hear of
this. They would search all night if
necessary. The policeman shrugged
his shoulders. Very well, he had
other duties. As the honorable ex-
cellencies could see for themselves,
the streets were already almost de-
serted. Indeed, there were only a
few children left yonder in the street.
The father and mother turned al-
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A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

most aimlessly towards the place
where a number of children were
playing skip rope. One little girl
after another would jump back and
forth over the swinging rope. One
girl seemed less nimble than the
others. She slipped once, and trod
on the rope often. As the Kuru-
kawas came nearer to the group
they noticed her because she seemed
humpbacked. But the hump upon
her back bobbed and moved up and
down. When she stopped skipping
and came to their side of the rope
the hump upon her back moved a
bit higher, until it rested against her
neck. It was a little baby's head!

Mrs. Kurukawa uttered a faint
cry and rushed upon the little girl,
pitifully trying to drag the baby
from her back. It was sound asleep
and seemed perfectly comfortable
and none the worse for its late ad-
72

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

if-

i^'

ventures. Mrs. Kurukawa hugged it
wildly.

"Oh, my little, little baby!" she
sobbed. It opened its sleepy blue
eyes and gooed and gurgled softly.

From this time forth the baby be-
came the centre of attraction to all
the family. Even Juji seemed to be
conscious of its enviable position.
Was it not surrounded at all times
by the little girls? Was it not
hugged and petted in a way he had
considered due only to him from his
sisters ?

He had watched with wonder the
queer little plaything ever since it
had come into the house. It was no
larger than some dolls his sisters had ;
but when it opened its mouth it
could make a noise almost as loud
as Juji himself. In fact, its noises
and its limbs and everything about
it had an absorbing interest for Juji.
6 7,3

A JAI'ANESK BLOSSOM

He began to hang about its vicinity.
Norah would discover him pressed
up close to her knee, his little, serious
slits of eyes intent upon every move-
ment of the baby.

"Bless his heart," she would say.
"Shure the little lamb lo' js his wee
brother. Then give him a nice ki.ss,"
whereupon she would put the baby's
face close to Juji. The latter would
rub his nose against the fat, soft, baby
cheek. He must have pondered over
his little step-brother, for one night
Norah was awakened by strange
little sounds in the vicinity of the
baby's bed. She reached over in the
dark, found and enclosed a little
hand in her large one. Then she
saw a little figure in bed with the
baby. Juji was sitting up and lean-
ing over the baby. In his hand was
a bottle, the end of which was
thrust into the baby's mouth!
74

■ '<

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

Norah was trx) astonished at first
to do anything but watch the child.
Then she seized him.

"Vou lamb!" said she. "If you
aren't the swatest hay then, shurc I
dtm't know who is!"
^ "Opey mouth," said little Juji. in
English, and pushed the bottle tow-
ards Norah's lips.

He had seen the nurse-maid do
this with the baby, and had heard
her say:

"Opey mouthie, lovey!"

He had found the bottle, and
while all were asleep and there was
no one to interfere with him, he had
sought to feed his baby step-brother.

VIII

MARION came flying into the
garden, her cheeks aglow, her
bright eyes dancing.

"Iris — Blossom!" she called, ex-
citedly.

She could hardly get her breath to
tell them the great news. In her
hand she waved aloft a sheet of paper.

"What ccs't?" asked Plum Blos-
som, puzzled.

"A letter," cried Marion. "Guess
who from?"

"Gozo," both answered at once,

Marion nodded.

"Right," she said, "and to me!—
>»c .'" She began dancing airily about,
76

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

waving the letter triumphantly and
then caressing it.

Iris shrieked the news across the
garden to Taro, pirouetting on his
beloved pole. He leaped down and
came running to join them.

"Why he ride unto yoii?" de-
manded Plum Blossom, enviously.

"Well, now, I'll tell you," con-
fided Marion, sweetly. "You know
ever since we've been here I've
heard nothing but Gozo, Gozo, Gozo,
from you all. Goodness! you never
speak a sentence without 'Gozo' in
it. Well, / began to think him a
real hero, and I just longed to know
him. Besides" — she lowered her
voice — "I did think he ought to be
warned about that — about Summer!"

"About Summer?" repeated Plum
Blossom, hazily.

"We kinno understan'. You spik
so fast."

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"Oh. dear, don't you sec? Why,
she's not good enou<;h for a hew —
now is she?"

"Wha's 'hero'?" asked Taro, dis-
gustedly. Had they brought him
from his favorite sport merely to
bother him with words he could not
understand.

"A hero is — is — well, he's some-
thing grand !"

Iris yawned sleepily. She had
forgotten all about the letter and
now was lying on the grass blinking
sleepily at the blue sky overhead.

"You're not listening. Iris," .said
Marion, frowning upon her and forc-
ing her to get up.

" Don't you want to hear Gozo's
letter?"

"Yes, yes — spik it," urged Plum
Blossom.

" But I didn't finish what I was
saving — explaining why he wrote me.
78

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

Don't you see, / wrote to him first.
Yes, I (lid, too, I wrote him the
longest letter, and I told him about
you all — and — and — can he read
English?"

Billy had joined the group, and he
spoke uj) now:

"Ah, sis, go on now — read his an-
swer. What's 'le say?"

"But I can't read it. See, it's in
Japanese."

"You read it, Taro."

"Me?" Taro seized the letter,
and began laboriously reading it in
Japanese.

"Well, well, what does he say?"
asked Marion, excitedly.

Plum Blossom looked over her
brother's shoulder and translated in
this wise :

"M-m-Madame, — Your letter got —
" Ycmrs truly forever,

" KURUKAWA GOZO."

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"Is that all?" inquired Marion,
blankly, her blue eyes filling with
tears.

"Postscript," shouted Taro, then
read it: "Write agin, thangs!"

Marion pouted and sat down in
deep dejection.

"Well, I won't do it, if that's the
way he answers my letters."

She took the letter and went to her
mother.

i U

ON the 15th of April the chil-
dren dressed themselves in pink-
and-white kimonos, simulating cherry
blossoms, and strolled abroad for
hanami (flower picnic). They had
been looking forward to this delight-
ful occasion for weeks. The cos-
tumes had been prepared by their
grandmother some days in advance
of the festival. Even Marion had a
little, white cr^pe kimono embroidered
with the pale pink flower, and with
the sash or obi of the same shade.
She made quite a picture, as with her
eyes dancing and shining she came
running into the garden to join her
81

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

\\\

step-sisters. The wings of the dainty
sleeves of her dress fluttererl back
and fc^rth. Her cheeks were the
color of the cherry blossom, and the
golden crown of her hair, drawn uj)
into the Japanese fashion, glistened
in the sun. Plum Blossom wore a
cre})e silk gown (jf deep pink, shad-
ing at the ends to white. The sash
was white with pale green leaves
and stalks embroidered on it. Iris,
too, was in j)ink, and the bow of her
obi was tied to imitate a cherry blos-
som. The three little girls had flow-
ers in their hair — cherry blossoms, of
course. They waited now in the
garden for their brothers and parents.
As the festival was new to Marion,
she was the most eager of the girls.

From above their heads a voice
rang out:

"Here, you, girls! get your masks
and petals ready."

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"Where are you, Hilly?" called
Marion, l(X)kiiijj everywhere about
them.

"Here — up in the tree."

He was perched in an old cherry-
tree, where with vandal hand he was
l)luckinjj the blossoms.

"O-o-oo!" exclaimed Plum Blos-
som. "You ba' boy! No can pig
flower. Tha's nod ride!"

"Why, father said we were tc fill
our sleeves — get all we could," called
down Billy.

"Yes, pig from ground," said
Plum Blossom; "never mus' pig
from tree."

"Billy, you vandal, what arc you
doing up there?"

Mr. Kurukawa had joined the chil-
dren in the garden. He, too, was in
Japanese dress.

"Why," said Billy, "you said—"

"Now, my boy, come down."
83

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

;!*i

Very promptly Billy obeyed.

Taking his step-son by the hand,
Mr. Kurukawa taught him a lesson
known to all Japanese children.

"Never pluck the flowers wanton-
ly, least of all the sacred cherry blos-
som. When you wish the flower in
your house, pluck out one branch,
one flower. See, you have filled the
front of your kimono, your s' eves,
and your obi with the blossoms!
Look at them!"

He held up the crushed branches
to view. They drooped aim. t re-
proachfully at Billy.

"But, father," he began again.
" You did tell me—"

" To gather all the cherry-blossom
petals you could. See, the ground
is thick with them."

"But they are all apart. They
have no stalks."

Mr. Kurukawa stooped and filled
84

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

his hands full of petals. He held
them a moment and then lightly
tossed them into the air.

" That is how we want them, boy.
We use them like confetti. Now fill
all your sleeves, children. Get as
many as you can, and then we'll
start."

Soon the long sleeves of their
dresses were filled with the petals,
and hung like little pillows. Mrs.
Kurukawa was the last to join the
merry party. All the children helped
her to fill her sleeves, for she, too,
wore the national kimono.

"Here are your masks, children,"
said the father. With laughing chat-
ter they fastened on the grotesque
masks and clambered into the jin-
rikishas. It was a joyful day.

They passed numbers of picnick-
ers, and exchanged showers of cherry-
blossom petals with them.
85

■'^l

A JAl'ANIiSIi BLOSSOM

They ate a delicious luncheon un-
der a tree fairly weighted down with
the heavenly flower. While they
were in the midst of their reixist,
Taro and Billy mounted into the tree
and shook it till the lunch was al-
most hidden under the petals, and
the heads of all were crowned in
cherry pink.

The petals they slipped into their
food purposely, declaring that it
added a delicious taste. Then the
children played battledore and shut-
tlecock. Later, there being a pleas-
ant wind, Mr. Kurukawa sent up a
kite. Billy was permitted to hold
the string. This was great fun, es-
pecially when Taro's kite had a race
with Billy's, and finally won. By
four in the afternoon they were all
so refreshingly tired that nobody
wanted to go home, and soon "fa-
ther" was besieged for a story.
86

A JAPAN- KSli BLOSSOM

"Make it modern, father," said
Billy, "for wc like that kind best."

"Well, let's see. What shall it be
about?"

" War," shouted Taro.

For a while there was silence, and
Mr. Kurukawa looked very grave.
He was thinking of Gozo.

"Very well." said he, after a mo-
ment's thought. "I will tell you a
true story of to-day which has to do
with a war."

"Make it very, very long, father,"
said Plum Blossom.

"And exciting," said Taro.

"With a little girl in it," said Iris.

"No, no, a liddle boy," growled

"It's about a little woman," said
Mr. Kurukawa, "and she was called
'The Widow of Sanyo.'"

THIS is the story the Japanese
father told, in English, for his
own children understood the lan-
guage better than they spoke it.

"You must know, children, that
all loyal Japanese love and reverence
Ten-shi-sama (the Mikado). No true
Japanese would hesitate to give his
life for the father of us all. That is
why our boys go to war with faces
shining like the sun. That is why
we bid them go, and do not weep be-
cause we love them. We are proud
and glad to give them for such
service."

"Father," put in little Iris very
88

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

gently, "we are glad to give our
Gozo, are we not?"

He hesitated a moment, and then
said, simply:

" Yes, my child. But this story is
not of Gozo."

It was the first time since his re-
turn that he had mentioned his son's
name, and he did it without any sign
of bitterness. His wife reached out
and sought his hand, which she held
for a moment closely.

"Go on," urged Billy. "What do
you want to interrupt for, Iris?"

She leaned against her father.
He put his arm about her.

"Ten million egscuse," said she to
Billy.

" Where does the widow come in?"
asked Billy.

"Well, she Wcis not a widow at
the beginning. She was just a very
young and very beautiful girl. But
7 89

A JAI'ANi:SI'; ULOSSOM

she had the spirit of a man. You
sec, before she came, her parents had
prayed for a son to give to the service
of Ten-shi-sama ; but they were un-
fr)rtunate. Their gods gave them
only a girl, and they never felt quite
the same to her as they would to a
boy. They were very powerful peo-
ple, and of noble ancestry, so they
did not wish their race to die out.
They prayed constantly for a son,
and all they got was one daughter.
Quite unfairly, they neglected the
girl, just as if it were her fault that
she were not born a boy. She grew
up in the great shiro (palace) all
alone, under the care of servants and
tutors. None of the relatives cared
to see her. Her mother died when
she was born, and her father, being
in the cabinet service of the I\Iika-
do, rarely .saw her. But though a
maiden, as I ha\-e said, she had the
90

A JAl'ANliSlv BLOSSOM

soul of a man, and she yearned to do
the deeds of a man and a hero.
Every morning of her life, as a little
girl, she would prostrate herself be-
fore her shrine and beseech the gods
to i)crform some miracle whereby she
might indeed become a man. But
that was a child's prayer, and of
course vain. So from childhood she
came to womanhood. Looking one
day into her mirror, she beheld the
most beautiful face she had ever
seen. Hitherto she had scorned to
loiter over her mirror. Her thoughts
were on other matters than her looks,
she told herself. But this day she
picked up her mirror on a sud-
den impulse, and the face which
looked back at her so enthralled
her that she could not put it
down.

"'Why,' said she, 'I am the most
beautiful maiden in Japan!* For
9»

A JAI'ANliSli bLOSSOM

a long time she conti.iued to look
at her face. Then she spoke again :

"'And to think,' said she, 'that no
one but my servants have ever seen
mel'"

"What did she look like?" asked
Marion.

" Well, let me see. I do not know
whether Amerieans would regard her
as the highest type of beauty, but to
the Japanese mind she would have
been considered peerless. Her hair
was so black and shiny it was like
lacquer. Sometimes when her maid
would take it down it fell to her
knees in a perfect glory of ebony.
Her eyes were of the same color, al-
most pure black, and they were very
long and poetic looking, the thick
lashes veiling them. Her brows were
perfectly formed , a slim, silky black
line above the eyes. Her nose was
thin and very delicate. Her mouth
92

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

was small, the lower lip a trifle point-
ed, curlinj^ up just the least bit at
the corners. The lips were red as
blood. The shape of her face was
oval, though her chin was delicately
pointed. And she had tiny pink
ears, as pretty as a baby's, and small,
exquisite hands."

"Kiyo," said Mrs. Kurukawa, gen-
tly, "who is this Jajxmese Venus?"
She smiled.

"The Widow of Sanyo," he re-
plied as gently. " This is as she ap-
peared when she looked at her own
image in the mirror.

"Well, it was on that very day
that Japan proclaimed war against
China, atul the country was pulsing
with fever. Haru, as her name was,
had spent many wretched hours in
her chamber. Her despair and im-
patience at being unable to serve the
Mikado and her country, was break-
93

•J

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

ing her hcrirt. What could she do,
a helpless maiden ' All the employ-
ment left to women she scorned.
She wanted to do something more
than a mere woman could accom-
plish. Her soul was the .soul of a
man, not a maiden's. All day .she
prayed, and all night, and then she
looked into her mirror and saw
that lovely face! Suddenly the face
changed, became curiou.sly illumi-
nated. A great idea had come to
her. It was this:

"The gods had given her mar-
vellous beauty. What man could
resist her? She would wed a man,
bear him children, and give them all
to the Mikado.

" That was her first thought.

"But the war would be over by
the time her children were grown —
and they might not be men !

"No, that would never do!
94

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"A better way presented itself to
her. She sprang wildly to her feet,
and wildly she clapped Iut h;in<ls,
so!"

He illustrated her action, and the
children did likewise, as they moved
nearer their father to hear, their eyes
wide with excitement.

" Her servants came running to
answer her summons. She bade
them dress her in the most beautiful
and luxurious garments. At once a
dozen maids waited on her. One
brushed her glossy hair, dress^-'^ H in
the most becoming mode, ced

long, golden daggers and pins with
sparkling stones glistening in them,
and on either side of her ears set
precious kanzashi. Another mani-
cured, perfumed, and massaged her
little hands. Still another softly
kneaded her face until the blood
sprang to the surface, and made it
')5

A JAI'ANESE DLOSSOM

mort' brauliful than any paint could
do. Thon they robed her in a rosy
gown- -one fit only for a ])rince.ss—
as perhaps slic was."

He paused here, and the impatient
children prompted him.

" Well -well?"

" What did she do then ?"

"She was carried from the hojse
and gently lifted mto a gorgeous
norimono."

"A nori mono! "cried Billy. "What's
a norimono.''"

"Why — a little — something they
used before jinrikishas."

" But did not this all happen re-
cently?" It was Marion's question.

"Yes, that's so," admitted the ro-
mancer. "Now that I think of it,
what she did was to walk down to
her gate and allow them to lift her
into the jinrikisha. That's where
the 'lifting' comes in."
96

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"Then where did she go?"

"I know," said Taro.

"Where?" queried Billy.

"She go ad temple."

"What for?"

"Pray to gods mck her man ride
away."

"Did she. father?"

" No. She drove to — " Again ho
paused.

"Where? Where?"

'To the house of the best known
r .koda in the town."

"Nakoc!a!" Even Mrs. Kurukawa
echoed the word.

"Professional match-maker."

"Oh-h— what did she want there?"
questioned Marion.

"A husband," said Mr. Kurukawa.
" Well, in she walked, and the Na-
koda, when he beheld her glorious
beauty, was overcome with the honor
of her presence in his house. Said she :
97

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

If!

" ' Honorable creature, cease to de-
grade yourself at my insignificant
feet. Pray arise.'

"He did so, humbly and apolo-
getically.

"Now, in America, a girl might
have said: 'Have you any husbands
for sale?' In Japan the girl said:
'Deign to prepare a look-at meeting
for me. I wish to m.arry.'

"Then she proceeded to explain
herself further by means of questions.

" ' Knuw you many men creatures
so depraved of mind they prefer not
to go to the war ?'

" ' I am, alas, acquainted with
many such depraved reptiles,' an-
swered the Nakoda.

'"Ah! Well, it is such a one I
would marry. Do you think I can
secure such a husband?'

" ' No man can look in the sublime
direction of your serenitv without
q8

mi'

Tyr^iB

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

immediately being willing to do any-
thing you might command,' declared
the Nakoda.

"'That is well, then,' she smiled,
graciously. 'Bring forth a man-
worm!'

"Well, a man-worm was brought
forth and he fell at her feet. The
thought of his great fortune in being
able to marry any one so beautiful
nearly drove him out of his senses.

" They were married at once, with-
out much ceremony, and she took
him home. He was like one in a
dream of heavenly bliss. Well, the
first thing she said to him as they
entered the palace was:

" ' Man, dost thou adore me ?'

" He fell on his face and kissed the
hem of her robe."

" Kiyo, I believe you're making it
all up as you go along," interposed
his wife here.

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

are coming

"Hush! Hush! We
to the thrilling part."

"What a story to tell children!"

" When does the war begin ?" asked
Billy.

"Oh, the war is going right on
now. Well, then, he fell on his face;
she graciously bent over and lifted
up MIS head, and she spoke in the
most wooing of voices :

" ' If you of a truth adore me, are
you ready to die for me ?'

" He said he wanted to live for her.
She shook her head, and said she
wanted better proof of his affection
than that. He then declared he
would do anything she asked.

" She thereupon said : ' You must
be a soldier!' At this he began to
tremble, for he was a great coward
at heart. However, she kept him in
her house for five days, teaching him
the princijilcs of bravery and valor.

lOO

1.1;

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

At the end of that time she hau so
wrought upon his feehngs that she
persuaded him to enUst. She went
in person to see him march away,
which he did quite bravely for him!
Her last words were the noble ones
Japanese women say to their men at
such a time : ' I give you to Ten-shi-
sama. Come not back to me. Glori-
ous may be your end. The blessings
of Shahra upon you.'

"He was not a good soldier; he
turned out to be a wretched one, in-
deed, and in a short time was killed.
She was free iigain to marry. Then
she chose another man-worm, and
again she sacrificed him to her Em-
peror, with the same result. He was
one of those doomed in a transport
sunk in Chinese waters. She mar-
ried again, and her third husband
was killed. Her fourth husband was
blown to atoms, and her fifth met

lOI

A JAPANliSE BLOSSOM

the fate of the first. Her sixth died
scarcely six months later, and her
seventh died of melancholia while in
Manchuria.

"Now, seven is a lucky number,
and she stopped there. She said:
'If I marry another I will have no
more luck. He will live, and I have
given seven men already to the Em-
peror. What woman of Japan has
done more? Behold, I am a widow-
seven times over.'

"That is why she is called 'The
Widow of Sanyo.'"

So the story ended.

"Is she still lieautiful?" questioned
Plum Blossom, wistfully.

"Very."

"Ugh!" said Marion. "I think
she's horrid."

Taro rolled into Billy on the grass.

"I'll be the next," said Billy.

Iris was softly crying.

I02

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"Why, what's the matter?" asked
her father.

"Oh, father," said she, "I— I'm
afraid that she was the fox-woman
who sent away our Gozo — and not —
mother!"

He embraced her.

"There, it was a foolish story."

"And told," said his wife, "in the
way an American would tell it — not
a Japanese!"

" Hm!" Mr. Kurukawa cleared his
throat. "Well, I think you'll ad-
mit I began in the most approved
Japanese stylo, but as I went on I
fell under your American influence,
and by the time I reached the end
the story was just as you might have
told it."

They gathered up their baskets

and piled them into the jinrikishas.

Juji was sound asleep on the grass.

The cherry-blossom petals had fallen

103

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

SO thickly upon him that he seemed
half buried in them. Mr. Kurukawa
bent over him tenderly. He turned
his head back towards his wife; at
once she came and knelt among the
petals by his side. His voice was
husky.

" That is how my Gozo looked as a
little boy," he said, softly.

She kissed the sleeping Juji.

1 1

IIFE would be dcliq;htful were it
^madc up entirely of flower pic-
nics. But even in the land of sun-
rise storms must come.

The little family of Kurukawa,
idling and playing in the small in-
land town, for the nonce seemed to
put behind them all thought of care.
Even the father, in the first few
weeks of his return, refused utterly
to do otherwise than enjoy what he
termed his "honeymoon" with his
wife and children. But the honey-
moon season began to wane. It was
not possible for any Japanese, how-
ever optimistic and cheerful in tem-
8 105

A JArANKSIv HLO.SSU.M

peramciit. al such a crisis in his
nation's history to l)c free from care.
Then, was not Gozo at the front?
Mr. Kurukawa might laup;h and })lay
all (lay with the children, but at
nij,dit. when, worn out, they slept
soundly and well. l;e would lie awake
thinking and worrying. At first it
was his boy Gozo who occupied his
night thoughts to the exclusion of all
else. After all, he was a true Jap-
anese at heart, for, although father-
like, he scarcely dared to think of
the possible death of his son, yet he
was glad that Gozo was serving the
Mikado. All the papers, local and
foreign, he could get he read with
avidity. Because he knew it would
give his wife pain, he read them at
night when she was asleep. After a
time the father-love was slowly push-
ed aside for a greater, deeper emo-
tion, the longing to help his country.
106

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

He was f)f samurai ancestry, and
patriotism was as natural and deep-
rooted in him as life itself. Yet he
had marrie<l a woman belonging to a
country that believed that the men
of his age did their duty best by re-
maining at home, the protectors of
the weak. So she had told him
many times. Often he had believed
himself convinced of its truth.

But reading and hearing of his
countrymen's .sacrifices, struggles,
splendid heroism and victories, a
wavering, an aching grew within him
to emulate their example and give
himself to the glorious service of his
nation.

A Japanese wife would have shared
in his confidence at this time, would
have understood his feelings and suf-
fered with him. More, she would
have been the first to urge him,
command him to leave her.
107

\ JAPAN liSIi BLOSSOM

«:!

I:!'

Mr. Kurukawa thought he undcr-
stnod c"<)m])lc'tcly 11k> character of the
American woman who was his wife.
Hence he hid from h -r his feehnjjs.

liut his wife was more sensitive
than he knew. Her hu.sban'l's evi-
dent def)ression bej^an to be noticed
by her. She sought the cause, and
attributed it to the absence of Gozo.
She, too, sutlered because she was
the innocent cause of his exile. One
nij^ht there was a moon festival in
the little town. The people gathered
in t'ne river booths and drank their
sake and tea in the moonlight. She
remarked to her husband that more
than three-quarters of the festival-
makers were women. He had turned
about with a sudden movement; then
answered in an almost hoarse voice:

"That is as it should be."

So silent and taciturn was he dur-
ing the rest of the evening that for
io8

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

her the festival was spoiled; but even
the mcxin jj[a :c not enough light to
show her teais. Restless that night,
she could not sleep, or slept so lightly
that she waked at intervals. It
must have been almost morning,
when, waking from a restless sleej),
she saw the dim light of an andon
shining through the paper shoji that
divided their chamber from an ad-
joining room; clearly outlined by the
light on the shoji was the silhouette
of her husband. His bed was empty.
She went to him quickly and pushetl
the shoji apart. Then she saw the
papers about him on all sides. He
had not time to hide them. His
stiirtled face betrayed him.

She sank down on the floor beside
him, terror in her eyes.

"Kiyo!" she cried. "Oh, Kiyo!
I understand — everything. Why did
you not tell me before?"

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

f'l

He sp)ko with (lifUculty. His
hands tronibk-d as he foldi-d up the
pajK-rs.

"It is all right. I read the news
— of the victories. What Jai)anuse
could help himself?"

"Oh, but you read it in secret;
you hide your feelings from me.
Why do you not confide in me?"

He took her hands and stroked
them very gently.

" If yt)u were a Japanese woman — "
he began, when she interrupted:

"It ought to make no ditYercnce
what I am. I am your wife. Do
not treat me as an alien — a stranger."

He drew her warmlv to him at
that.

"No, I will not," he said. "I will
tell you everything — all my thoughts.
You know, Ellen, I am of .samurai
ancestry, and as a young man I was
brought up in that seacnjl. When I

1 lO

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

became oM enough I served for a
time in tlie army. I hoM a com-
mission. Later, my father, who was
one of the most cnlij:;iitene(l of the
men of old Japan, was imbued with
the new thought. lie put aside old
traditions and pride. I was forced,
so to speak, into a commercial life.
Conditions chanjjjed for the samurai
then. We were desperately ]H)or for
a time. They looked to me to re-
deem the family fortunes. And to
do it I had to be taken from one
school of thought and put into an-
other — from samurai to tradesman.
It was a strange transformation for a
Japanese of such ancestry as mii?c.
But T learned to like the work. I
succeeded. Y(/u know of my long
sojourn in America, till I could al-
most believe that I thought as your
people think, and saw things as you
in America see them. I seemed to
1 1 1

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

i^i

be a living example of the evolution
of an Oriental mind long swayed
by Occidental environment. I called
myself American many times, as you
know. We came back here. The
war, with all it meant to Japan, and
the old patriotic feeling aroused, be-
gan a struggle with my acquired Oc-
cidental sense. Now I know that I
never can be other than what I am
by every inherent instinct— a true
Japanese' I loved you, so I feared
to tell you. You married me think-
ing possibly I was other than I am,
Japanese only by birth, but of
thought the same as you. That is
why I have not confided in you."

"But I knew it all the time," she
said. "/ never thought you other
than you were. Because you wore
our dress, it did not make you of our
country, nor did I k)ve you for that,
Kiyo. I did not require that yon

I 12

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

should become like my people. /,
as your wife, was willing to become
one of you, if you would let me."

For a long time he was silent.
Then with a sudden impulse he held
the light before her face.

"Let me see your face then," he
said, "when I tell you of my re-
solve."

"Tell me," she whispered; "I am
not afraid."

" I must give you up for one who
has a larger claim upon me — for be-
loved Ten-shi-sama!"

He saw her face whitening in the
dim. light. She tried to part her lips
to speak, but no words came. Then
she smiled, a smile so full of bravery
and love that he almost dropped the
light.

" Now I know," he said, " that you
are my own true wife — not foreign to
me, but as my wife should be."
"3

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

,1*

Then she spoke: "Yes, as a Jap-
anese wife would he. Oh, Kiyo, /
have understood them. It is not
because they do not love their hus-
bands that they do not weep and
protest when they must lose them
for a glorious cause. It is brave to
give up the lovetl ones freely, will-
ingly."

He began rapidly to discuss plans
for his going, watching her face
closely. She bore it all with that
brave cheerfulness peculiar to the
Japanese woman. Only when he
planned the disposition of his fort-
une in ease of his death, did she
protest.

" We will not anticipate the worst,
Kiyo."

" Is it not best to do so ?" he gently
interposed.

"I know it is Japanese," she said,
wistfully, "but I will always look for
114

Ii1

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

you to return. In that you can't
make me Japanese."

"A Japanese soldier never expects
to return. His wife gives him up
I'orever. But I, like you, will have
the better hope, my wife. / will
come back to you."

" It is a promise," she said, and for
the first time her eyes were full of
tears. He took her in his arms and
held her closely.

"It is a promise," he .said, solemn-
ly. He wiped the tears away from
her eyes.

"There must be no more of these,"
he said, "else how can I have the
strength to go?"

"I have shed my last tear, Kiyo,"
was her answer. "You have prom-
ised me!"

li!

■ I

XII

THE "glorious news," as Ihey
termed it, was given to the chil-
dren the following morning. Even
Juji was called to the family council,
while the nurse-maid, Norah, held
the baby in her arms.

Mr. Kurukawa talked of his going
to the front as if it were a cause to
make them happy and rejoice. His
words had the desired effect upon
the Japanese children. Taro, Plum
Blossom, and Iris were thrilled with
pride and excitement. Taro wanted
to rush out to the village at once to
proclaim to every one the great tid-
ings. His father was going to serve
Ten-shi-sama. He was going to re-
ii6

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

cruit a new regiment from their town
and vicinity. And they would all
march away, with drums beating
and the sun flag flying. His satis-
faction and excitement spread to
some extent to Billy, who began beg-
ging his step -father to let him and
Taro go, too, as "drummer-boys,"
just as the little boys in the Kipling
stories did. But Marion stole from
the room to weep. She loved her
step-father as dearly as if he were her
own father, and so in imagination she
saw him wounded, or even killed.
Her tender little heart was bruised
at the thought. The pride and ela-
tion of her step-brothers and sisters
horrified her. She could not under-
stand it. She cried out her thoughts
in her mother's arms.

"Oh, mamma, mamma, hear them
singing! Oh! — and papa may be
killed, and they are glad— glad /"
117

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

She had expected her mother at
least tn understand, and to weep
with her, l)ut to her astonishment
her mother put her gently from her
arms.

"Listen, Marion! Listen, darling,
to what they are singing! Don't you
know what it is? It is the national
hymn, Marion. Oh, my little girl,
be brave, too, with them. There is
nothing to cry about — nothing —
nothing!"

Taro bounded into the room, his
checks aflame. "My fadder goin'
ride away. Mebbe he leave to-marl-
low."

Billy's voice was heard in raised
tones outside.

"Then we can see into the chest
to-day!" he cried, excitedly.

"Yes."

Taro rushed into the hall to speak
in excited Japanese to his father.
ii8

Hi
I

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

With Ihc two boys clinging to his
arms Mr. Kurukawa came into the
room.

"There's a little ceremony I have
l^romised the boys, mother," he said.
" It was once customary for Japanese
soldiers to look at, and often wor-
ship, the swords of their ancestors
before starting for the seat of war."

"We are going to look into the an-
cestor's chest," cried Billy; "that old
brown thing in the go-down."

The "old brown thing" was
brought reverently into the room by
careful servants. At Mr. Kuruka-
wa 's quiet command complete silence
reigned before he touched it. Then
he said, in the gravest of voices:

"You children must learn to con-
trol your feeling. You exhibit too
much excitement. You, Billy, and
Taro, both of yru. evince the same
excitement over a solemn occasion
119

A JAI'ANliSE BLOSSOM

such as this, as you would over a
festival or a jjami'. Appreciate and
remember this occasion, my boys."

The boys, reproved, hunj; their
heads. Mr. Kurukavva then opencfl
the old chest. One by one he
brouj^ht forth the various articles
within it. Some of them were
mouldering with age. These he han-
dled with reverent touch. He ex-
plained to the family what each relic
was after this fashion :

"This garment, my children, was
worn exactly three hundred years
ago by your ancestor, Carsunora.
He was in the service of the Emperor.
The Shogun Lyesadc set a price upon
his head, and after repeated battles
with his clan they succeeded in sur-
rounding his fortress at Carsunora.
Here for fifty -five days they kept
a siege. His brave men preferred
death to surrender, despite the prom-

I20

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

ise of Lycsutlc. Day and nij,'ht the
assault was made upon the fortress.
Its turrets and windows were de-
molished. Starvation stared them
in the face. Still your ancestor held
out. Finally one of the enemy start-
ed a fire under the walls, and the
brave ones were driven out into the
open. Your ancestor was surround-
ed on all sides. The swords of his
enemy pierced him. See, there arc
the rents in his garments. It is said
there were over a hundred wounds
upon his body. But desperately and
valiantly he fought on, killing or
wounding all who came w ithin touch
of his sword. See it, my children,
bent and rusty, with the very stains
of the enemy's blood i)reserved upon
it! But even the most valiant of
hertx}s cannot bear up against a host
of men. With his retainers dead on
all sides, wounded by the eager

o 121

A lAPAN'F.SIv MLOSSDM

swords of a tlunisand cniomies, he
sucUlonly sij:;nificfl his intention of
committin<j; supuku.

" I-'or lu" first time in mriny hours
the enemy, nut of rcspeet, lowered
their weapons, ^'our ancestor broke
his shorter sword --here are the pieces.
Then takint,' the lon<:;er one, he thrust
it into his bowels, and ex])ired."

One bit of }:;rewsome history after
another he related to the children,
lislenini,' with awe-struck faces.

Sulxlued and very quiet the chil-
dren left the room when the "cere-
mony"" was (.)ver. Marion alone had
been unable to contain her emo-
tion, and, weeping bitterly, had been
sent from the room. Now husbanii
and wife were alone for the first time
that day.

"Does it seem strange to you," he
said, "that 1 should repeat such tales
to my children?"

122

A JAPANKSK BLOSSOM

"No," she said, steadily, "not if
they art- accustomed to such things."

"Ja|)anese children are told stories
of war from their youngest years.
That is why they seem imjxissive
when their f>wn family's gory history
is unfolded to them."

"But the little girls," she said;
"their eyes shone with as great a
zeal as Taro's."

" Yes, they are fine girls. You
have heard of their ancestry."

"And Taro?" she said.

"Taro," smilefl the father, "has a
great sorrow. He is too young yet
to emulate the deeds of his ancestors.
His little heart is almost ready to
burst with his longing."

"Will it be the same with our
baby?" she asked, earnestly.

"Would you have it so?" was his
question.

She thought a moment, and then
123

A JAI'AMOSli BLOSSOM

she sai<l: "Yos— yes, indeed. Who
WMuM not? Kven our Hilly is af-
fected."

" Billy has iiuiuired most earnestly
r)f ine whetlier when he grew up he
could be a Japanese soldier, and I
told him he would have to he a Jap-
anese citizen first. He said his father
— meaning me — was Japanese, and
he would V)e whatever he was!"

"And ;;o he will be," said she, ear-
nestly.

" But wc will wait till he is a man
to decide that," said her husband.

XIII

THE old j:;ran<lmothcr was the first
to arise on the auspicifjus nK^rn-
ing. The sun had not yet made its
appearance when she opened her
shoji and looked out at the dawning.
She dressed herself hastily, antl
then went to arouse the servants.
While the family still slept the house
was put in perfect order, and soon
breakfast was preparing. When she
had set all the maids at their tasks
the grandmother returned to the
floor above, ami entered the room
now shared jointly by Taro and
Billy. Opening the shutters she let
in the light. Then as they did not

»25

rsi '"'^

.J-r^SF-

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

Stir, sho deftly turned down their
bedclothes and drew the pillows
from beneath their heads. Taro sat
up grumbling and yawning, while
Billy turned over on his side, felt
about for the pillow, and then slept
uneasily without it. Taro, now awake,
shook Billy.

"Oh, let me sleep," complained
Billy.

"All ride," said Taro, slipping out
of bed and beginning to put on his
clothes quickly. "You kin sleep
when we marsh ofif with my f.idder.
No more Port Authur. Soon no
more Lussians!"

Billy was out of bed in a minute,
suddenly recalled to the fact of what
this day was to bring forth.

" I'll beat you dressing," said he.

Meanwhile, Madame Sano was help-
ing the little girls with their toilets.

Iris was standing patiently while
126

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

her hair was being dressed in an
elaborate mode. Plum Blossom, her
round, fat little face still flushed with
sleep, was sitting on the floor draw-
ing on a white stocking.

A maid was helping Marion. The
latter's hair was arranged in the
same fanciful mode as her step-
sister's.

"Grandmother, please let me wear
my new cherry-blossom kimono to-
day," coaxed Iris.

" You must wear your white," said
the grandmother; "all wear white to-
day. You must look your best.
Now, Plum Blossom, let O'Chika
arrange your hair."

"Please, grandmother, tie my obi.
You do it so beautifully," begged
Marion.

Smiling, Madame Sano pulled and
twisted the little girl's kimono into
correct shape, wound the sash about
127

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

her, and tied it in a huge bow be-
hind. Then she slipped a fan and
two Httle paper handkerchiefs into
the sleeves of each little girl. Now
that they were all ready, she took
occasion to give them a short lecture.

"You mus' wear sweed, smiling
face to-day, liddle gells. No more
cry."

"Oh, grandmother, how can I help
it?" asked Marion, a catch in her
voice which already betokened the
forbidden tears. "I'd better stay
home. I can't see father go away to
that awful, cruel war."

"When Gozo went away I nebber
cry one tear!" said Plum Blossom,
fervently.

" I no cry needer," said Iris; "and
when he say good-bye I laff and wave
both these ban's like this."

"She have flag in both those
ban's," explained Plum Blossom.
128

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"She have my flag also; so when I
also wave my han's I have no flag,
but jus' same — me — / laff, too."

"Oh, didn't Gozo feel bad to see
you laughing at him like that?"

"No," cried Plum Blossom, indig-
nantly. "My! how good he feel.
He hoi' himself like thisaway." She
threw out her chest in illustration.
"And when he reached corner of
street he put Juji down."

"Juji? Where was he?"

"Gozo carry him on shoulder all
way down stleet. And Taro he
too marsh ride nex' his side with
Gozo. Then when Gozo reach that
corner he put Juji down and he put-
ting his han' on his head thisaway,
and then he turn quick, and thad was
las' time we saw Gozo."

Her voice fell at the end, and her
face had now a distressed expres-
sion.

139

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"/ only cry after he gone way,"
admitted Iris.

Plum Blossom turned on her
fiercely.

" If you talk of thad cry now, you
goin' cry again, and to-day you mus'
smile, accounts our fadder marshing,
too."

Iris smothered all signs of tears.

''Mc? I cry to-day?" she said.
"Never I cry."

"Did Juji cry?" asked Marion,
curiously, mindful of the child's
talent in that direction.

" No, Juji never cry, even after
Gozo gone. Everybody cry then
'cept Juji. He forget he god brud-
der naime Gozo."

"Now all honorably go down-
stairs and sedately wait for your
august parents to descend for break-
fast."

Later the grandmother dressed lit-

i;!o

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

tie Juji, and the baby, too, for the
lazy Norah could not see the neces-
sity for such early rising, and grum-
bled at being awakened.

"Shure an' wot time is it he's
afther goin' away?" she inquired of
the grandmother.

"Your master go away at three
o'clock," said the g-.animother, qui-
etly.

"Thray o'clock! In the afther-
noon, may I arsk?"

"Certainly."

"And you get up at thray in the
morning because he laves at thray in
the afthemoon?"

The grandmother did not answer.
She was unused to such questioning
from her own servants, and found it
hard to tolerate it from the Irish
girl. But Norah persisted:

"What's the sinse of getting up
before you're awake?"
131

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

The grandmother condescended an
explanation.

"We desire to make this day a
long one, since we can't have your
master with us long."

Still grumbling, the Irish girl dress-
ed herself, and then took the baby
from the grandmother.

XIV

THE farewell breakfast was as
merry a one as they could make
it under the circumstances. To
please the father, it was served in
the ceremonious Japanese fashion
peculiar to such a time. There were
hot rice and freshly fried fish, fruit,
persimmons and oranges, and clear,
delicious tea. Everything, in fact,
there was to tempt the appetite at
this time, when the appetite might
fail them. Even Mrs. Kurukawa,
whose white face showed a night of
wakefulness, ate some of the crisp,
inviting fish, and drank the tea with
grateful relish. Mr. Kurukawa ap-
133

A JAPANESli BLOSSOM

poarcd all cheerfulness. He made
them gifts. Each of the family had
an exchange gift for him. Smiling
whimsically, he looked at the little pile.
" Do you suppose I can find room
to take them to the front with me.''"
he asked his wife, jocularly.

"Oh yes. yes," she said, earnestly,
"for I advised them all to get you
something you could use there."

"Let me see." He began going
over the heap of presents. There
were needles and thread from Plum
Blossom. Iris had bought a tiny
pair of scissors. Taro's gift was a
little drinking-cup which folded up,
a foreign novelty. Billy gave a jack-
knife, such a one as he had long
saved to buy for himself. A little
Bible was Marion's gift. The grand-
parents gave the most sensible gift-
certain clothes he would appreciate,
compactly rolled in a small bundle]
134

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

and consisting of Japanese under-
wear and sandals. He would find
them grateful after long use of the
uniform. Juji had been permitted
to choose his own gift.

"Buy something for father," said
Plum Blossom in the store. Then
Juji had pointed with a fat finger at
something bright. It proved to be
a silk handkerchief. Even Norah
and the baby had gifts for him. A
pin the Irish girl had prized much,
since it had been given her by an old
sweetheart, and which bore in twisted
letters of silver the legend, "Remem-
ber me," was the nurse's tribute.
The baby's gift Mrs. Kurukawa had
chosen — a leather folder containing
the photographs of the entire family.
Her own gift she put upon his finger,
a ring he had given her. "Bring it
back to me," she said, and he prom-
ised that he would.
^35

'« I

t .

A JAPANliSli HLOSSOM

The partinj; took place on the
threshold. It was not similar to
that of most Japanese farewells, for
Mr. Kurukawa embraced his little
girls and his wife, and they clunj;
about his neck and kissed him,
while Marion, because she could not
1- cp back her tears, rushed into the
house to hide them.

The boys, Billy, Taro, and Juji,
were allowed to f^o with him to the
train. As Gozo had done, Mr. Kuru-
kawa carried Juji on his shoulder.

The little boys waved their flags as
the train drew out, and shouted at
the top of their voices.

"Banzai! Banzai! Banzai Dai
Nippon!"

They were silent as they made

their way homeward. Even Billy,

the garrulous, found he could not

speak with such a great lump chok-

136

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

ing his throat. When they reached
the house they found all the blinds
drawn. Suspecting that the " fe-
males," as Taro called them, had re-
tired to weep in their rooms, Taro
drew Billy towards the pond.

"Let's play," said he.

Billy shook his head.

" Play fight," urged Taro. " I will
be Admiral Togo — you be the Lus-
sian admiral."

"M(? a Russian!" cried Billy,
fiercely.

"Yaes, because you loog jes'
same."

At the insult Billy became purple.
He shouted:

"I don't. Father says when I
wear your old kimono I look Japan-
ese. /'// be Togo. I'm the oldest."

Taro shook his head.

"I tell you what," said Billy.
"Juji can be the Russian. See how
137

JAPANhSI. BI.oSSoM

( ^

slpopv .-mil lazy he looks Let's just
iluck liiin in llu' water aivl wake him
up."

" I le !l cry too tiiiK'h."

"Oh, the Kussiaiis all crv ami
pray and make a ln^' iioi.sc. hut tliey
c.'in't tin ainthinp alter a Jap jjets
them. We won't reallv hurt Jujt.
He'll jjroan like a wduinied Russian,
and you can l)e a Rod I -■ -s-. Japanese
doctor and make Inm butter."

" All lide," said Taro.

So they began to play.

SUMMER, with its flowers, car-
nivals, moonlij^'hi fiHcs and haji-
(|uets, is a srasrm of unalloyrd bliss to
Japanese children. It seemed as if
all nature took a holiday, and hade
the children and the grown ff)lks,
too, come forth from their houses
and rejoice at her beauty and happi-
ness.

Never before had the Japanese held
so many celebrations. But this year
their festivals were not in honor of
the beauty of the flowers or the
},dory of the moon. They tossed
their fans, their parasols, any article,
above their heads. They marched
139

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

the streets of the towns at night
with swinging lanterns and torches in
their hands, sometimes singing and
always shouting, "Banzai! Banzai!"
Impassive faces turned ruddy with
excitement and pride. Even deH-
cate- faced ladies leaned from their
jinrikishas in the public streets and
waved the sun flags in their hands.
Never had a flower festival drawn
forth such enthusiasm and excite-
ment. On all sides people spoke the
word, breathlessly, with smiling lips:

" Victciy! Always victory for Dai
Nippon."

The Kurukawa family caught the
spirit of the country. There was not
a member of the little flock that did
not feel a personal pride in Japan's
achievements. Even Mrs. Kuruka-
wa, after the first shock of the act-
ual sense of loss had passed, re-
fused to be oppressed by her sorrow.
140

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

By this time her husband's friends in
the town were hers. She became a
member of a society which had for
its aim the succor of the town's poor
families whose wage-earners had been
given to the war. No Western wom-
en's club or society ever worked
harder than did these little Japanese
women when they took upon them-
selves the actual support of the poor
of the town. Mrs. Kurukawa found
a wonderful comfort in the work.
All the little girls assisted. Immedi-
ately after the departure of her hus-
band 1' e grandmother had come to
her with a suggestion that at first she
could not understand.

"Now that the master has gone,"
had said the old woman, "shall we
not dismiss all the servants?"

"But why?" she had inquired, as-
tonished. "We can aflford to keep
them, can we not?"
141

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

'IT*.

Madame Sano could not make her
reasons understood. For a time she
went about the house very gloomy
and unhappy, shaking her okl head
as the servants waited upon their
mistress and the children. She her-
self refused to be waited upon. Her
own meals she cooked herself. It
was shortly after she had become a
member of the Aid Society that Mrs.
Kurukawa learned from another
member that most of the war families
had dismissed their servants, or kept
at most but one scullery maid. The
little Japanese lady told her at the
same time that none of them had
bought new clothes since the begin-
ning of the war, and that some of
them had refused fire, food, and lux-
uries. The reason was this. Their
husbands, sons, fathers, and brothers
were suffering hardship and peril. It
would be unseemly for them to live
142

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

in luxury. Since they could not
share that hardship at the front with
their men they would deny them-
selves at home.

"But what of the servants?" Mrs.
Kurukawa had asked. "They would
be without employment."

The answer was prompt. "The
men - servants belong to the war
service. Some of the women receive
reduced wages. The money saved is
devoted to charity. The servants
themselves understand that they, too,
must make sacrifices. Some of them
are sent by their mistresses to the
homes of the poor and the sick, there
to work."

When she returned home Mrs.
Kurukawa called the family together
to tell them of her resolve. They
would keep but one maid -servant
and Norah, the nurse. The maid-
servant would do the cooking and
M3

h^l

A JAPANESE RLOSSOM

the scullery work. Marion, Plum
Blossom, and Iris were to do all the
chamber work and keep the second
floor clean and sweet. Madame Sane
would do the sewing. The boys
must take care of the garden and
draw the water. Mrs. Kurukawa
would see to the rest of the house.
As the average Japanese family of
similar circumstances kept a great
many sers'ants — in fact, any num-
ber of "assistants," cook's assistant,
scullery assistant, etc. — the Kuru-
kawas had in all fourteen, including
the men who worked in the garden
and the rice-fields. Of these, one old
man's services were retained. The
younger men were advised to enlist
if they could. If not, they would re-
ceive reduced wages and be employed
in caring for the poor. So the work
previously done by the servants was
now done cheerfully and happily
144

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

by the members of the Kurukawa
family.

No chamber-maid ever cleaned a
sleeping-chamber with more pleasure
than did the little girls. Their hair
wrapped about in white linen, their
sleeves rolled up, they made the
bamboo brooms fly across the floor.

" If one liddle bit of dust be in cor-
ner even," said Plum Blossom, "I
shall die of shame."

That was the spirit of all.

They who had never known what
it was to wash their own bright faces,
now joyfully did all such services for
themselves and for one another. They
were always so busy that they found
no time for sadness. They arose
with the sun to busy themselves in
the house throughout the mornings.
The afternoon was given to more
pleasurable work. They would sew
and embroider in the garden, or write
MS

I ,

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

letters to their father and Gozo.
Often all of them would go on mis-
sions of charity to the town. Japan
has no actual slums in her smaller
towns. Asylums and "Refuges" are
scarcely needed. The charity work
done is all personal, and perhaps,
better.

;»;''

\\\

XVI

OCTOBER forced the little family
in-doors. It was a bleak month,
cold and chilly this year. There is
a general superstition in Japan that
this desolate month, when the gods
are all absent, will bring disaster to
all who observe events connected
with home joys. The Kurukawas
were Christians, and had no faith in
these childish superstitions; never-
theless, they instinctively felt the
contagion of the general feeling of
dreariness everywhere. Nearly every
afternoon they were wont to gather
together in the great ozashiki, and
there they would talk of the war, or
147

1 I

i ^

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

listen to talcs of their ancestors' valor
told by the grandfather, a garrulous
story-teller when once upon a theme
that pleased him. It is true his
English was at times almost unin-
telligible, and he chose the most gory
subjects for his tales, but he held his
listeners spellbound. Indeed, Marion,
high-strung and excitable as she had
been, became quite hardened and
used to stories of bloodshed.

"I believe, mamma," she said, "/
could see a great fight now without
closing my eyes."

The gloominess of the month was
broken by a great letter from the
father. It had been written Sep-
tember 5th, during the action at
Lyago-yang. He told the family
little or nothing of the war itself be-
yond simple descriptions of his com-
panions and of Russian prisoners he
had seen. There was no word of the
148

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

hardships, no word of the battles
fought, and he was now a veteran.
He wrote that at night when he
closed his eyes he could see them all
so clearly, as they had looked in their
cherry gowns on that day of the
flower festival. It seemed now so
far away that he sometimes wonder-
ed if he were the same man who,
covered with cherry-blossom petals,
told them the foolish story of "The
Widow of Sanyo." There were mes-
sages for each child individually.
Finally he wrote that he had not
seen Gozo, but that he knew of his
whereabouts. Soon he hoped to be
with him.

The children rushed for their little
writing-desks. Soon, heels doubled
under, all of them were busily en-
gaged in writing to father. Mrs.
Kurukawa, too, writing at her desk,
described the absorbed group about
149

\> i

A JAPAN KSli BLOSSOM

In-r. After a titnc the various epistles
were read aloud hy their authors.
With her little lisp Plum Blossom
read her letter:

"Honorable Fadijp.r, — \Vc jjot you
proud Ifddor. Oh, how happy we feel!
I kces this Icddor ride this one place.
Please kees me ba;,' aj,'in. I lij; kecs. I
am now chatnV)er-maid and Marion she
also chamber-maid and Iris also. House
never so clean bef(jre. We keep lipht all
titnc burn for you and Gozo. Juji burn
his liddlc finder with match. When we
hear of grade victory we blow plenty fire
worj: and (ujj burn match. Thas some-
thin;^' for him. 1 am now soon 13 years
ole. Kecs agin that spot as I do.
"Your most obedient and filialest
' ' daughter f oravcr,

"P. B."

As soon as Plum Blossom ceased,

Iris l)e}j;an reading. Her letter

proved to be, however, an almost

exact copy of her sister's, for, sitting

150

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

close to Plum Ulossom, she had
simply copied her sister's letter b(Kl-
ily, thus siiving herself the labor of
compfisiticvii. They all laughed when
she n read IMuin Blossom's letter.
Marion read hers shyly.

"Dear F.\tiikr, — Please come back
soon. I pray for you every niKht. Have
ou Kot my Bible still ? 1 hojie you read
it. Do you remember Miss Lamb in
Chicago? She used to be my Sunday-
sch' Kil teacher, and when you became my
papa she told me to be sure to urge you to
read the Bible, for that was the way to
convert the heathen, and I told her you
were not a heathen, but my own dear
father, and the best man in the world.
But I don't know why I condescended to
write about Miss Lamb at this time. It
makes my letter so long.

Dear father, I do love you. Mamma
cries for you at night."

She was interrupted here by a pro-
test from the family. Father ought
»5»

A JAl'AMiSli ULUSSOM

not to be told of tears. So she
scratched that sentence out labori-
ously, and then continued:

'• I know she cries at ni;,'ht. because her
eyes show it, atul it's because she loves
you so. So i)lease come buck tu her at
once and — "

Hilly interrupted this time. "How
much lonjjer is it?" he asked, grutlly.
Marion continued, her face flushed:

" — and this is all, dear father, and I
hope you will win the fi^'ht, only please,
please don't kill anybody or let any one
kill you. Your own little 'Yankee «irl,'

"Marion."

" p. S. — Give my best love to Gozo, and
tell him I pray for him, too, and, please,
also, would you lend him the Bible I gave
you sometimes?"

It was Taro's turn. He began
153

A JAI'ANESK BLOSSOM

rcadinj,' in Japanese, hut was forced
to translate:

"Alt.ust Fatiikk, — I would ]\kc iniali
to he with you and fijjht. 1 couM kill
tiMi Russians now for Samurai Koniatzou
has tauj,'ht mo some ijreat tricks, liilly
says I wuuld make a j^iant Russian loi>k
like '30 cents,' Hilly also wants to bt;
Japanese soldier. We hope war lasts till
we KTuw up so your two (lutiful sons may
enlist. I siijn myself now your unwcjrthy
sun,

"T.VRO."

Billy's letter was characteristic.

"I)i;.\i< F.VTiiiiK, — Are there any drum-
mer-boys uur a,t,'e? Have y,iu killid any
Russians yourself? How did you do it?
Did you shoot him or run your sword
throu^'h his bowels like that ancestor you
told us about did? Do you use my jack-
knife any? I hope it's useful. I wish I
was K'riiwn - up. Say, wcnild you ask
Gozo, when you see him, to send me some
Russian buttons. He sent one to Marion.

A JAPANESE BLOSSO:

It was all rusty, and she pave it to mc. as
Taro told there was blood on it. Taro
and I worked very hard this summer in
the garden, but it's great sport. We pre-
tended wc were digginR trenches, and
whenever we found stones we said they
were bullets, and wc piled them up to-
gether, and after a time had lots of am-
munition. Say, there's a French boy
living out here, and he told Taro that
after a time there'd be no Japs left, be-
cause Japan was so small, and he said
we'd ail be killed off, and he said that the
regiments would have to have boys in
them soon, because his father said so. Is
it true, and if so, can't Taro and I come
at once? Taro licked the Frenchy till he
squeaked for mercy, and his father came
out and jabbered a lot of gibberish, and
he got terribly excited and said, ' Insoolt
to France!' and everybody laughed at
him. Well, this is all. We want the
French boy to play war with us, but he's
like Rojestvensky, he blufTs — but we'll
catch him 3 t. Say, father, write some-
thing about the fight and if you're wound-
ed anywhere. Aff., "Billy."

154

^Htf!^

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"Talk about long letters," said
Marion.

"Oh, well." said Billy. "/ had
something to say. Besides, if it's
true what the Frenchy says, Taro
and I will be soldiers soon, too, and
father ought to know."

XVII

THERE was a loni,' silence from
the soldier in Manchuria. The
Kurukawas, like many other fam-
ilies in Japan, watched for the mail
each day with greedy feverishness.
Rut the autumn passed away and
there was no further word from
Kurukawa. He ha<l told his wife
she must expect these long silences.
There were reasons that she must
understand for such interludes. A
soldier's letter cannot be had every
day. And so she waited with the
patience worthy of a brave woman.
But when December was ushered in
with a little drift of snow, and she
156

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

knew that winter was coming, her
thoughts wandered unceasingly to
that one out tlicre in the frozen Man-
churia, and, brooding over it, her
strength gave way. Nights passed,
alone with a terrified imagination fur-
ther exhausted her. Suddenly she
decided that she must go at once
to Tokif) and make inquiry of the
Minister of War of the fate of her hus-
band. Leaving Juji and the baby at
home, she t(X)k the three little girls
and two older boys with her. She
told the children nothing of her fears.
They believed the trip to Tokio was
made for the purpose of making pur-
chases for the Christmas and New-
Year's season.

"When you come back," had said
the smaling old grandmother, "the
honora])le house will be (|uite new
and fresh for New- Year's."

The children were e.xcitcd by the
157

! J

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

prospect of a visit to Tokio. The
Japanese children had never been in
the larj^'e town. Thus it actually fell
to Billy and Marion to describe Tokio
to them, for they had passed two days
in the city.

The little party arrived at the
Shinbasi Stiition. where they took
jinrikishas and rode through the be-
wildering streets to the Imperial Ho-
tel. As it was past six o'clock, the
children after dinner went straight to
bed, thoroughly tired out. But Mrs.
Kurukawa sought to see some one
who could allay her anxiety. There
were only two clerks left in the War
Office at this hour. They were ex-
cessively polite and even sympa-
thetic, going over all the lists of the
dead and wounded they possessed.
There were two Kurukawas among
the wounded, but neither was her
husband. She felt that a great load
158

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

had been lifted from her, and with a
happier heart she drove back to the
hotel. For the first time in many
days she slept in peace.

Early in the morning sh(* was
awakened by the children. They
were crowded at the windows, look-
ing out upon the streets and chatter-
ing.

" I'm going to buy all my gifts to-
day," announced Marion, "because
if we don't buy early all the best
things will be snapped up," she add-
ed, wisely.

Taro said, reflectively. "I'm going
to wait till second January."

"Second January!" cried Billy.
"Why, that's after Christmas!"
Taro nodded.

" I nod give Christmas presents. I
give only New- Year's gift."

" Oh, Taro!" cried Marion. '* Why,
we're going to have a Christmas-tree!
159

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

Who wants to \v;iit till January
second ?"

"Hut thad is day tlK- otakara
(treasuiv- ships) arc on streets," ex-
plained Plum Blossom.

" Vcs," said Iris, "and in Tokio he
has heau-tee-ful presents."

".Mother says we'll he hf)me for
Christmas. vSo how can you wait till
January second ?"

The little Jaj)anese children's faces
fell.

"Tha's true," admitted Iris, de-
jectedly.

"Oh, well," .said Plum Blossom,
consohn<rly, "the toshironschi is open
in O.rember, and [ wan' take home
vviz mv plenty mochitsuki " (nice
pastry).

" Are you dres.sed. children ?" asked
Mrs. Kurukawa, coniinj^ into the
room.

They were in their quaint blue

1 60

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

linen Japanese nipfht-dresscs, a queer
little sroup, all barefooted.

They dressed (juickly, busily talk-
in{:: and jjlanning as they did so.
The day was to be six.>nt in the stores
of Tokio. Never were there more
enticing stores to shop in, the chil-
dren thoujj;ht. They got out their
little savings, rolled up in paper
handkerchiefs in their sleeves, and
counted them over and over.

Billy had the most money, nearly
twenty dollars in all. He had not
saved a penny, but becoming des-
perate as the Christmas season ad-
vanced, he had sold nearly all his
American clothes to various sus-
ceptible Japanese youth of the town.
One paid him two dollars for a sail-
or hat. A young man of eighteen
years now w()rc> the twelve- year-old
Rilly's short trousers under a kimono.
Three of his shirts had been pur-
i6i

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

chased by Miss Summer, which she
proudly wore on festival occasions.
Even his suspenders had proved
marketable, and also his heavy shoes
and rubbers. When he had askc«l
his mother's permission to "give"
his clothes away she had laughed
and told him that by the time he
ceased to wear kimonos again he
would be too large for the American
clothes he now pfissessed, and so had
lightly given her consent. But she
was quite distressed when she learned
he had sold them. Billy, however,
was equal to the occasion, and soon
jjersuaded her that he had done right.
" It would have been wrong to make
the proud Japanese accept second-
hand American clothes as charity."
So Billy was now rich, and accord-
ingly avaricious. He wished he had
a hundred iloUurs instead of twenty
dollars; then he could buy cameras
162

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

and guns and such things which cost
plenty of money, but since there was
such a large family, and since the
Japanese had to have presents at
New- Year's as well, he couldn't afTord
costly ones. In any event he wanted
them all to know that he was not
going to spend more than half his
money, as he was saving the other
half for something for himself — he
wouldn't tell what.

Ten dollars was Taro's total, but
he had in addition an unopened bank
half full of sen (pennies). He had
been saving all summer, and would
have had a larger sum, but he had
generously contributed two yen to the
support of an old coolie whose sons
were at the war and whom his mother
was befriending. Billy, too, had made
a like contribution, though he said
nothing about it now. Taro, however,
could not forget that two yen.
163

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

" If I had tha«l two yen more I
could l)uy line i)ri'sc'nt for you, Billy,
]>ut I have only liddler K'>t— I j^otter
buy for girls lirst. Mebhe I buy you
sonu-thinij if I have acny left."

"Well, you'd just better," snorted
Billy, "and you know what I want."

Taro grunted discontentedly, but
made no rash jjromiscs.

"How much have you got?" Billy
asked Plum T^lo.ssom, who had her
money arranged in a neat row.

"Three yen and—" she began
counting the sen again.

"And you. Iris?"

"Jus' same Plum Blossom," said
Iris, who had not bothered to count.

"Why, no, you silly, you haven't.
I'll count (oT you." Iris i)os.sesscd
three yen and seventy-five .sen, about
two dollars and a (juarter.

Marion had seven dollars; two dol-
lars she had saved, ami live dollars
164

A JAPANESE ULOSSOM

an aunt had sent hiT "to buy a
pretty kimitiio with."

" But I have lots of kimonos," said
Marion, "so I'll buy Christmas pres-
ents instead, as it's more blessed to
give than to reeeive," she addinl,
piously.

"All riK'ht," j,'rinned Billy. "You
must not exix-'et to receive much, sis."

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XVIII

WHEN the little Kurukawa fam-
ily started for the shopping dis-
trict the streets were bathed in the
beautiful early winter sun. In a city
where the distances are very great
where large parks and actual stretched
ot bare country exist in seemingly the
centre of the town and where the
streets zigzag in every direction, it is
a matter often of hours to reach cer-
tain points. But the children en-
joyed the long ride. They would
have laughed aloud at the average
foreigner's complaint against the
jerking jinrikisha." What child
does not prefer a vehicle that bumps
166

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

up and down a bit to one that runs
inanely and smoothly ?

Tare and Billy occupied one jin-
rikisha, Marion and Plum Blossom
another, while Iris rode with her
mother. They called across merrily
to each other. When one runner,
swifter-footed for the moment than
his fellows, sped on ahead, the pair
in advance would cheer in delight.

The speed with which the jinriki-
men ran, Billy thought wonder-
ful.

" They would beat anybody at our
Sunday-school picnic races," he told
Tare.

It would be great fun, suggested
Tare, if some time they could come
to Tokio alone and apprentice them-
selves to jinriki-men. Then they
would learn to run! The sugges-
tion thrilled Billy. He saw in it
glowing possibilities of easily earned
167

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

money; the opportunity to own a
jinrikisha ami learn to run like the
wind. But, the-\ how would they
V)e soldiers ? Certainly their military
ambitions came first.

At the end of two hours' running
they drew up b "ore a tea-house
which sto(xl within a little ])ark of its
own. Smiling and bowing the jin-
riki-men suggested that their patrons
must be thirsty, as they, the runners,
were. Would they not condescend
to refresh themselves with tea and
sweetmeats? The suggestion went
to the hearts of the children. The/
had no idea how hungry they were,
and so "mother" smilingly nodded
to the little, begging faces. In a few
moments they were within the tea-
house. At that season of the year
the tea-house is not well patronized,
but as it was close to the noon hour,
a number of Japanese business-men
i68

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

sat at the various tables eating their
luncheon.

A maiden with roguish black eyes
came running over to the Kurukawas
to help the children into their seats.
Her rosy mouth slipped open as she
saw that her visitors, despite their
dress, were not all Japanese. For a
moment she stood perfectly still star-
ing at Marion, but when Mrs. Kuru-
kawa addressed her she slipped to
her knees, bowed very deeply, and
inquired what they might command
her to bring.

All of them wanted tea and sweet-
meats except Billy, who insisted upon
having a piece of rare steak with
fried onions. When Taro translated
this astonishing order the little maid
shook her head and laughingly de-
clared that they were too poor a
house to serve such extraordinary
luxuries.

la 169

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"Well," said B^lly. crossly, "I'm
tired of rice-cakes and sweet things.
I want something else. Do you keep
chop-suey?" It was a dish he liked
\ery much, having become acquaint-
ed with it through a Chinese cook
lately employed. The httle maid
thought she might bring something
resembling chop-suey. So she sped
away to fill the orders. Soon she
was back, followed by another maid
carrying the luncheon on black lac-
quer trays. The omelets ordered
by Mrs. Kurukawa were served in
the most attractive shapes. Each
omelet was formed in a different
l)attern, as a chrysanthemum, a twig
of pine-tree, a plum blossom.

"They're too pretty to eat," said
Marion, looking with delight at the
flower form before her.

Billy's chop-suey was a chicken-
stew, to which had been added
170

T!lK l.irii-K \v.\'iki>s likiirciir iihk sami^i:\ and.

I'O I'l.A V AN II SINT, "

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

mushrooms. As they ate the meal
the little waitress brought her sami-
sen, and, running her fingers lightly
across it, she began to first play and
then to sing:

"Oh, the soldiers march away:
Sec them march away.
T!ie maids at home must stay,
H ish! do not N/ecj), but pray,

Oh, the soldiers march away!

"Oh, how lonj;; now will they stay?
No one truth can say.
When soldiers march away,
List! often 'tis for aye,

Oh, the soldiers march away!"

Her queer little staccato voice fell
m(jumfully at the end, and the sami-
sen concluded her song in its lower
keys.

Plum Blossom tried to explain to
them what it was she sang, though
both Billy and Marion now partially
understood the language.
171

A JAPAN ESIi BLOSSOM

"The soldiers marching way. nac-
ver, nacver come bag. All maidens
must nf)t cry, bud pray for them."

She throw a reproachful lo')k at
Marion, who had wept so often.

"Tell her to sing something hap-
py," said Billy.

Mrs. Kurukawa addressed the girl,
as she spoke Japanese with more
than usual fluency.

"Whose songs do you sing?"
"My own, honored one."
"You make up your own songs?"
"Yes, gracious lady."
"The music, too?"
"Yes, augustness. By profession
I am a geisha, but since the war our
business is so poor we are obliged to
become tea- waitresses also."

"And are geishas also poetesses
and musicians?"

"Yes, gracious one. Shall I write
my honorably foolish poetry for you,
172

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

and will you condescend to accept
it?"

" I should be delighted. I should
keep i t always . But sing to us again . ' '

She sang shrilly, to the high notes
of her samisen:

"Look! the moon is peepinp,
Little maid, take care!
Lovers trysts are kcepint^,
Little maid, take care!

"Lovers oft are woeping.
Little maid, take care!
When the moon is peeping.
Little maid, take care!

"Who is this comes creeping?
Little maid, take care!
Hah! the moon still peeping,
Little maid, take care I

"Oh, the heart up leaping!
Little maid, take care!
Lovers? — moon a-peeping!
No! It's brother there!
Little maid, take care!"

173

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

Still squatting on her heels, the
little j^eishu-girl wnite her j^M-ms in
Japanese characters for the American
woman. Then bowing' very deeply
she presented them to her, saying'
sweetly :

"Two sen, highness, one sen for
each j)oem."

Mrs. Kurukawa paid the price, and
laughed as she did so.

XIX

THE tea-house was only a short
distance from the shops, and the
runners, rested and refreshed by
sake, ilrew them swiftly into the
heart of the town. Soon they were
in a shop kept by a tiny Japanese,
very old and very wrinkled, who
begged, as he bowed deeply, that
they would help themselves to all
they saw in his most insignificant
shop. The magnificence of this otYer.
made in intelHgible English, quite de-
lighted Billy. lie began to have
visions of what he would do with his
twenty dollars since this Japanese
was so polite that he was actually
»75

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

Il^I

ofTering to ^ive them the articles.
Soon he was undeceived. In a short
time the unwary children were en-
meshed in the wily bargaining web
of the shrewd small merchant of
Tokio.

Billy saw a flag which warmed his
heart. It was a large Japanese flag,
with the sun solidly embroidered in
its centre. What a ^..t to send to
his father! In imagination he saw
the flag torn and cut by bullets. He
priced it. It was t(^n dollars. The
old man insinuated ihat he might
take eight dollars for it. Billy shook
his head, swallowing deep disap-
pointment. The old man would let
it go for five dollars. No ? Possibly
the young augustness was poor?
Billy flushed proudly and dipped
into his sleeve for his mone3^ Then
he said, sturdily: "I'll give you a
dollar for it."

176

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

The old man shrugged, protested,
but finally rolled up the flag tenderly
and gratefully took the dollar in ex-
change.

"My goodness!" said Billy, "are
there Jews in Japan?"

"Be careful, Billy," his mother
warned.

She herself, however, was feeling
strangely drawn towards a certain
padded silk dressing sack, heavily
embroidered with chrysanthemums
of the color most admired by her
husband. Unlike Billy, she did not
pause to bargain. Her husband had
warned her: "The Japanese shop-
keeper will take what he can get.
Set your price and give no more."

"I'll give you five dollars for that,"
said she. Then she felt ashamed of
herself when he, with a sad shake of
his head, began wrapping it up for
her.

177

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

The little girls' purchases were
trifling but pretty. Their sleeves,
being full of parcels, hung clown on
either side like heavy bags. Billy's
and Taro's ]nirchases, however, were
so large that there was some ques-
tion how they were to be carried.

Three swords, an old American
rifle, and a water-pistol were among
Taro's acquisitions. Billy had his
large flag, a soldier's uniform, a
miniature canncjn, and a folio of
bright pictures describing war. At
the last moment his conscience smote
him. Neither he nor Taro had
bought presents for the girls. Both
had been too absorbed in buying
things for boys. They put their
heads together and whispered now.
Ten cents remained to each. Taro
bought toothpicks, cheapest face-
powder, nail - polish and a back-
scratcher, each article costing three
178

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

cents. He grudgingly gave up one
of the articles he had already, and
instead purchased for the mother a
pot of the rosiest paint.

Billy, too, begrudged the money
necessary to spend on the girls, so he
was determined not to part with any
of his own things. His gifts cost in
the neighborhood of a cent or two
cents each. For Marion he bought
one paper handkerchief, for Plum
Blossom a brass ring, for Iris a hat-
pin, for Juji a bit of candy, and
for Norah tooth-blacking. This, he
thought, she could utilize for her
shoes. As the presents looked very
bright and gaudy, Billy and Taro
felt that they had done their duty,
and that the girls ought to be duly
grateful.

On the way home a shrill voice
shouting in the street was recognized
by the sharp-eared Taro.
179

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"The treasure-ship!" he cried, ex-
citedly.

Around the corner came a most
wonderful cart piled high with bright-
ly colored toys and things dear to the
heart of a child. Following the cart
was a veritable procession of little
children. Loudly the vendor shout-
ed:

"Otakara! Otakara!"

Ambitious to imitate the com-
mercial foreigner, the treasure- vendor
had decided to play this little trick
on his fellows. He would not wait
till January 2d, but would appear on
the street with his treasure cart thus
early in the season when people had
not yet spent all their money.

The entreaty in the faces of the
children Mrs. Kurukawa could not
resist. Soon some of the bright
things of the treasure - cart were
transferred to the jinrikishas.
180

III

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"But, mind you. children," she
said, as they turned gleefully home-
ward, "I'm going to put everything
away until Christmas."

if
\h

h'V

1 1

THE following day Mrs. Kurukavva
yielded to the coaxing of the
children and took them to hear one
of the famous story-tellers of Tokio.
There is not a child, I beUeve, of
any nationality, who does not love a
"story." In Japan story-telling is
an actual profession, possessing its
own halls and houses of entertain-
ment. But the audience is not made
up of children. People of all ages
attend, though the story-teller is not
as popular to-day as he once was.
With eagerness, then, the little Kuru-
kavva children, after hanging their
clogs among others, entered the hall.
182

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

They were lefl into a square little
booth or box. In a few minutes a
waitress from an adjoining tea-house
sold them refreshments.

The hall was dimly lighted by
candles. As black cloths were
draped about the stage the place had
a gloomy appearance. Presently the
story-teller entered and seated him-
self on the raised dais. So horrible
and weird was his aspect that the
Uttle girls involuntarily clung to one
another's hands and looked at their
mother apprehensively. His face and
bald head were chalky white. Seen
from the distance of their box his
eyes were black chasms set into his
white face. He appeared to have
enormous teeth which protruded as
long fangs beyond his lips. As he
seated himself on the dais all the
candles in the hall went out, seem-
ingly of their own accord. Only
183

A JAI'ANliSli BLOSSOM

those up'M the sU'ige remained burn-
ing.

"Oh," said Marion, grasping Taro's
hand in the darkness, "he looks hkc
some horrible ghost!"

"Sh!" whisjiered the little Japan-
ese boy. " He's going to tell a ghost-
story."

"I thought," broke in Billy, "they
told war- stones."

" Sh! I'll tell you what he says, if
you be quiet."

"I don't want to hear," said
Marion, covering her ears with her
hands, for at that moment the deep
and hollow voice of the story-teller
fell upon the hushed audience. He
was a pantomimist as well as a story-
teller. As both Billy and Marion
understood some Japanese he made
his story clear even to them. As he
proceeded with his tale the candles
on the stage gradually flickered out,
184

A JAPANESE IJLOSSOM

until he was in darkness, save f()r a
weird yellow glow surroiniding him.
Then it was that the thrilled au-
dience thought they saw strange
white shapes fluttering about him,
first hovering over and covering the
speaker, then wandering about the
stage.

The talc he told was an old one
known to all Japanese. It was the
story of the faithless husband who
swore to his young and dying wife
that he would never marry again.
Scarcely, however, had she been cold
in her grave before he married a
young and beautiful girl. For many
nights the bride was visited by a
wraith with warning to leave her
husband. She would wake scream-
ing with fright, but always her hus-
band, lying there beside her, would
reassure her. Finally the ghost set a
day for the bride's departure, telling
.3 185

A JAPAN ESli BLOSSOM

.i,S

her that if sho did not go on that
(lav- a tt'rriblo fate would befall her.
That night the husband set a guard
of twelve watchmen in their cham-
ber. When the ghostly visitor en-
tered the room of armed men they
fell dead at the feet of the spirit
as it crossed the threshold and went
straight to the bed where the fright-
ened bride cowered close against her
sleeping lord, for although he had
sworn to keep the watch with the
guards he had yielded to irresisti-
ble slumber. The following morning,
waking early, he stretched his arms
out to enfold his bride. The form
he held was stitl and cold. Some-
thing wet and slimy touched him.
As he put out a hand to caress her
hair he saw the thing beside him, a
trunk from which the head had been
torn away.

As the story-teller finished the re-
i86

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

cital there was a long interval of ab-
solute silence in the hall. Then out
of the darkness of the stage a white
figure bore upon the vision. In the
weird light that suddenly enwrapped
the spectre the audience siivv that it
held aloft the head of a woman, the
long, black hair floating away from
the deathly face as though a wind
were blowing through the hall.

A stir, a shiver seemed to pass at
once over the whole audience. Then
— almost an unknown thing in Japan
—a child's shril' ce startled the
silence. Mrs. Kui awa reached out
to catch Marion in her arms; the
little girl had become almost paralyzed
with fear. A moment later the candles
were lighted. People looked at one
another in the new light — everywhere
faces were pale and lined with fear.

"Oh, let's go home," pleaded
Marion, at which the mother arose.
187

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

" No, no!" protested Taro. " He'll
tell \var-t;iles now. UV want to

stay."

"Of course wc do." cried Hilly.
"That old cry-baby always six)ils our

fun."

A smiling waitress with candy
beans assured them that the lights
would not be turned out again, and
so Marion leaned against her mother

resignedly. . , ,. u

" / wasn't the only one afraid, she
said, plaintively. " All of you were,
even mother, weren't you?"

"Yes. I was." she answered, truth-
fully. "I didn't know I could feel
quite so shivery over a mere ghost-
story."

" Don't they ever tell pretty fairy-
stories?" asked Marion.

"No," said Taro, disgustedly.
" They would have no business then."

"Story-tellers' halls," said Billy,
1 88

A JAPANESK BLOSSOM

didactically, "aren't for girls. Girls
haven't the sense to enjoy tragedy."
They remained until five o'clock,
listening to exaggerated accounts of
the war. Graphic details were re-
counted of the battles. Many Jap-
anese fed their imaginations at the
story-teller's table after the hunger
left by mere official accounts pub-
lished in the newspapers.

XXI

1'^HREE more days the little party
remained in Tokio. Then, tired
out, happy, and loaded down with
purchases, they returned to their
home. There they found th. long-
looked-for letter from the soldier. It
had come during their absence.

He had not written sooner because
the soldiers had been forbidden to
write to their families during a cer-
tain period of operations. He hoped
that his letter would reach them in
time to make their Christmas and New
Year season happy. His letter ran :

"As I write, I am a happy man, despite
the many things of which I am deprived.
190

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

First, I am a servant in a glorious cause.
Who could choose a nobler way to die?
It is with cheerfulness that we soldiers
bear the enforced hardships. Indeed, we
scarcely feel them, so buoyed up are we
by our cause. But I have still another
reason for happiness at this time. I am
with my boy Gozo at last, and if the
fates but permit, we shall never separate
aj,'ain. I have told him about you all,
and his letter to you will reach you with
my own. The experiences he has been
through since leaving his father's home
have made a man of him. And it is with
a man's deep understanding that he asks
your pardon. But he speaks for himself.
" I cannot send you gifts this year, my
children and my wife, but my prayers and
blessings are for you always. Tell Billy
I cannot send him the Russian buttons
for which he asks. I think he would un-
derstand if he were here. Let him im-
agine the kind of man who would cut
away a trifling souvenir from the body of
a dead enemy. Tell the boys also that I
do not doubt their zeal to serve Japan,
but that 't is not likely we shall need
191

k^-

m
m

l«:

t '

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

their service . Their French friend had
better revise his thoui,^hts.

"I read many times the letters from
my little «irls. Tell Plum Blossom so
well have I kissed the spot she indicated
in her letter that there is a little hole
there now. Tell my little Yankee girl,
too, that not only have I lent her Bible to
Gozo. but it is the common property of
the little band of Christians in our regi-
ment. There are fifteen of us in all. I.
will give Marion pleasure to know that
her gift to me passes from hand to hand,
and fifteen loyal soldiers of Ten-shi-sama
unconsciously bless her each day they
read.

"Take care of my house for me, my
children, and my v ife. Encourage my
boys in thoughts of patriotism. Remem-
ber that always I think of you, and that is
happiness enough."

The letter from Gozo was brief,
but his step-mother read it greedily.
It was written in the EngUsh lan-
guage.

192

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"Esteemed MadaMu, and Mother-by-
Law, — I know not to express myself good
in your language. How I can find words
begging your pardon ? Put my rudeness
to you down to my ignorance. I am more
old to - day and through my honored fa-
ther's words I am now acquainted with
your respected character. I shall never
have pleasure to look upon your honor-
able face, for I have given my insignifi-
cant life to my Emperor, yet I write beg-
ging for your affection.

"Also I humbly asking that you will
continue to show kindness to my little
brothers and sisters, whom though they
be unworthy, I am very sick to see.
Sometimes I think all night long of that
little Juji brother. Pray excuse each
foolish emotion. I beg remain,

"Your filial step-son forever,

"KURUKAWA GOZO."

*■

kt.

XXII

THE country was ringing with the
hateful news of the Kamrahn Bay
incident. When a French name was
mentioned, Japanese faces looked
dark and bitter. Foreigners in Japan
talked more about the matter than
did the Japanese themselves, how-
ever, for they were silent and thought
much. Nevertheless, this incident
and others pierced deeply. Women,
smiling strangely, told their little
sons the story, and they repeated
after their mothers the words: "We
Japanese never forget!" In the
higher classes of the schools the
teachers quietly instructed their pu-
194

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

pils of the unfriendly act of a
"friendly" nation. The story-tellers
in their halls enlarged upon the
theme, and told the story over and
over again, with greater exaggera-
tion each time. By-and-by the news
reached the ears of the Kurukawa
family. Billy and Taro held a coun-
cil of war.

"How to be revenged?" that was
the question.

They marched up and down the
little garden-path discussing the sub-
ject from every stand - point. By
some unfortunate coincidence the
little French boy from the neighbor-
ing street happened to pass the Kuru-
kawa house at the fateful moment
when this fierce debate was in prog-
ress. In one of those flashes that
often come, even to children, Billy
ami Taro simultaneously recognized
in him the object for just vengeance,
195

•J

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

With a bound Taro sprang through
the garden-gate and seized the help-
less and unsuspecting French boy,
^Yhom he dragged down the path.
Then Taro sat upon him. Billy was
jumping about wildly, throwing out
his fists, and pretending to spit upon
them. Taro, however, was quite
calm.

"We kinnod," said he, proudly,
" both beat thad French boy. That's
nod fair."

Billy's jaw dropped. Then his
face brightened.

" Say, Japan doesn't want to fight
France yet. You leave him to mc.
They interfered in what wasn't their
afifair, and now America's going to
do the same."

Taro shook his head.

" You be England," said he, wisely;
"she our honorable ally."

"I am English, then," shrieked
196

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

Billy; "all cur people come from
England original'.y. Mamma said so.
Let him up."

Taro reluctantly arose, permitting
the crushed young Frenchman to do
likewise. He was a little fellow,
though past his fourteenth year,
.iis eyes were very black and fur-
tive, and he had a tiny little mouth
that would not keep closed. Actual-
ly his face was smiling. He spoke
Japanese with only shght hesitancy.
His polite suggestion was that they
should go to his father to borrow
swords with which to fight a decent
duel. The boys received this sug-
gestion with shouts of derision. Then
the little Frenchman declared he
would not fight at all, and crossing
his arms over his chest, told them
they could murder him if they wished.
Billy surveyed him contemptu-
ously.

197

i^^y

A JAPAN ESr: BLOSSOM

"Say, what's your name, any-
how?" he queried, after a moment.

" Alphonse Napjlcon Taschcrean."

"Well, what rlo you think of that
Kamrahn Bay matter?" continued
Billy, curious to know the boy's
views; but Alphonse only shrugged
expressive shoulders and smiled a
little, subtle, sneering smile.

" D'ye remember how Taro licked
you last fall?"

The French boy turned darkly red.
His hands were in his pocket, and
one of them suddenly flashed out.
He had a knife.

"I no longer am afraid of heem,"
he said, contemptuoi'-.ly. " I will
cut him up — so! if he teach me once
again!"

"You will?" cried Billy. "You
think we're afraid of your old knife?
Get it, Taro."

Taro did get it, though he had a
198

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

scratch on his hand to show how
dangerous the undertaking was.
Then the French boy's assured man-
ner vanished as if by magic. Quite
piteously he began to cry. At the
top of his voice he shouted aloud for
"Pa-pa! Pa-pa!"

" We're not going to hurt you after
all," said Billy, after a moment.
" We'll make you do something you'll
remember. Taro, help me tie his
hands first."

They secured him firmly.

"Now," ordered Billy, "you run
to the house and get that old French
flag you and I have been using as a
mark for firing at for some time, and
get a Jap flag, too."

Taro was gone but a moment, and
then returned with the desired flags.
These Billy took and held before the
French boy.

"Now, you," said he, "if you don't
199

A JAPANESK BLOSSOM

V
m

want lo stay tied up here all night,
you just do what we tell you. Kiss
that sun flag— right in the centre.
That's the thing! What!— Ah, you
will, you divil." for the French boy
put his lips against the flag but a
second, and then withdrew them to
spit at it.

Tarf) had turned livid. In a flash
he had seized the flag and was ram-
ming it fiercely into the m(juth of the
French boy. Billy fought Taro back.
"Here. Taro! That's not fair!
He's tied!"

He drew forth the flag. The dye
ran down in Uvid streams on Al-
])honse's chin. He fought vainly to
free his arms.

"Now, you," .said Billy, "we'll let
you free if you'll fight either one of
us alone. But if you won't, you'd
better do what we tell you. If you

don't—"

aoo

A JAPANKSli BLOSSOM

Taro had quietly stripped himself
t) the waist jircpanxl for battle. He
was younger by several years than
the French boy, but the latter had
already felt the taste of the little
Japanese's strength. When he en-
countered that bloody purpose in the
eye of Taro he trembled visibly.

"I will do what you ask," he de-
cided, suddenly.

"Good!" cricfl Billy. ''You be-
lieve in spitting, eh ? Well, now you
just spit good and plenty at that/"
He thrust the French flag before Al-
phonse, who spat at his country's
flag. Then shrugging his shoulders,
he swore as little boys of some
nationalities do not.

Fifteen times he was forced to bow
to the Japanese flag, touching each
time the ground with his head.
Finally he cried as instructed at the
top of his voice :

30I

A JAI'ANKSIC IJLOSSOM

"Vivi- la N'ipiKm! Hanzai!"

He- \vi«nt home a very much wilted
and hedraj^gled liUle Frenchman, but
he did not tell his papa ( r mamma
of the lUiK' incident.

When his father read with appar-
ent exultation further news of Kam-
rahn Hay, Alphonse raised his little
thin shoulders and eyebrows to vent-
ure the astonishing remark:

"Was it msc of France, pa- pa?"

XXIII

THERE came not many letters
during the winter months to the
little Kurukawa family, but the ones
that did come were all the more
precious. Before the first flowers of
the year had begun to tint the plum-
trees with their j)ink beauty, all
Japan knew that the war would have
but one ending. Victory followed
\ictory. Instances of heroism be-
came so frequent they coukl scarcely
krej: count of them. People, smil-
ing, would hear the tale of a certain
officer or soldier's self-sacrifice for his
country, then they would say, still
with that mysterious smile so com-
203

A JAl'ANESli BLOSSOM

mon in Japan: "He has done only
wlial any soldier of Japan would do."
The newspapers, little, slim sheets,
eontaining less than a quarter of the
words an American newspaper would
give to the war-story, seemed to drift
about the empire. Everywhere they
were found, everywhere people car-
ried them.

It was in A]:)ril that the Far East
])ublishcd a story of a certain act
of surpassing heroism performed by
a Japanese officer. Mrs. Kurukawa
had seen the head- lines, and stopping
in the street had bought the paper.
She read it through siowly, still
standing there in the street. As she
stood, perfectly still, her white face
tense and drawn, curious passers-by
stt)p])ed i(^ look at her. wondering
what it was the foreign woman
found in the paper to make her
look so strangely. It was the act of
204

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

a child which aroused her. Passing,
he lightly pulled the sleeve of her
kimono. She started as if struck,
the paper fluttered from her hand.
Mechanically she reached for it, but
a sudden wind caught it up and blew
it hither and thither about the
street. She stood there watching its
flight until it had passed out of sight.
It disappeared utterly. Surely it
had never been at all, .she had not
really held it in her hand and read
the story of her husband's terrible
fate! Walking unsteadily and bhnd-
ly, she started down the street.

Madame Sano came .swiftly from
the garden-path to meet her, for the
news had reached the house in Mrs.
Kunikawa's absence.

Japanese women are not demon-
strative, but they are exquisitely
tender. The touch of Matlame Sano's
hands upon her face was balm itself.
205

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

The stricken woman's features quiv-
ered. Sobs burst from her hps, and
in the other woman's arms she wept
as though she had found the ha-
ven of a mother's breast. Without
speaking, Madame Sano led her into
the house. The chiklren, a pitiful,
frightened group, were in the hall,
waiting for her. Passionately, Marion
called her mother by name, and
clung to her a moment, but Madame
Sano gently put the little girl aside
and took the mother to her room.
There she induced her to lie down
until she waited upon her, murmur-
ing words m soothing Japanese.
When the younger woman was calm -
cr, Madame Sano gently spoke of the
sad news. She said, in a reverent
voice :

"God is good, my daughter. How
gloriously he has rewarded your hus-
band!"

3o6

V '

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

The woman on the bed did not stir
or speak. Madame Sano continued :

"Think how many famihes there
are in Japan whose men have never
had the opportunity to ^ivv such au-
gust service to their Hmperor. We
are fortunate indeed."

Mrs. Kurukiwa covered her face
with her hands. The Xvvss came
slipping through them; I - ipless, si-
lent tears which would not be held
back. Her voice was choked l)ut in-
expressibly sweet:

"I know," she said, "it is all —
very — glorious — but- -I will not give
up hope."

"Hope?" repeated Madame Sano.
"Our best hopes are reaHzed, my
daughter. Kunikawa Kiyskichi has
made the supreme sacrifice. He has
given his life to his Emperor and to
his country."

Now, Mrs. Kurukawa raised her-
207

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

self. Two spots of red appeared in
her checks. Her eyes were feverish,
her nervous fingers clasped each
other spasmodically.

" I will tell you my hope — my be-
lief. I feel, in spite of what we have
heard, that my husband is not dead.
I feel it somehow. I cannot explain.
Only this I do know: he promised
he would return, and he must! Oh,
I am sure he will!"

Gently the old woman spoke,
smoothing the hands of the other
woman as she did so.

"My child, he will truly return to
you as he has promised. All Jap-
anese soldiers expect to return to
their wives, but in the spirit!"

Mrs. Kurukawa drew her hands
passionately away.

"That was not his meaning," she
said.

Madame Sano shook her head sadly.
208

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"Ah, my child, be reconciled to
the august inevitable."

There was a smile upon the pale
lips of the > junger woman.

"You do not understand my
faith," she said, "and I cannot ex-
plain it. When I read that story in
the street I felt as if something had
struck me. I tried to push it from
me with my hands, and I do not
know how I found my way home. I
still feel as if I had been hurt and
bruised in some way, and yet I
know — I feel — that it is not true —
that he is — dead."

Her voice whispered the word,
and for a long interval there was
silence in the room. Then she said,
slowly: "It is a mistake — a horrible
mistake. God give us courage to
bear the mistake. But that is all it

IS.'

"You do not believe the story f)f
209

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

j;*»

your husband's magnificent hero-
ism?"

"I do believe it."

"Then you must admit that he
'has passed away. Is it not clearly
stated that after he had saved almost
the entire division that was caught
in the ambush that he himself was
strvick down and his body carried
away by the Russians, for what pur-
poses can only be surmised?"

Mrs. Kurukawa was silent. After
a while she arose, and, though her
hands were trembling, she dressed
herself afresh with calmness. Ma-
dame Sano watched her in silence.

After a while she asked :

"You are going out?"

"Yes, to learn what I can. If
necessary I will go again to Tokio,
leaving the children with you."

The old woman nodded.

"They will make an honorable
210

i i

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

effort," she said, "to obtain posses-
sion of your husband 'c body, and he
will be given an ex.tlted funeral.
' He died gloriously for Dai Nippon '
will say all loyal Japanese."
Mrs. Kurukawa smiled wearily.
"He is not dead," she said. "Do
not, dear Madame Sano. rob me of
my hope. I want tf) be courageous,
for while I feel he is not gone tru-
ly from me, I do not know what
may have befallen him. It may be
that he is wounded — sick— tortured

a prisoner. Oh, I cannot bear to

think of it!"

"Better, my child," urged the old
woman, gently, "to believe he is at
rest. Cherish not false hopes. Ah,
had you been a true daughter of
Japan, you would have looked for,
expected, and even hailed this be-
rc- vement, but — "

"Do not reproach me," cried Mrs.

211

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

IIV

Kurukawa. " My husband would not
have done so. Oh, I have tried to
he as he woulci wish me, and — and
— I feel that he would have me be-
lieve as I do. I know he will keep
his promised word. He will return
to me."

iMf

li.'

XXIV

Two weeks later the mail for
Tokio contained several pathetic
epistles. Most of them were written
in the wandering, crude, yet pecul-
iarly attractive handwriting of little
children. Mrs. Kurukawa read them
over and over again, crying softly as
she did so.

"Daklino Mamma, — Do please let us
come to you in Tokio. You do not know
how sad we are without you. Little girls
have little hearts, but I know that they
can suffer much, just the same. Grand-
mother, too, is very sad, and Norah is
crying, 'Wirrah, wirrah, wirrah!' all the
time, and, oh, mamma, she says she hears
the banshee every night wailing outside

213

A JAI'ANIiSh BLOSSOM

dur hmaso. Grandmothor says it's only
that f)Id j^'ray cat of Summer's. You
probably n-Tnombcr her. But Norah says
it is the banshee, .ind it means that some
f)ne in our family is dead. Oh, mamma,
//(';»' it made me cry! (Irandmother has
made us all the stranjjest-lookinj,' kimonos.
They are of black crepe, and I cannot
bear to put mine on. She says that
black is not the mourning color in Japan,
but we must wear black in honor of you,
mamma, because black crepe is mourninj,'
in America. So yesterday we all went to
church in thf)se black kimonos, and every-
body stared at us, and I put my head
down on the pew, and cried and cried.
Plum Blossom and Iris also hid their
faces, and thouf,'h they say they did not
cry, I think they did, for their eyes were
all red. Everybody treats us as if we
were j;reat petjplc. In ciiurch they all
bowed so deeply to us as we went in.
Sometimes t e men we meet on the street
will cheer when they see us. Taro says it
is because father did such heroic thinijs.
Taro has no heart, I stjmetimes think, fur
he seems to be proud and happy that
214

A JAPAN KSK ULOSSOM

fattuT is :4<)nf, and he says he wishes hr
could have the chancf to do what father
did. Billy is very serious these days.
He thinks he ou^^'ht to be with you in
Tokio, to take care ot" you and protect
you. Oh, dear mamma, do let us know
all the news you hear, and if wo cannot
come to you, pUusc, please come home to
us soon.

"Your aflectionate and lovinjj,

"Marion."

"BuLovKD Daughter-in-Law, — I hope
that your health is excellent and that yf)U
will return home soon. The servants
weep for their okusama (honorable lady
of the house). The children are augustly
sad without you. Billy has lost his ap-
petite for food. He has the pale face got.
When I request, 'Are you ill, Billy?' he
makes reply, in boy rough way, ' No, but
I ought to be with my mother.' Marion
spoils her pretty eyes with too much
weep. She and Juji weep enough tears
for all the honorable family. Plum Blos-
som does all your work most neatly, and
is learning excellently to be a good house-

215

A JAl'ANHSIi BLOSSOM

II iJ,,

keeper. Von chose wisely to put her in
your place, und she feels proudly your
tiuKust conrulence in her. Iris assists her
in all thin;,'s, hut neither does she appear
in Rood health. She has too much pale-
ness in the face also. Tare is a Rreat
eomtort. His father's heroism has in-
spired him with noble ambitions. He is
a worthy son, though youn^. The baby
has more words to say each day. Yester-
day she spoke of the white moon which
appeared in the sky while it was yet day
as "ball," and .she said. 'It is too high!'
Those are many words for one so young.
She has her august mother's eyes.

"Excellent daughter-in-law, I beseech
you to earnestly seek details concerning
the fate of our beloved Gozo. It is said
in some of the papers that he did accom-
pany his father upon this exi)edition. I
entreat you to think first of all of your
august health and ha])i)iness. I sign my-
self, Your unworthy mother-in-law,

"S.\.no-Ot.\ma."

ii!

"Dkar Mother, — Since father is dead,
/ ought to take care of you. I think
216

A JAPANESE UI.OSSOM

about it all the time ami want to come to
y<JU. I (lon't think it ri^ht for a woman
to be alone, ami I inust come to you at
once. Taro and I have n(jt fi-lt like doinj^'
anythinj^ lately. I don't know what's
the matter with everything,'. The house
dcwsn't seem the same without you. I
can't write much. I want to be with
you, mother.

" \'our hov,

"Hilly."

"EsTEEMnn MoTitnR, — The plum-trees
have mivh buds a:-,'am ,t,'ot now, but very
sad they make us this year. I think only
of those cherry blossoms we did see with
our honorable father. They are so like
the plum. Billy says they make him
sick if he look ui)on those trees. So we
i^o not out much, as it makes so sorrow in
the hearts to see those same trees shine.

"Earnestly I endeavor to follow your
honorable counsel about the house, and it
is unworthily clean to your honor. I am
become like Maruju. Always my eyes
those tears in them when 1 think about
you, and several times I make ni pilhnv

IS 217

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

wet. Therefore I praying until you
f>lrjsc come hoinc with us. Tha's very
sad that our father die and go way, but
tha's sadder that we lose our mother also.
" Unworthy and insignificant,

"Plum Blossom."

"Dear M.\m, — I thought I would write
you a letter, hoping that you are well, i
like you very much, mam, and i love the
precious lambs, both the babby and Juji,
but, mam, i cannot bear any longer so
much sorrow, and it's a letter to you i'm
writing to say i must go back to the old
country, for i cannot bear so much
trouble and i have heard the banshee cry
at night and it's afraid i am that there's
death hovering about. Will you buy my
ticket, please, mam? And it's breaking
my heart sure to leave you and the lambs.
" Respectfully,

"NoRAH O'Malley."

XXV

THE letters brought the mother
back to her home. She had
altered strangely in the two months
she had been in the city. Always
slim, she seemed now a mere shadow
of a woman — slight and frail as if a
breath would blow her away. But
the thin face still retained its gentle
sweetness of expression and the eyes
held that smile of hope.

The children were glad to see her.
Laughing and crying they clung to
her.

" Why," she said, as if she had only
just realized it, "what a lot there is
to live for!"

219

A JAPAN liSIi BLOSSOM

"Seven of us, mother," said Mari-
on; "no, eight! — for there's Gozo,

too."

She took no one into her confi-
dence, but began, in secret, a corre-
spondence with the Minister of War.
All of her inquiries were answered.
In Japan her husband had not been
without high influence, and his hero-
ism had made his name revered by
all Japanese. Hence the requests of
his widow were given the greatest
attention. Soon they had reached
the highest authorities. Orders went
straight to the field of action. At
last there came a day when she
knew that a special search was to be
made for her husband— dead or alive.

The Russians would tell if he were
with them. If not, then, at least,
his body must be found. Such were
the orders issued from a high place.

She was like a flower opening to
220

'I ! •

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

the sunshine and spring rain. The
color came back to her pale cheeks
and lips. Back also came the light
of health to her eyes. She moved
like a new person.

The assurance that no stone would
be left unturned to learn her hus-
band's fate, and her strange faith
that he was still alive, invigorated
her. The change effected in her
rapidly spread to the entire house-
hold. Gloom slipped out of the
door and sunshine ventured in with
summer. And this is as it should be
in the house of children.

While the cherry blossoms were
still flying like myriad pink-and-white
birds in the skies and all the mossy
ground was white with the flowery
carpet blown from the trees, the
family went out once again on a
flower picnic.

In the same little flowery gowns,

221

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

the sleeve-wings weighted with petals,
they started gayly for the picnic
grounds where "father" had taken
them only a year before. A gentle
melancholy which pervaded even the
youngest of them, at the memory of
that absent one, was dispersed with
the mother's thought!

"Father would have you happy
to-day, children. This is his day.
darlings. So be happy."

And so they were. They played
the games popular in Japan, engaged
in the fascinating sport of kite-flying,
listened with eager ears to the tales
of the grandfather, and then, sleepy,
homeward bound in their jinrikishas,
lazily attacked passing festival-mak-
ers with the petals, to be smothered
in turn with the flowery shower.

When they reached home it was
gloaming. Norah made the discovery
that most of the children were asleep.

222

i I

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"Shure," said the girl, "they're all
babbies, mam, just look at the dar-
lints," and she indicated the heads of
the three little girls all resting asleep
on the back of the seat. Marion was
in the middle with a hand of each
step-sister in her own. Mrs. Kuru-
kawa stood silently looking at them,
then Norah interrupted her thoughts
again.

"Did you think, ma'am, I'd have
the heart to leave them?"

"I hoped not, Norah," she an-
swered, gently, "but I know it has
been hard for you, and you are a
good girl."

She helped the Irish girl lift the
sleeping Juji from the carriage. As
a maid from the house came to the
jinrikisha Mrs. Kurukawa turned to
direct her to assist Norah. Some-
thing in the girl's face startled her.
The usual impassive expression was
223

1 ■ '

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

gone, and in the dim light of the
evening her mistress saw the silent
tears rolling down her face.

"Why are you crying, Natsu?" she
said. "Are you in trouble?"

The girl shook her head.

"What is it? You are unhappy
about something."

Suddenly the girl slipped to the
ground and buried her face in the
folds of her mistress's kimono. Ma-
dame Sano drew her almost roughly
away.

"What is it?" she demanded,
harshly, in Japanese. " It is un-
seemly to act so in the okusama's
presence. Keep your troubles for
your own chamber."

"But I have no troubles," said the
girl, rising and wiping her eyes with
her sleeves. "I w-weep because I
am happy."

She brought the last word out with
224

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

such hysterical vehemence that she
woke the older sleepers. They sat
up, looking about them, startled
from their dreams. But Mrs. Kuru-
kawa shook the girl by the arm.
Her voice was hoarse.

"What is it, Natsu? Tell me
quickly!"

For answer the girl turned tow-
ards the house and pointed to the
silent figure standing there by the
doorway. Even in the twilight the
Japanese children knew him. They
jumped tumblingly from the jin-
rikishas and ran towards him, call-
ing his name aloud :

"Gozo! Gozo! Gozo!"

Mrs. Kurakawa turned and blindly
followed the children.

He put the clinging children aside
from him and advanced a step tow-
ards her. Then suddenly he stopped
short, standing uncertainly. She
225

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

It, '

spoke with a note of irresistible ap-
peal in her voice.

"Oh, you bring me news of my
husband — your father!" she said.

He made a sort of smothered sound ;
then, with a movement strangely rem-
iniscent of his father, he seized her
hand suddenly in his own and fell on
his knees before her.

"Good news — for good woman!"
he said.

"He is alive!" she cried.

" In Japan — the hospital at Saseho.
I unworthily brought him home
on—"

He noticed that her hand fell
feebly from his. Then he caught
her as she reeled. She had fainted.

m. hi.izi.u iii;k iiAMi >riii)i-.M.i i\ in-- own a.nu Mii.i. u.n iiiS
km; I.-, HI. loKi'. iii:k "

XXVI

THE following morning Mrs. Kuru-
kawa was with her husband,
having travelled all night, accom-
panied by Gozo. He had known she
would come. When she approached
his bed he raised himself on his elbow
and greeted her cheerily, with an airy
wave of his arm. When she saw his
dear, familiar face, with the kindly
smile lighting up the features, she
rushed with an inward sob towards
him. She could not speak, so deep
were the emotions that assailed her,
but she clung to his hand as he whis-
pered to her.
Later, when she was calmer, she
227

A TAPANF.Si: ULOSSOM

tot)k the I hair Oozo placed for her;
theti, with broken sentences, she
poured out to iier husband ail that
was in her heart.

The days that followcfl were cheery
ones for the sokiiers in Mr. Kuruka-
wa's wari. His wife woukl come
each dav hnidcd with flowers, books,
magazines, and ffMxl of various sorts.
She seenned to forj^et no one in the
ward. Sometimes her impatient and
selfish husband actually begrudged
the little time she si)ent away from
his side, as she went from cot to cot
with her gifts and lier words of com-
fort and praise. He woukl hold her
hand greedily when she would come
ti ) him and say :

"There! At last, you have come.
Tell me everything now. Ah! the
letters. Read them, please, at once."

They always began the day with
her reading of the pile of letters that
3a8

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

came from the imi)ati('nt children at
home.

Taro wanted his father's sword
sent, unwashed, by exjiress. If he
waited until they returned home he
feared that some one mijjht steal the
precious weajxin in the interval. Of
course, Gozo, as the eldest son, was
rightfully entitled to the swor-', but
he had a sword of his own already,
and Taro had none. If his father
would only give him this one he
would swear by it to use it only in
glorious service. Billy, apparently
inspired at his step-brother's request,
wrote an eloquent plea for his father's
rifle. If his father could spare his
uniform, which must be all ragged
and worn from bullet wounds and
blood, Billy would cherish it as his
choicest ix)ssession. Marion's epis-
tles were always blurred by tear
marks. They were sometimes al-
239

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

I ;

' 1

most undecipherable. Because the
invalid insisted on hearing every
word she had written, Mrs. Kuru-
kawa usually spent more time over
her letters than any of the other
children's. The little girl was given
to dissecting her inmost emotions.
Her letters were usually a recital of
how she felt when she heard this and
that about her dear, dear, dear,
brave father, whom she loved so
much.

Plum Blossom wrote pages of
flowery words. The father had sim-
ply made a bird of her, she said.
She wanted to sing and laugh all the
time. She had a calendar on which
she chalked off each day the date, so
she could keep count of the days un-
til her father would return. The
baby had fallen down the stairs, she
wrote, but the floor, fresh padded
with rice-paper, in anticipation of the
230

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

return of "father," was vso soft that
she only bounced when she reached
the bottom. When Norah had
picked her up the baby had actually
laughed, and said: "Coco faw down."
The baby could make long sentences
now. She could even say a prayer
Marion had taught her, but she was
very rude, and often said "Amen"
right in the middle.

There were three so'.diers in the
town, and everybody was making a
great fuss over them. Miss Summer
had said she wished she could marry
one of them, which showed she had
no sense, since Gozo already was a
soldier. Anyhow, the soldiers never
deigned to look at little girls, and
they only marched by the Kurukawa
house because they wanted to see
Norah, who said they were "small,
but grand!"

Iris's letters brimmed over with
231

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

the same expressions of love and en-
treaties for the quick return of her
parents.

Finally, there came an extraordi-
nary little document penned by Juji.
It was written in English, apparently
under the direction of the faithful
Norah, for at the bottom of the sheet
she had written:

" If you please, mam, it was Norah that
taught the little lad to write the beautiful
letter."

Beautiful it was to the eye of the
fond father. Every letter was print-
ed and loving words misspelled.
There were three smudges of ink on
the page. One distinct little mark,
where a dirty little finger had rested
for a moment, pleased him.

"Do you know," said Mrs. Kuru-
kawa, very earnestly, "I would still
be in Tokio if it had not been for
232

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

the children's letters. They used
to come in every mail — little, soiled
epistles of love, all bearing their
childish pleas for mother to return.
Why, I could not stay away from
them. They just drew me back."

Her husband looked at her fondly.

"What a mother you are!" he
said.

" Yes," said she, " that's my strong-
est trait — maternity. I love all chil-
dren. There's nothing sweeter in the
world than baby arms about one's
neck, baby voices, baby kisses, baby
touches. Oh, they are the most pre-
cious things in life!"

He looked a trifle injured.

" You think more of babies than of
husbands, then."

She laughed with the tears in her
eyes.

"Why, husbands are the biggest
babies of all!" she said. "I've al-

233

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A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

ways felt like a moth to you, you
know."

"You have?"

She nodded brightly.

"Don't you know what first ap-
pealed to me in you?"

"No."

" Well, it was your utter loneliness
in a strange country. You seemed
so strangely alone in America, and
you wanted so much to be friendly.
i saw it in your face."

" Yes, I did want to be friendly—
with you," he admitted, gravely.

"You did not find it hard, did
vou?" she asked, still smiling.

"Yes, I did."

"Why, I gave you every encour-
agement."

"I know, but still I could not

know that."

Gozo came into the ward, and,
joining them, tossed upon the bed a
234

I ■.

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

number of newspapers and periodi-
cals.

"What are you talking about?" he
asked, noting their smiling expres-
sions.

Blushing like a girl, the wife
looked at her husband shyly.

" We were talking about our court-
ship days, my son," said Mr. Kuru-
kawa.

"Ah," said Gozo, very seriously,
"it makes one happy to think of
those times, does it?"

"Very, very happy," said his step-
mother.

Gozo sighed.

"I cannot understand why," he
said, simply.

XXVII

< (

I .

URRY down to Takashima,
Taro, and tell him he must
send us without fail two large cases of
the best and brightest fire-flies. Now,
remember, they must be delivered by
to-morrow morning at latest."

" Can't we bring them back, grand-
ma?" queried Taro.

"No, oh no, you might break the
netting and the flies escape. Where
isBeely?"

"Here I am, gam," answered the
boy from his place on the back
piazza. He was engaged in pasting
carefully in a scrap-book several
newspaper pictures of his step-father.
236

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

" Beely," said Madame Sano, speak-
ing now in English, "you must go
down to the river and get all the
white pebbles and shells you can
find. Fill up your sleeves full."

"Aw right, gam," said the boy,
obediently, though he left his fasci-
nating book reluctantly.

" What d'ye want with them,
gam?"

" For the flower-beds I desire. You
would not have them look shab-
by when your honorable father
comes."

Billy sauntered off on his errand,
whistling, overtook Taro, and they
raced down the street, Taro in the
lead.

"Marion!" the grandmother called
up the little stairway. In answer to
the call she came running.

"Yes, gramma."

"Where's those bamboo palms?"
237

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"1*11 get them. Do you want
them now?"

"Ride away."

"All right."

Madame Sano took them from her
and showed the little girl how to dust
the eaves with them.

" Bamboo means long life," she ex-
plained. " I always clean the house
with them, and the gods will deign
long life to give."

"The gods!" gasped Marion, re-
proachfully. "Oh. grandmamma!"

Madame Sano's withered little face
turned rosy. She had been from
girlhood a Christian, as she was
proud to say.

" I speak, my child," she explain-
ed, "only poetically, not religiously."

"Oh," said Marion, dubiously;
then after a moment of silent work
she stopped and regarded the old
woman earnestly.

238

! !

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"Dear grandma, you aren't a hea-
then, are you ?"

"Dear grandma" gnmted, but
went on with her work, her httle old
face puckered into a rather disdain-
ful expression.

"Are you, grandma?" pleaded
Marion.

"Little girls make foolish ques-
tion," she answered finally, crossly.

"Well, are you a Christian, dear
grandma?" persisted Marion.

"Certainly I am," replied the old
lady, with dignity.

Marion kissed her impulsively,
whereupon she declared that the
little girl was honorably rude, and
no help at all.

"Join your sisters for flowers,",
she ordered.

"Shall we want so many flowers
for the house, grandma?" asked
Marion.

239

A JAPANESE jLOSSOM

"No, no, no. Only one small
bunch for house."

"Then why—?"

"The flowers arc for the honorable
picnic booth. It must have plenty."

" O— c>h ! Why, grandma, it's just
covered heavy with wistarias now — "

" Such a talk-child ! Hush ! Go at
once."

The little girl obeyed this time,
though she thrust a mischievous face
back between the shoji for a moment.

"Grandma," she called, "I'm go-
ing to take a wagon along and fill it.
Will that be enough ?"

"Go, go, naughty one!" and the
naughty one fled.

On this day the Kurukawa house
seemed alive with busy ones. In
every room some one was moving
about. Many of the old servants
had been recalled. From the top to
the bottom of the house work was in
240

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

progress. The shoji of the entire
upper floor had been pushed aside,
making a sort of roofed paviHon of
this upper level. The little bal-
conies were heaped with flowers and
green trailing vines were threaded in
and out among the railings. The
long, bare expanse of exquisite mat-
ted floor needed no relief of furniture.
This cool interior was the most at-
tractive place imaginable. From all
sides the breezes swept in, making
it delightfully cool. Madame Sano
bustled about the place throwing
mats about.

Here the famil , would dine this
day. The outlook was picturesque,
for one could see the blooming coun-
try and the bL:e fi<!lds and hills, and
nestling in its heart the little village.

This was the floor on which the
children slept. It was only the work
of a few minutes to slip the sliding-
241

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

walls back into place aRaJn. Japan-
ese beds need no making. On the
second floor Madame Sano had been
most busy. How the chamber of
the okusama shone! The long, white,
foreign bed seemed not at all out of
place in the room. It was the only
furniture Mrs. Kurukawa had brought
with her. She used the little toilet-
boxes of Japan, and there were sev-
eral bamboo chairs and one small
rocker her husband had bought for
her in Yokohama.

The room was sweet with the od()r
of some faint perfume. Perhaps it
was only the sandal -wood of the
toilet - boxes, or the odor of sweet-
smelling incense which had recently
been burned to purify the house.
There was not a speck of dust on
the floor. Even Madame Sano, from
whose sharp little eyes nothing seem-
ed to escape, seemed satisfied as she
242

\ i

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

drew the slidinR-doors in pl.icc and
descended to the lower floor.

In the guest-room :i maid was pol-
ishing something round and dark
golden in color. It was vt-ry ancient
and beautiful, an old hibachi, highly
prized by the master of the house.
A serving -boy stood waiting at the
tokonoma. He hanrlcd Madame Sano
reverently the things he had brought
from the go-down.

She did not put the kakemona in
place, but left it on a stand, for there
was much else to see before she could
spare the time for the tokonoma, al-
ways the last and pleasant.st task.
Besides, she had promised Plum Blos-
som the task of flower arrangement
in the ancient house, and the hanging
of the scroll.

A visit to the kitchen revealed the
fact that the cook and four assistants
were deep in the preparation of a
243

rl 1 ' ;

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

meal which promised to be perfect in
its excellence.

Madame Sano felt and smelled of
every bit of fish and meat, of frtiit
and vegetable, to see that everything
was fresh. She condescended to
speak a word of praise to the cook,
an old man long in the service of the
family.

"Choice marketing is an art, ex-
cellent Taguchi. Worthily you ex-
cel."

The cook bowed with the grace of
an old-time courtier, his face wreathed
in smiles. Did the elderly grand-
mother believe that the okusama
would deign to be satisfied?

The okusama would be honorably
pleased, indeed, Madame Sano as-
sured him. She left the kitchen
helpers in a glow, and outside the
door listened, her old face smiling to
their happy chatter within.
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A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

One said :

"Hah! the master always liked his
fish just so. If I give one more beat
to the fish it will be spoiled. These
cakes are ready now for frying."

"The master," said another, "has
not eaten civilized food for many
moons. These rice -balls will water
his palate."

A woman's voice broke in shrilly.
"Okusama will ask for the sugar-
coated beans first of all. Look at
these, fresh as if growing. Think of
the pleasure of her tongue."

"Talk less, work more," came the
admonishing voice of the old chief
cook. For a moment there was
silence, then a woman's voice broke
into song, and the song she sang was
of war, furious, glorious war!

I -t

XXVIII

JUST before the noon hour the
train bearing the Kurukawas ar-
rived. They were unprepared for the
reception. The towns - people had
gathered at the station. When Mr.
Kurukawa, pale, but able to walk
alone, appeared on the platform, a
murmur which rapidly became a
cheer arose from the crowd. Old
friends and neighbors rushed forward
to greet him. He was overwhelmed
by the storm of banzais and cheers.
The Japanese people do not often
give way in this fashion, but in these
times they let themselves loose, and
they shouted now with all the pent-
246

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

Up enthusiasm of months. Their he-
roes were sacred objects to them —
to look at them even was an honor.
How proud the httlc town had be-
come! Did they not boast as a citi-
zen one of the bravest heroes of the
war? The gods had singled them
out for the peculiar honor. Grateful
and proud indeed they felt. Always
a modest man by nature, the homage
offered Mr. Kurukawa now almost
distressed him. Indeed, his face
showed bewilderment and embarrass-
ment. Respectfully the people per-
mitted his son to lead him to the
waiting jinrikisha. The crowds im-
peded the progress of the vehicles,
which they followed all the way to
the house.

At the house everything was ready

for the reception. The children were

in their gayest clothes. All were rosy

with excitement. About them ev-

247

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

erything vsecmed to shine. Madame
Sano, old as she was, made quite a
picture. Her withered old cheeks
were pink with pride.

They were all waiting there in the
hall. Hard by, the servants in their
best attire waited also.

"It's after twelve already," said
Billy, consulting for the twentieth time
his Christmas watch. " They're late."

"1 hear sounds," said Taro, his
ears pinched up like a small dog's.

Taro rushed to the shoji, and be-
fore his grandmother could prevent
him he had thrust his fist through the
beautiful new paper upon it. Billy,
however, made a rush for the door,
forgetting in one moment all the
grandmother's injunctions concern-
ing the "dignified and most refined"
reception due at such a time. Billy's
departure seemed to affect the girls.
They looked at one another in hesi-
248

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

tation. Then almost with one ac-
cord they followed their brother's
lead, dragging little Juji along with
them. Down the garden-path they
sped, stocking-footed, for they had
not stayed to put on clogs. Billy
and Taro pushed through the gate
ruthlessly. Down the road they
dashed. A moment later they were
in the midst of the crowd follow-
ing and cheering their father. They
shouted as thry ran and waved their
arms wildly above their heads. Mr.
Kurukawa saw them while still a
distance ofT, and suddenly arose in
his seat. Unmindful of the crowd,
he gave an answering shout to the
boys. How he reached the house he
never could remember. His wife
told him afterwards that the children
seemed to fall upon him at once.
They clung about his legs, his hands,
and his waist.

«T

249

'; i!;

A JAl'ANliSE BLOSSOM

Once across the threshold, he gave
a great sigh. Then in a voice which
went straight to the very heart of old
Madame Sano, he said :

"This house seems to be the most
beautiful place on earth."

He permitted an excited, happy
maid to take off his sandals and
bathe his feet. Then followed by the
happy ones, he ascended the stairs to
the upper floor, where the meal was
served. Never in his life, he de-
clared over and over again, had he
been so hungry. He ate everything
placed before him. When the chil-
dren beggetl to be told this or that
about his adventures he would an-
swer: "After dinner. Talk, all of
you. if you wish, but let mc eat."

" I thought," said Billy, "that you
were wounded, and that wounded
men aren't allowed to eat so much."
" So / thought in Saseho, my boy.
250

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

We ate not much in Manchuria, but
we famished in the hospital."

"Honorable father, why did you
not send me that sword?" queried
Taro.

"I had none to send, my son. It
was lost."

"And the rifle, too, father?" asked
Billy.

"The rifle, too."

" But what about the uniform ?"

" Well, it was, as you thought, torn
and worn from service. The Rus-
sians gave me a new one."

"What!" cried Billy, in horror, "a
Russian uniform!"

Mr. Kurukawa smiled.

"Hardly that, my boy. You see
a sick man on a stretcher usually
wears a — er — nightie^ isn't that
what they callit?"

"Oh-h!" said Taro and Billy both
together, apparently disappointed.
251

h <;

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

" If they put a Russian uniform on
wjf," growled Taro, " I would tear it
off!"

Billy's eyes rolled.

"Hm! They'd never get one on
mcl" said he.

"What did they put on you.
Gozo?" asked Taro, turning to his
brother. ,

" Yes." added Billy. " You wcren t

wounded."

" Neither was my uniform," smiled
Gozo. "They permitted me to re-
tain my honorable garment."

"Huh! Well, did they torture

you?

" No— oh no."

" Not even knout you ?"

" No. They were augustly kind—
sometimes."

"Sometimes!" repeated Billy, ex-
citedly. "Then some other times
they were cruel, huh?"
252

\r I (

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

" Not exactly, but — well, there
were many things we thought rea-
sonable to ask for, and they did not
argee with us."
"What things?"

Gozo looked at his father. The
latter, still eating, nodded to him to
continue.

"Well, sometimes we begged for
letters to be sent to our friends."
"And they wouldn't — "
"They would take our letters, but
they did not send them. Our peo-
ple permitted Russian prisoners to
write to their friends. Not always
were the Japanese allowed to do
so."

"But on the whole," put in Mrs.
Kurukawa, gently, "they treated
you kindly, did they not?"

Gozo's face was inscrutable. Then
after a slight silence he answered,
gravely :

2S3

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1 1

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

"We were prisoners, madame —
mother— not guests."

"I bet they herded you together
like cattle!" cried Billy, indignantly.

Gozo and his father exchanged
smiles.

"Hanlly," said Mr. Kurukawa.
"There were not enough Japimese
prisoners to 'herd.' you know."

i I

XXIX

TELL u
nage,"

'ELL us a story of horrible car-
age," said Billy, his freckled
face aglow with excitement.

Gozo took the long-stemmed pipe
Plum Blossom had filled for him with
sisterly solicitude. Three or four pufTs
only he drew, then permitted Iris in
turn the pleasure of refilling it.

"You better wait till father is
more better. He kin tell better
story," he said, gravely.

"Oh, you're a veteran, too," de-
clared Billy, admiringly.

" And a hero!" added Marion, in an
awed voice,

Gozo permitted the ghost of a
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A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

smile to flicker across the tranquillity
of his face.

"In liddle while," said Plum Blos-
som, smiling happily, " father coming
down into garden. He'll tell story
then."

"He naever tell story 'bout his
own self," said Taro, discontentedly.
" He mos' greatest hero of all. Tha's
right, Gozo?"

Gozo nodded gravely.

"Mos' of all," he agreed.

" 'Cept you," said Marion, still bent
on hero worship.

Gozo smiled in the little girl's direc-
tion. His usually impassive face was
strangely winning when he smiled,
Marion went closer to him, and, tak-
ing her hand, put it fondly against
his cheek.

"You see, Gozo," she said, "I
used to think about you as a hero
even before father went away."
256

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

*' Yes," said Billy, disgustedly, "she
thinks you're a greater hero than Togo
even."

"But Miss Summer — she say that
you better have die," put in Taro.

"Yes," said Gozo, sighing, "it was
my misfortune not to get killed."

"Oh, don't, don't! Just think
how unhappy we would all have been
if you had never come home," said
tender-hearted Marion, "and think
what you'd have missed — never to
have seen us — mother and Billy and
the baby and me."

Gozo admitted that their acquaint-
ance certainly was worth living for.

"Our acquaintance !" said Marion,
reproachfully; "our love you should
say. We love you, Gozo."

"Then if you love Gozo why you

nod waid upon him like unto Iris an'

me?" queried Plum Blossom. "See

how we fill up thad pipe mebbe

257

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

twenty-one times, an' also we bring
wiz tea — "

"An' also I fan him," added Iris,
suiting the action to the words.

For a moment Marion looked very
thoughtful.

" I know," she said, " that you lovo
him, too, but even if I just talk to
him, I can love him just the same.
Can't I, Gozo?"

"Yes, but you only love me for
mebbe liddle w'ile. Then soon's my
father come you desert me. Tha's
same thing with Plum Blossom and
Iris. Me? I am grade hero when I
am alone, but when my father come,
I am jus' liddle insignificant speck —
nothing!"

"Oh, Gozo!"

"Never mind." he said, with mock
seriousness. " Nex' week I goin' sail
for America. Then, perhaps, you
sorry."

258

; i

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

The tears slipped from Marion's
eyes, and she wiped them with the
pink sleeve of her kimono.

"Take me with you, dear Gozo!"

"An* me, also."

"An' me, too," cried the two little
girls.

"Girls," said Billy, with contempt,
"aren't allowed in colleges. You
haven't any sense, Marion!"

"Well, b-but I could keep house
for Gozo."

"A fine house you'd keep," said
her brother, witheringly.

Marion's pride arose. She ignored
Billy entirely.

"Gozo," she said, "mother let me
do all kinds of work when the ser-
vants went."

"Hoom!" grunted Billy, "you used

to play at work. Plum Blossom did

it all. If you take any girl" — he

spoke the word with almost Orien-

259

hi I!)

I.:

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

tal contempt — "take Plum Blos-
som."

The latter smiled gratefully in the
direction of her step-brother.

"I goin' wait till you grow up,
Beely. Then I keep house for you."

" You gotter git marry with Taka-
shim.t Ido," put in Taro.

"I nod got!" cried the little girl,
indignantly.

" You got!" persisted Taro. " His
fadder already speag for you to our
fadder."

" Tha's jus' account our fadder be-
com' hero. He wan' be in our
family also. But I nod goin* marry
thad boy all same. He got a small-
pox all over his face."

"Plenty husband got small-pox,"
said Taro, " He also got lots money.
Mebbe one hundred dollars."

Plum Blossom pouted.

"I goin' marry jus' same my
260

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A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

mother. Me ? I goin' have my hus-
band."

" What's all this talk of husbands ?"
queried a cheerful voice.

Mr. Kurukawa seated himself among
the children. Plum Blossom and Iris
found a seat, one on each of his knees.
Between them Juji nestled against his
father's shoulder. The hand which
had rested so contentedly in Gozo's a
moment since had become a bit rest-
less. Marion, the fond, showed an
inclination again to desert; but Gozo
maliciously held her small hand tight-
ly so that she could not escape.

"I want to say something to fa-
ther," she said.

"Say it to me," said Gozo.

"Yes, but— "

"Hah! Did I not say so? Very
well, you love me only sometimes.
Tha's not kind love."

She was contrite in a moment, es-
361

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

saying to put her hand back in his,
but he waved it away bitterly,

"No, no. Tha's too lade. Never
mind. I know one girl never leave
mc."

"You mean Summer?"

" Summer-san. What a beautiful
name!"

Marion turned her back upon him.

"Listen," he said into her little
pink ear. "I go alone at America,
but after four years I come bag, an'
then I goin' tek to America with
me—"

"Summer.?"

"No."

"Me?"

"No— nod exactly."

"Then who, Gozo?"

"All of you."

"Oh, won't that be lovely," she
cried. "Father, are we all going to
America in four years?"
262

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

He noddcrl, smiling. "After Gozo
graduates."

"An' naever come bag at Japan?"
cried Plum Blossom, in a most tragic
voice.

"Oh yes, it will be only a visit,
perhaps."

"I goin' to die ride aviy when I
cross that west water," averred the
little Japanese girl.

"Why," grumbled Billy, "you just
now promised you'd be my house-
keeper."

"In Japan," said Plum Blossom.

Taro had finished whittling the
bamboo arrow he had been industri-
ously fashioning.

"Pleese, my father, tell now thad
story of yourself."

"Yes?"

"Oh do."

All of the children chorussed assent.

" Very well. Now it's a long, long
263

' 1

A JAPANESE BLOSSOM

Story, and if any of you go to sleep
in the telling—"

"Oh, how could we?" breathed
Marion.

" Very well, then. Come close, all
of you."

They drew in about him, their
small, eager faces entranced at once.
He smiled about the circle, touched
a little head here and there, and then
began his tale:

"Once upon a time — "

THE END

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