Literature.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 94, 25 April 1904, Page 4

Literature.

THE GEISHA'S CHOICE. "What is the matter with you, my dew l'ellow ?" The question was asked in perfect English and with hut the slightest. trace of a foreign accent, yet the inquirer was unmistakably Japanese. Ilis name was ll'osaki. lie was tt man of forty, of striking features, 'dressed in European costume. lie addressed a younger man t'han himself. This was Lieutenant Ralph Thornton, of His Britannic Majesty's Navy ; he was not more limn twenty-live, with frankness and courage written oil every part of a handsome face. A captivating face, as ilosaki admitted to himself ; an attractive man altogether. It did one's heart to have a grip of that liainl, which could be us soft us silk whvii touching that of a lady, and yet could grip a man's with a force that made one wonder if one's lingers were intact after the ordeal, lial]ih Thornton was staring vacantly in front, with knitted brows, and his partly-smoked cigar had gone out. He aroused himself with a start as llosaki's words fell upon his ears. "Ah? Er—l really didn't hear what you said !" he remarked, in confusion. "You appear to he in 'dreamland, my friend !" retucned liosaki, smiling gravely. "You were "us lively wlien you came to Tokyo as you were when I knew you in your own country ; but during the last few days you have been dreaming. Are you worrying lest your country should be drawn into ihe war which iittle Japan 'is about to make against the northern trespasser.Russia ?'•' Ralph Thornton.s lip curled scornfully. "Why worrying '!■" he asked. "Have we not shown that we can play our part, l'riend Jtoslaki V" "Yes The word came emphatically. yet ipiietly. "Ah continued Hosaki, his eyes kindling. " One day—one day the glorious little Land of the Rising Sun will be as great as Britain has made herself ! Hut enough ! To speak plainly, something is troubSing you, Thornton. What is it

*' Oh, I think not !" cried Italph ; hut his face flushed a little. Ilosaki's keen eyes were lixecl full on the Lieutenant's l'uee ; a gleam of understanding came over the countenance of the .lap. "I think I can guess, and I urn not surprised, although I think you are foolish, my friend !" he said, slowly. 'You have been thus since yon saw Ashkita ! The geisha has captivated you !" "And what if she has?'' inquired Thornton defiantly. His secret was discovered, aird he faced his interrogator boldly. "I think you are foolish J" came quietly from liosaki's lips,. " Illtve you -anything to say against lier ?" asked Ralph, haughtily. •'Nothing !" was the emphatic rejoinder. "She is lovely, accomplished, pure ; she is of noble -descent, a granddaughter of one of the feudal lords who gave up his lands in the involution and died poor. Ashkita has to earn a living, ;itkl she docs it well 'and honestly 'ln* sinking and playing. She would make a good wife, but are you serious in thinking that you would wed one of the women of my race?"

ltalph Thornton reflected. Jt had hardly occurred to him to .think of aught but his love for the lovely girl whom he had s*vn lor the first time nearly a week previously in a house in the southern Ku district, and whom he had seen every evening since, although llosaki did not know this last fact. "Yes, I would !" Ik; said, with oeliU'iation. "1 confess that i love her ; it is no iuf ( a'tuartion, lor J have had time to think. lam not imbued with the prejudice of many Europeans against your race, llosaki ; your people have proved themselves to be great ! Moreover, Ashkita is not a mere automaton, as some of your women an.—l mean no offence, hut you recognise the truth of my remarks, for you have not allowed all >our women to have fair play. Ashkita is a woman whom anyone, unl-ess he h-axl no lu'art or possessed one of stone, could not help loving. She is a descendant of a Bahnyo, and in our Society at 'home she would lake a prominent [dace." "1 believe all that !*' -assented llosaki gravely. "Vet I question the wisdom of your choice. Think well before you decide. Kemem'ber the ordeal to which she would be subjectel if you placed her in Engili.sh Society. You must, relied, before you bleak her heart !" "llosaki, 1 have seen her every day since that evening !" said Thornton rising and placing his hand on his

frii-nti's shoulder. "Whenever I pi abroad in the streets of your busy capital, which resembles a European rather thaii an Eastern city, 1 look lor liit. In tin: glorious live-mile avenue which yuu call Wukojima, in the jinrickslnie ami the modern trams and omnibuses, oil the bunks of tile bumida, everywhere. The spring is coining, and I may not be here when tile cherry-trees bloom and you hold your pretty festival in honour of the blossom,, 'but X shall picture Ashkita and i he cherry-blossom together, a lilting pair. That is," he added quickly, und with a sharp inhalation ol' his bmt'tii, "if I cannot persuade Jier to come with me en 1 go !"

Hosaki smoked his strange lilile •Japanese pipe ; his imperturlAvlile face betrayed nothing of the workings of his mind. "So be it !" he said suddenly, "l Jiiive told you 1 You will remember also that she is not of your religion: that she is of the old religion, which jou call heathen ! ; Let us go out." Tliey l t .(i the house and made their way to the Government quarter of the city. H was a quaint scene, for lokyo still has nmcli of the ancient,

in circus and manners, among the modernity which has taken possesion oi it. la the course of then' stroll it jinricksha passed them, nm! they saw Ashkita in the curious two-wheeled carriage with its |,uiii«>ii draught, animal. She waved a salutation to them. and was gone. "Is she not lovely, divine?" demanded litilph Thornton, enUmsiasticnllv.

His companion nsM.«tv<l<; tliorc wnx no tfuiiuw.ving the Ijviint.y'of the gi,-|. lot- .slu- was lilt It; moi-o. It would have i'trii dillicull not lo agree will. Ualph's assertion that " Ashkita would become a queen of Societv it Hit' opportunity were given to her. ''.l must, sit lii'i- again, |„. r hl 're I cull speak tn In.i- (1,-i lai - cd lialph Thornton decisively M-'ii ni lji hi,.. lliisnVi

(, s. I w ill conduct yon lo when yon will sw f , ;u ,| ii<isiu ki, v > it h liis usual grav ii.v. " Bui

milled, nut without a sign of hesiiaHon. suppose that I here is another one win. loves her, ami suppose that, ijlio "

Von Know my motto ' ' ern-d t lie lieutenant, with true sailorlv spirit i will not go round I lie. corner 1,, meet, fruubles, and I trust, in ~,, oivn resources to get through v. hen they do come. Whoever he j 4 11 cm sis, I IIU Im ngainsl him."

-Ni:\rr-iiln4r:Ji| u . (l lnio )„ vw . |, r cunH iidi |n..\ ;l r , v | !ns ||!( _ cil SI lit SS (|l,l'ill|i lllr JVSI ol' (lie ll;t v IIIHI llliil furling v.as increased ul.Va "" A.slikila ii, (|„. eieiiii,.. !u . UU " '"'ill' a duwi . i"g military ollicer oi a crack .laJ'l'i'i'W regiment. Tin, revelation uas none tlie less disngrecKble fro,,, j "•'.I tljiil l,\!i,V('Ko whs an oM iVieml 1 "' <>'' liittl 111 so met in JOimlai,,] I' ii some .satisfaction to a "lover. "Jieii his rival is a stranger .lilriiu-x lie lee Is fully at Mjf.-rty to I'uvtu the lellow. (To be continued;.