Bloomington High School - Aepix Yearbook (Bloomington, IL)

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THE AEGIS pay the money, but now that telegram has come! I suppose I will not have any further use for the ring. f'Why Grant, pleaded Genevieve, I always keep my word. Yes, but not to a condemned man. You said you were innocent, protested Genevieve. I ani, but they do not think soft Well, I do,', replied Genevieve, Oh, Genevieve! will you accept this then? Grant took the beautiful dia- mond ring from the box. The tears in her eyes answered as he slipped it on her finger. They were at the station now. The agent came out with the telegram and gave it to Grant. Grant controlled himself as he opened it, and read: Clayton confessed. I want you to forgive me. Come to New York, and I will employ you at a better salary, or I will send you the thousand as a gift to atone for my hasty temper. I-3IcNvr'rr. Grant Richards showed it to Genevieve 5 they danced like two children. Finally, after their rejoicing had subsided, Grant questioned: Shall we go, or stay ?,' Why, thatis for you to decide, answered Genevieve. Grant closed his eyes and saw New York, with its pleasures and its miseriesg then he opened them and saw the beautiful Californian scenery, with the spring sun shining happily down. And then he saw Genevieve, the real cause of his wanting to stay, so he said: Let us stay. Genevieve nodded, and replied, Before you tell fa.ther, Grant, you had better send a telegram to Mr. Bennett, thanking him and telling him that hc might send the thousand as a wedding present. UP TO HAKONE IN A KAGO Donornv Woon. How refreshing the mountain breeze was to us when we left the train at Kozul Hungry and tired, we made straight for the tiny tea-house a.cross the roa.d Qlabellcd for the benefit of English-speaking travellers, 'fHere lunch-time served alwaysfll for lunch and rest. We removed our shoes on the porch and were 'shown into a. cool, straw-matted inner room. A little dark-eyed maid in brilliant, parti-colored robes, soon followed, first with an immense wooden bowl scoured white and piled high with rice, and then a little tray apiece Cwhich had short legsl, and placed them before us as we sat on the Hoor. The trays contained soup in rich lacquer bowls, raw fish, salted plums, radish pickle, shoyu kind of Worcester saucej for the fish, and chopsticks. Our family was able by this time to use chopsticks, but our newly arrived friend from the States wa.s not, and her efforts were rather amusing. She made the usual mistake of taking one in each hand, but by dint of much instruction she managed them both in one hand, and carefully conveyed a few grains of the rice to 21

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THE AEGIS Chapter III. Why, why did I awaken! I thought I was in New York. I heard music. Grant raised himself from his cot and listened. t'I,m sure I must have heard something. There-a violin! I wonder where that exquisite music comes from. It Heats in the air so dreamily and softly and seems to soothe the spirit. I must go and find thc source of such musicf' Grant arose. Walking to the window, he opened it and looked out. The morning sun shone upon his clear face. A f'Why, it comes from the house over on the hill. There! the daughter is on the porch playing. Gee, but I'd like to see her-wait till I get my field-glasses! What a beauty! No wonder that she can play. She is the picture of my ideal. I wonder what her name is. I will go and see her. I must and I will. Ah, the music has stopped, but the player remains. ' Chapter IV. Five months later. Grantfs heart beat quicker, and he stood still. Still holding in his hand a scrap of paper, he took one last look at it. It contained only seven words, which read: Telegram from New York at station. Call.'7 Grant got control of him- self at last, and decided to go. Of course, he knew what the telegram contained. Undoubtedly it was a summons from New York saying that he was wanted. in the courts. Ah, what would Genevieve think of it. Grant took hold of a small, square, pasteboard box in his coa.t pocket, a box that contained a diamond ring. It had just come from San Francisco in the morning, and he was going over to the house on the hill to see Genevieve that evening. True, he had told them all and they believed him. Her father had told him that he would provide for the thousand if he had to have it, but Grant said he would rather work for it, and if he could not get it, then he would borrow the necessary amount. So he began walking towards the station. When he had walked about a quarter of a mile, he heard a light step behind him and a girlish laugh. Turning 'round, he exclaimed, Genevieve . I saw you walking, and I wondered where you were goingf, said she. Grant gulped. I--I thought-I-was going to the station, he managed to say. To the station? Why! are you going away Pi' Grant nervously lingered the square pasteboard box in his coat pocket. Well, Ifll tell you, he said, There is a telegram for me at the station? I don't see why you arc so worried about that,', replied Genevieve. I thought it might be a. summons from the policef! Grant answered. Why, I 'really think you are a desperate character! said Genevieve. An innocent man is not afraid if he is judged guilty. Grant looked at her, then dropped his gaze from her eyes and said: Genevieve itls not that, that is worrying me. It's thisf' Grant produced the pasteboard box. Genevieve, he continued, MI have told you all, and you have accepted me. The ring came today, and I hoped that there would be no more trouble, and I would 20

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THE AEGIS her mouth. Nor did she relish the raw fish, but our obliging maid brought her two tiny bantam eggs to cook over the alcohol lamp. Lunch over, we went out to where coolies were waiting with our kagos. Our friend was surprised at seeing the vehicle, in which she was to ride up the mountains, resembling a large clothes basket, a pole through the handles, a roof over the pole, the sides cut away, and the ends and bottom cushioned. However, she managed to squeeze in as the rest did, the coolies lifted the poles to their shoulders, and we started off down the old Tokaido road. Hakone, our destination, was a little one-street village, full of tiny thatched houses, way up in the mountains, at one end of a large lake, with hot springs across the hills and a summer palace of the Mikado nearby, a most delightfully retired spot to spend a hot Japanese summer. We expected to row, fish, swim, tramp through nearby temple-groves, picnic, and fbest of allj to get up in the morning, and, looking out across the glittering waters of the lake to see Fujiyama, snow-capped and majestic, the pride of Japan. . Our coolies were jogging along the old road, which in this early May was already crowded with a luxuriant growth of wild flowers-top-heavy delicately tinted pink and white lilies, fragrant phlox, backed by a magnificent glow of mag- nolias and camilias and a mass of pine. A turn in the road suddenly brought to our view a party of returning coolies, with empty Ycagos, and as they stopped to talk with our men, we learned that there was a matsuri ffestivalj in the next village and tha.t by hurrying, we could see the procession as they left the village for the temple. We hastened onward and at length were richly rewarded. The whole village was on parade, banners floating, children waving huge branches of cherry and wild plum blossoms, in stately procession with their elders, the big drum beating a monotonous rumble. None stayed at home. We could still see the head of the procession where the white haired old priest led the way, some coolies from a neighboring town had returned home for the matsuri, the grandam, crippled with rheumatism, hobbled after on her crutch, a clean blue towel knotted around her head, and her blackened teeth showing through a twisted smile, a. pilgrim with his bell and staff was there, too, and Hnally all the little nurse maids of the village in gala array, their charges strapped on their backs, thc babies contentedly sucking either their thumbs or the holiday share of mikan. Fol- lowing the procession, surrounding it and mingling with it were the inevitable mongrel curs of the East. While this crowd filed by, we stayed and watched and did not continue our journey until they were left in the depths of the forest and the lone cottages were left standing in the bare sunlight, with their prim scarlet poppy beds, and the lilies on the thatched roofs nodding at us. We plunged into heavy tropical forest now, and wild scenery delighted our eyes. To the right the cliffs towered above the trees, while to the left there was a deep ravine through which a tumbling, foaming mountain rivulet ran, the little pools along its banks showing thc purple blossoms of the iris and the flaming red azaleas on its banks. All this was left behind soon, and as we still climbed, the mists began to surround. us and soon only a. few feet could be seen on either side of the road, which was now flanked by evergreens. As we made our way through 22