The Lady and Sada San: A Sequel to the Lady of the DecorationLittle, Frances
History
The Lady and Sada San: A Sequel to the Lady of the Decoration
Little, Frances
Japan -- History -- Meiji period, 1868-1912 -- Fiction
Merciful powers! Hate is a sweet and friendly word for what the
masses feel for the foreigners, whom most believe to be in league
with the Government.
Happily, nothing more serious happened than breaking all the
carriage windows; and, in the surprise that awaited me in the
drawing-room of the gorgeously appointed mansion, I quite forgot
that.
Who should be almost the first to greet me but Dolly and Mr. Dolly,
otherwise the Seeker, married and on their honeymoon! She was
radiant. And oh, Mate, if you could only see the change in him!
As revolutions seem to be in order, Dolly has worked a prize one on
him, I think. He was positively gentle and showed signs of the
making of a near gentleman. I was glad to see them, and more than
glad to see Dolly's unfeigned happiness. The mournful little
prince has gone on his way to lonely, isolated Sikkam to take up
his task of endless reincarnation.
Very soon I found another surprise--my friend Mr. Carson of the
Rockies. It seemed a little incongruous that the simple,
unlettered Irishman should have found his way into the brilliant,
many-countried company, where were men who made history and held
the fate of nations in their hands and built or crumbled empires,
and women to match, regally gowned, keen of wit and wisdom.
But, bless you, he was neither troubled nor out of place. He was
the essence of democracy and mixed with the guests with the same
innocent simplicity that he would have shown at his village church
social.
He greeted me cordially, asked after Jack and spoke
enthusiastically of his work.
I smiled when I saw that in the curious shuffling of cards he had
been chosen as the dinner escort of a tall and stately Russian
beauty. I watched them walk across the waxen floor and heard him
say to her, "Sure if I had time I would telegraph for me roller
skates to guide ye safely over the slickness of the boards." Her
answering laugh, sweet and friendly, was reassuring.
For a while it was a deadly solemn feast. The difficulty was to
find topics of common interest without stumbling upon forbidden
subjects. You see, Mate, times are critical; and the only way to
keep out of trouble is not to get in by being too wordy. By my
side sat a stern-visaged leader of the Revolution. Across the way,
a Manchu Prince.
Mr. Carson and the beauty were just opposite. I became absorbed in
watching her exquisite tact in guiding the awkward hands of her
partner through the silver puzzle on each side of his plate to the
right eating utensils at the proper time. I saw her pleased
interest in all his talk, whether it was crops, cider or pigtails.
And for her gentle courtesy and kindness to my old friend I blessed
her and wiped out a big score I had against her country. How glad
Russia will be!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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