Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 199, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 August 1912 — Moon Lotus [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Moon Lotus

By JEAN DICKERSON

(Copyright, Wl*. by A«»aclated Lltomry Prem.) Sano-koga is an Idyllic Japanese village near Toklo. Russell Lane had unsuccessfully tried to put some of Its beauties on canvas, but the occidental brush Is too heavy- to do justice to the delicate airiness of Nipponese scenery. "I’ve tried water colors and crayon and pen and ink —and I can’t do a thing with it!" he growled at his host who was watching him from the veranda. With a quick stroke he painted out his work and tossed down the brushes. Lucius White smiled wisely. "Because you’re not Nipponese,” he said. "Give a native artist a scrap of parchment and with a splash of water colors or a dab of India Ink he would reproduce my garden so that you could hear the leaves rustling oil the mulberry tree."

“I believe It because you are a missionary and you ought to speak the truth,” replied Russell, looking enviously about the miniature garden, where art had so assisted nature that the diversified landscape of a great estate had been compressed within the confines of the half-acre that belonged to the missionary’s house. On a dwarfed scale there was a sweep of turf, tinkling streams spanned by fairy bridges, stunted trees, beds of flowers, pavilions and teahouses, graveled walks, and In the center, beneath a circle of there was a large lake whose surface was almost covered with lotus leaves. “Try again," encouraged Mr. White. “Come out tonight when the moon lotus blooms and paint the garden by moonlight.” Russell shook his head. "No,” he said regretfully, “If I cannot paint yaur Japanese garden when the sun shines on it I am sure that I could not do It It is bathed In moom light. Sano-koga tempts me so sorely that I shall go away.” “At least yob will defer your departure until you have seen my lotus pond In full bloom,” protested the missionary. “When Is that to-her “It should be in bloom tonight when the moon is full. Then the pink buds

will unfold under a cold gaze of Luna, only to close again when she sets. It Is a rare sight in the season.” ’1 will stay,” decided Russell, putting away bls painting things. “Good!” cried Mr. White, rousing himself. “Let us ask Millie to give us a lunch of rice cakes and fruit and we will ride out to Sunset HUI and I believe I can promise you a brief glimpse of the top of Fujiyama." w It was after sunset when they returned from the ’ricksha ride, and they sat down to table by the light of a very American oil lamp, - Mrs, White announced that a message from a sick servant would summon them to the of the village. "I am so sorry, Lucius, because the moon lotus will bloom tonight,” she added. "I have promised Russell a rare sight If he will remain—perhaps we will return In time.”

“Don’t disturb yourselves on my account,*' was Russell’s assurance; "I will watch the phenomenon myself.** "Look out that you are not snared by ‘the witchery of the moon lotus spirit** teased Mr. White. “Ah, there is a legend connected with itr "Whatever maid or bachelor watches the opening of the moon lotus will see revealed the future.*’ "Tate’ implying future life partner?'’ laughed Russel. "Of course." "Although I am an avowed bacheHr, I will put it to proof this very night! Am I assured of having the lotus lake to myself, or must I share the gift of the gods with one of your servants T" "Oh, not There is a lantern festival at Harashl and every one will be thbre.** "Good! By the time you return I shall no longer be heart-free.” Russell' Lane waved- his friends good-by as they rolled away In their Vfokshas and made his way back to foe garden yeranda wbwe he could look down a£ foe Htjle lake lying a few yards beyond. « The full moon was jus*

above the tops of spme black and ragged cedars on a distant hill, and it would be some time before its silver rays touched the surface of the lake to awaken into life the closed buds of the moon lotus. There was the chirrup of countless Insects In the garden grasses, the cry of an owl, the slip-slipping of strawsandaled feet on the matted floors within as the servants went to and fro. After a while those sounds died away In a burst of happy laughter from the kitchen entrance and disappeared down a hedged lane. The moon rose rapidly. Russell strolled down to the shore of the lake and threw himself on a white marble bench. In his white clothes he became part of the snowy bench. The magic of the moon lotus was working. There came a whispering rustle as of the opening of hundreds of flower petals, but he derided the fancy. With one idle hand he could have touched the nearest lotus had he wished. The moon flodd.ed the lake, and even as he gazed the dark patches of leaves and buds stirred and almost Imperceptibly their appearance changed. Where all had been darkness was now a fleltf of pink bloom and there was a heavily sweat fragrance on the

air. At that moment Russell Lane declared he would believe anything he saw—and yet, almost Instantly, his credulity was strained to its utmost. Thftre came a soft sigh near at hand. His eyes shifted from the lake to the bank beside his bench. A girl was standing there, half poised on the shore of the lake, one foot on the low stone coping, her hands clasped loosely before her. She was slender and dark-haired and garbed in a loose Japanese robe of some pale shimmering fabric that seemed woven .of the white moonlight and the pale pink of the lotus blooms. Russell could see her profile? for she, too, was gazing in rapt delight' at the phenomenon of the unclosing of the moon lotus. She had not seen him —she was entirely oblivious of his presence. Who was she? The spirit of the moon lotus made visible for one magic hour? Russell looked at the palerobed form and then at the pink glory of the blossoms. In the second that his attention was diverted she saw him and shrank back with a startled exclamation and he knew that she was flesh and blood and of his own race. Instantly he was upon his feet and apologizing for frightening her. Y “It was too beautiful to disturb by mere words,” he explained. "The Whites are away this evening and told me of the opening of the flowers; it is a rare sight.” “Yes, indeed," she > said in a soft, deep voice that matched the dark beauty of her eyes and the creamy loveliness of her skln< "I live next door to the Whites and I have Just returned from Toklo. I thought the garden was deserted, and I could not resist coming over to see the lotus blooms.” “They tell me that there is a legend connected with the opening of the moon lotus.” It was on the tip of Russell’s tongue to give utterance to this daring remark, but at that moment the girl turned and her foot slipped on the stone coping. She would have fallen in among the lotus flowers If he had hot caught her in his arms. For an instant they looked in each other's eyes, and in the brief interval each one realized that the fate meted out to every maid and bachelor who looks upon the unclosing of the moon lotus was theirs.

A Girl Was Standing There.