THE MYSTERIOUS PORTRAIT

Northern Advocate, 29 December 1934, Page 15

THE MYSTERIOUS PORTRAIT

In the little Japanese village of Yowcuski a looking-glass was an unheard of thing, and the girls did not even know what their faces were like except from the description their lovers gave them. Now, it happened that a young Japanese one day picked up in the street a small folding hand-mirror. It was, of course, the first time in his life that Kiki Tsum ha'd ever seen such a thing. He looked at it, and, to his intense astonishment, saw the image of a brown face with dark eyes, and a look of awe struck wonderment on the features. “It is my sainted father. How could his portrait have come here. Is it, perhaps, h warning of some kind?” He folded the precious treasure up in his handkerchief, and put it in a large pocket of his loose blouse. When he went home that night he hid it away carefully in a vase, as he did not know of any safer place. He mentioned nothing of his adventure to his young wife, for, he said, ’“Women are curious, and then, too, sometimes they are given to talking.” For some days Kiki Tsum was in a great state of excitement. He was thinking of the portrait air the time, and at intervals he would leave his work and go home to take a look at ' his treasure, Now, in Japan, as in other countries, mysterious actions, and irregu- • iar proceedings of all kinds have to be explained to a wife. Lili Tsee, his wife, did not understand why her husband kept appearing at all hours of the day. And so Lili Tsee fell to watching, and she noticed that he never went away until he had been alone in the little room at the back of the house. She hunted to see if she could find some trace of anything in that little room which wais at all unusual, but she found nothing. ' , , .

One day, however, she happened to come in suddenly, and saw her husband replacing a rose leaf vase. The moment he had gone she was upon a stool like lightning, and in a mor ment she had fished , the lookingglass out of the vase. Then the. terrible truth was clear. What was it she saw?

Why, the portrait of a woman. And she had believed that Kiki Tsum was so good and so fond and so true.

Suddenly a fit of anger seized her, and she gazed at the glass again. The same face looked at her; but she wondered how her husband, could admire such a face.

She had no heart for anything, and did not even make any attempt to prepare a meal for her husband. When later on, Kiki Tsum arrived he was surprised to find nothing ready for their evening meal. ‘“So this is the way you treat me before we have been married 'even a year. What do you mean, Lili Tsee?” , .

“What do I mean? What do you meari? The idea of your keeping portraits in my rose leaf vase? Here, take it and treasure it, for I do not want it. The wicked, wicked woman.” . “I cannot understand,” he exclaimed.

“Oh, you can’t?” said she. “I can, though. You like that villainous looking woman better than your own true wife?” “Lili Tsee, what do you mean? That portrait is the living image of my poor dead father. I found it in the street, and put it in your vase ' for safety.” “Hear him! He wants to tell me-I do not know a woman’s face .from a man’s,” replied Lili Tsee, ' 'more, angrily. . v. , r Things really began to look serious. It seemed as if their married life, which had hitherto been passed in happiness, was to be completely spoiled and made miserable by this mysterious portrait. Kiki Tsum was wild with indignation. The accusation of his wife was perfectly ridiculous. Of course, the portrait was not that of a woman, but of his father. It was impossible that he could be mistaken; The loud, angry voices attracted the notice of a Japanese priest,who was passing. He stopped and listened for a moment. Such a quarrel, he . thought, must not be allowed to continue. It was probably some slight misunderstanding, which he would soon be able to put right. “My children,” he said, putting his head in at the door, “why this unseemly anger? Why this dispute?” “Father, my wife is mad!” ; ;‘ “All women are so, my son, more or less. You were wrong to expect perfection. It is no use getting angry.” ‘ “My husband has a portrait of a woman hidden in my rose- leaf vase!” “I swear that I have no portrait, but that of my poor dead father.”. , “My children, show me the portrait.” The priest took the glass and looked at it earnestly. He then bowed low before it, and, in an altered v tone, said; ■ “Settle your quarrel and live peaceably together. You are both in the wrong. This portrait is that of a saintly, venerable priest. I know not how you could mistake so holy - a face.” He blessed them, and then went away, carrying with him the glass to place with other precious relics •of the church. -