The period of “Little Heat” had come and gone. Natsu-zemi and
Min-min-zemi boomed their deafening chorus in the pines about the Shinto
shrine and the rice was tall and straight in the myriad fields. The
_kitsunichi_ (lucky day) had come, and as evening fell, O-Mitsu waited in
her pure white robe the coming of the friends who were to bear her away
to her husband. Presently the little group set out, and in a few moments
the house in Azalea Street had received its new mistress.
When she had changed to the beautiful new dress of softest silk Soichi
had given her, she sat down with him and drank the _san-san ku-do_ that
made her his wife. Three times from each of the three cups she sipped the
sake and passed the cup to him. Then, husband and wife, they joined the
friends assembled in the wide rooms for the feast that crowned the day.
And among those guests none were more honored than Kudo Jukichi and his
son. The proud old Samurai had taken the last step, and become in fact as
well as in law, a citizen of the new Empire.
[Illustration]