Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-06-23

most favored of his associates, he never told
the real depth of his love, but let conceament,
like bug in a rug, prey on. He struggled to
retain his self-control, and thoroughly succeed
ed, until the morning fixed for starting, when
he at last broke down, and went about lamen-
ting aloud. As he rode away from Willards,
the sight of the little maid in blue, standing
upon the sidewalk and tearfully bewailing the
departure of all the japanese, and especially of
her young man, only seventeen years of old,
completed his grief and, hiding his face in the
fulness of his sleeve, he began to cry bitterly,
and utterly refused to be comforted.
On the way from Washington to Baltimore,
he gathered fragmentary consolation by gazing
upon his cherished picture; but, from time to
time, his feelings proved too much for him, and
he gave himself up to mourning. The jests of
his japanese friends, which beset him from all
sides, did not awe him one particle from the
career Of his humor. In Baltimore, he essaved
to regain composure, and even rushed into
many excitements, in the hope Of securing tenn
porary respite from his woes. He converted
himself at one time into fireman, and en-
deavored to draw IRON huge hosepipe placed
in his hands, the waters of oblivion. | do not
think he succeeded; for, while riding up to
Philadelphia the next day, he told me quite
pathetically, 81 think always of my good little
Washington friend-"my dear-my sweet
heart"
Whether Tommy's case is without hope, no
one can now decide. He asks mysteriously
about the chances of conveying away some
friends with him to Japan, AID the world may
yet be startled by the announcement of the un-
expected elopement Of a young Washington
damsel, aged fifteen, dressed in blue and much
given to romance. Perhaps, however, Tommy's
heart may be the mirror that some say it is (;
and that the next bright face that falls upon it
may be as clearly reflected there as that whose
memory now fingers by him.
RELIGIOUS INTERFERENCE WITH JTHE APAN-
ESE.
The only practical illustration of the work.
ings of Christianity the japanese has ever had,
occurred more than two hundred years ago,
when, after having been introduced and rapidly
adopted by the natives, it was used by foreign
ers as q means of political advancement, and
threw the nation into a series of political con-
vulsions, from which it did not recover for many
years. The foreign Christians organized con-
spiracy against the Government, which upon
being detected, resulted in the extirpation OF
the new faith, and the unconditional expulsion Of
all strangers excepting the Dutch, who were
thenceforward confined to the small island oi
Decima in the harbor of Nagasaki. At thi:
time hundreds of thousands of japanese who
refused to renounce their new religion were
sacrificed.
The general belief which circumstances jus.
tilted, was that Christianity could only be inten.
ded as an aid to conquest. TO this day, the
laws opposing it are very severe, and it was moi
without difficulty that our Minister of Yeddo
Mr.. Harris, recently succeeded in securing the
privilege of free professions Of religion by for
eigners. In view of these facts, nothing car
be more unwise and injudicious than the con
stant attempts now made to intrude religious
subjects upon the attention of the Chiefs of tn,
Embassy. Crosses are ostetatiously presented
and Bibles are handed to them with inscrip
tions like the following.
Would that had the power to benefit you
Soul, and save your Nation. Receire this prec
! ious Book, is the prayer of --."
This was given to the First ambassador, a
public reception in Washington, by lady o
that city. 1t was promptly sent back to her, b.
mail, as all similar presents have been. Sucl
,, mistaken methods injure rather than encourage
. the cause they are intended to support.