Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-12-14
The Three Brothcrs of Japan.

1t was night in Ycddo, the capital
of Japan, and a family consisting of a
mother and three sons, aged respectively
twenty, twenty five and thirty years, sat
in mi, cradle hovel in an obscure part OF
the city, bewailing their unhappy lot.
Tie father of the family had died when
the youngest boy was but three years Of
age, and misfortune had followed the
widow from that time till now when she
and her three scns, Notwithstanding their
utmost exertions to eaina livelihood, were
on the point of starvation.
"c.,n nothing be done /" keep onr
.nollcr lr,la i;;mishing." 2" asked the cider
(, lie lr",|er<. as h. .Yazed with look
Il ,...ny into Ii i.,:2g;,r! lace ot lis
lvae ,J.n! ">i', has ca:cn nothing
~ w5d =. c;.nioi l:vc muclr
2,...ei vision: ~.
(" Think 1T, 8. ill., " l,s!.1lilcl
the old woman. .i..., ,cpari from here
and look to yourselves. l AIN old, ana in
the natural course of things would soon
lie even though We had plenty. You
have long life before you if You escape
starvation Thcyefore look TO yourselves
and leave me 10 die"
Never = exclaimed the three sons in a
breath, and the elder added. while u dcs-
peratc light shone In his eyes, There are
corn and wine in the country, my mother,
and you are entitled to enough a, least to
keep you from starving You shall have
it, my mother You shall have it = and
beckoning his brothers to follow, he turned
to leave the hovel.
Do nothing rashly, oh, my SON." en-
claimed Tie mother, in tone Of anxiety
II would far rather die than that harm
should come TO thee y
Come what may, thou shalt not die p
was tn, reply; "the country is rich, thou
art entitled 10 sustcnance, and shall have
it Come, brothers, let us forth, and con-
suit as to mcansY' and leaying the old
woman in doubt and dread, The three
youths departed
Wien they had reached an obscure spot
.ome distance from tl:cir abode. lhc elder
brother c;iic,i halt. and said:
Brothers, l can sec but ore way 10 rescue
our mother from certain death, and escape
si..ry ,t.on ourselves. and that is TO join
he n,ur.lcrous band OF Chino, the outlay
I have rcvolvcd this matter in my mind
or long time past. and have made my
sell familiar with Chinos haunts and have
.t,,so aained some knowlctgc of his method
ot doing business. His land is constant
y recruited by starving wrctches like our-
selves, and his first act 10 win them 10
nnlscll and make them entirely his own
is to relieve their immediate wants Tn
der present circumstances death inevitable
s.arns us iu The face and the worst the
Kubo can do is to kill us if we arc taken
prisoners. What say you, my brothers,?
A dead silence of some moments dpra-
ton cnsued, and then the younger spoke
"Chino p he exclaimed, shuddering, as
the dreadful name passed his lips. Chino
The frightiul murderer, whose heart knows
no touch of pity-who spares neither sex
nor age, and for whose capture, or that o.
any one of his murdcrons band, large
reward has been offered? Oh brother
this is fearful alternate Life would bc
too dearly purchased at such price Lei
rs sec if We cannot do better" He re-
fected deeply moment. and then, as &
look of hope irradlated his countcnancc
he continued: II think ] can imprcvt
upon your suggestion, brother Death is
nothing as compared with dishonor oul
mother would never eat the bread earned
by crime. The Kubo has offered larry.
reward for the capture of any member 0
Chino's band. This, then, is my plan
You shall bind me, and take me bcfor,
the Judge, where YOU shall charge IN,
with being one Of Chlpos most importap
men-this l will not deny; the matte
will be laid before the kubo-you vii
get the reward, and hasten to the relief o
oar mother, and will gladly suffer death
By adopting this course only one Of u
will be sacrificed, and the other two vii
semain to protect and comfort our mother
whereas, should we join Chinos terrible
band, re should all be irretrieyably ru
med,"
The elder brothers acknowledged th
soundness OF llt youuger's views, Lu
they would not agree that be should sac
rifcc himself They insisted that the,
c1onld 20 at 1ots IN SEQ who should hn III