Connecticut western news., 1880-06-23
LapanLetter No. 1a.
Written by MT. Thomas 0. Bradbury, to his family in Ashley Falls, Mass, and fur nished THE NEWS for publication.

KOBE, Japan, Dec. 6, 1879. | The weather is like summer here. When l went to my tiff1n at 12 o'clock was glad to get on the shady ride of the street; people were carrying umbrellas to keep off the sun. In the grounds around the temples there are some trees from which the leaves have fallen, but most of the trees are still green, and it looks very little Ii ie December at home. I do rot expect to see much snow, for it does not fall every winter. am living in Japanese house now, (for l have left Mir S.) aud you should see me sitting on the floor like Jap have little charcoal fire in an earthen ves- sel made for the purpose, if the night is chilly. sleep in regular Japanese bed. and live veIy comfortably, but lonely. We are having de- lightful weather, perfect Indian summer Roses and japonicas and the tea plant are in bloom in the open air. The winter here must be very short and mild, for the rainy season begins in March. It seems strange to hear them making arrangements to trim the church for Christmas when 1t is nearly warm enough to want fan. There are great many for eigners leaving here, and more would be glad to go if they could, but dissipation has kept them poor. and there seems to be no way for them but to stay, and end their days here in misery. Some men are sent home by subscrip- ton, but in such worr out and destitute con dition that they will not last long. There arc very few that escape the prevailing evil. Of ali the fortunes that have been made in this part of Japan, there is but one man living in retirement Two are known to have commit ed suicide since came here; another died very suddenly from the effect of drink. One man who was at one time worth $80 900 came to- the mill seeking employment that would keep his mind off ot himself There was no place for such man, Soon after he took pas- sage on 8 steamer for Yokohama, and shot him. self before he arrived there.
 I have changed my boarding place have taken room in the house of my interpreter, a Japanese house. My bed and other things will cost me twenty dollars. I am getting my month. The living is good, and is served hot, although my meals are brought to me, and live half mile from the restaurant. The Japs are ahead of us in small arrangements. They have tin case on which the plates are placed ]; there is small pan with a charcoal fire set in the bottom, which keeps all warm in the case, My interpreter thinks I had better get only my midday meal from the restaura nt, and pre- pare my first and last meal at the house. His housek eeper is little old maid. She is very anxious to try to get my breakfast and evening meal. have-been in my room all day, except going to the bath, did not feel like going to church for some reason. so I have been alone all day, excepting the company of the sparrows. There is large flock of them which I feed with crumbs outside my window. They up. We have very pretty English cat. The Japanese cats have short tails about as large as a rabbits. am going out to get picture of the jinrikisha you can have no idea what they look hks. Everybody rides in them, for there Is no other way to go unless you walk. There are quantities of them here; I noticed numbers on them as high as 1250 in the Kobe district. They are licensed the same as car riages in the city at home.