The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-12-18
A Japanese CuriO Store.

A japanese CuriO Store.
A curio store that most delights my
heart Is kept by one Hari Shin, a
japanese gentleman of the old school,
who still shaves his hair in O. strip
across the top of his head and turns
it forward in the gun-hammer cue
OF the ancient samurai. Hari Shin,
despising modern ways and business
signs, simply hangs huge sword over
his gateway, and leaves one to stumble
in accidentally upon a rubbish and
lumber-room, and take it into his head
to pursue his way across the garden
unguided. Hidden away back thereis
room full of old saddles and state
kagos or palanquins; a niche full of
old banners and spears; an apartment
piled high and hung with old dresses,
brocade draperies, and uniforms;
rooms filled with carved and gilded
Buddhas; divine Kwannons more or
less battered and worn, and rooms of
old china, old lacquer, and old wood
carvings. The last room looks upon
little garden, which holds, ofcourse,
it's miniature pond crossed by stone
bridge; it's stone lantern under the
shadow OF a tree at the waters edge,
and bronze storks and stunted pines
along theslope of the small mountain,
cunningly represented at one end.
Across the garden are three more
rooms Of armor, coins, and all kinds
OF ancient things, and a. second story
repeats all this labyrinth of rooms
filled with more and more curios.
Hari Shin's was the kind of place that
l had been dreaming of, and since
thanking the accident that took me
there I have found that few knew of
him and his treasures outside of the
men in the curio business. My enthu-
siasm for the place was followed by
that of the Others, and Hari Shin's
queer, picturesquely crowded and hid
den-away place has become our dis
traction; so much so that we insisted
on dragging an artist friend there one
night the minute we landed from the
steamer.
Hari Shin having taken in his sword
sign when he closed his outer gate, we
had a serious time wandering back
and forth before neighbor took pity
and pounded on his gate for us. By
the light of their common house Ian
terms, held aloft on their sticks, we
wound all through the labyrinth of
lower rooms, the lights now bringing
to view glitterins piece of old en-
broidery, sheaf of spears, an old
helmet, or the solemn face and touch.
ing thumbs of some great Buddha. 1t
was melting July night, and although
attendants following us tanning, we
wiped the perspiration from our face
and eyes, and continued rowing, fully
repaid by the fine effect of the lantern
lighted scene for any discomfort we
suffered. When we had gone the first
round and paused at the garden edge
to catch breath of air, one member
of the party, Japanese gentleman
who had resided for some years in the
United States, and acquired the right
idea that it was the greatest and only
country of the world after Japan, pro-
ceeded to take Hari Shin to task for
hiding himself and his treasurs so
completely away from the general
eye. To all suggestions Hari Shin
was deaf and obstinate, insisting
that he preferred not to be
advertised and known to Curl
Gus tourists and the mob. Hesaid that
hesold enough to the dealers of his own
country, and then as pardonable
boast said that he had lately been exc
porting great deal to foreign coun-
try, 'to AUSTRIA" in fact.
'To Austria!" cried our Japanese
friend, with affected horror. "Thatis
of no good. The Austrians are
queer kind of people, not quite civil
lied. You should export to America
and get Americans to come here.
Theirs is the richest and largest
country, and they can appreciate
your fine things.
Though Hari Shin s face showed some
interest at hearing that his best custo-
mers were barbarians, he betrayed
but little interest in the suggestion
made to him to enlarge his trade, and
we left him standing in his one gauze
garment and gun-hammer coiffure, q
fine type of conservative Japanese
of the original old schoolin which were
trained the soldiers, mobiles, and rulers,
who SO long kept outside nations at
bay.-Kobe, Japan, Correspondence
of st. Louis Globe-Democrat.