The Columbus journal., 1892-08-31

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bat. whsa this moseyr. he'd an 1lsaQ
pearod he became se0ewha9, aaxfoul
and sought a opportunity - speak b
his mother thinking thss she nigh
help him. Ono day they met By accident
asi he said: .OkkSSan. / am In real
trouble this time and yea nsss hell
ma" ffAD
When she asked him how she could
assist him. he told. her that the nex,
afternoon about dusk she must pre-
tend to b taken very i'll suddenly AND
in. . short while to dla Then h
would como over and bring her to lifs
with his magic samisen. At 6rst the
good lady hesitated for she did no
like to deceive even such cross and
stiugy son - HogA but Wada begged
SO hard that she at last consented.
Sure enough. at dusk the next day
Hoga ran pale and terrified into hil
brothers house and told him thai
their mother was dying. Instead o.
showing grief he commenced laugh
ing and dancing and cried out: Gould
anything be moro fortunate! Wait
until I get my sam son"
.Unfeeling wretch!' exclaimed
Hoga. You have always pretended
TO love your mother and now you
laugh and sing to hear Of her death.
You arc no better than . Chiuaman!'
Il laugh and sing because can 70
store her to life" said Wada 81
have . samisen which can call back
tho souls of tho dead"
LIAR cried Hoga in great anger.
You have tricked mo twica beware
of the third time. for I will kill you
with my own hand"
L would not joke on such q sub. &c.
a. thiA" said Wada in . grieved tone.
But come" I will prove the truth oi
my words.' Whom they entered the
house all the friends and relatives
.vere Weeping for the o!d lady had
lust breashed Ter last They were
much horrided to see Wada with q
samisen in his hand and still moro 90
when he sat by his mothers corpse
and began to play . lively tune Soon
the dead woman moved one OF her
hands then her arm Her eyes
opened and she said: Who plays the
magic samisen that calls my soul to
earth" Every one presen: was filed
with astonishment and JOY and the
funeral was. changed into o great
banquet where no ono drank 90 much
or laughed % loud as WadA Hoga
bought the samisen for i've thousand
yen, and Wada went for another long
journey. When next . neighbor died
Hoga went to his house laughing and
singing. sat on the floor by his head.
and began to play as Wada had done
OF course tho dead man did not stir
and all tho relatives fell upon poor
Hoga and beat him for showing such
disrespect TO the dead. Now Hoga's
anger against his brother was terrible
indeed He did not speak OF it but
he had determined tc kill him.
When at last Wada returned two
men were sent In the night to bind
him and put him in . big covered
straw basket At daybreak next
morning Hoga came and carried him
OF toward tho seashore for he bad
decided 10 drown him. The sea was
several miles distant and when he
nearly reached it he became so OK
hausted that he entered wayside tea
house for rest aud re!reshment leav-
ing tho basket by the side OF the road.
Before long . poor old fisherman
came limping past He was crippled
and sore and his eyes were SO swollen
that he could scarcely See. In hi:
hand he carried o fine bunch of fish.
Wada watched HIM through the
cracks- and when he was about to
fall ovet the basket cried out: BE
careful! Do not disturb me- l an
curing my ego sickness
What's that?" said the fisherman.
Who spoke7"
Hero in tho basket" said Wada.
Il am curing my eyes"
MY eyes are also sick" said the
old man. i pray you teach me how
to euro them"
Just unite this basket said Wads
with great politeness and will give
you my place for an hour 1 can
promise you that at the end Of tha,
time all your sickness and troubles
will be OYER"
The fisherman fastened to obey
Wada tied him securely in. picked up
tho fish and lost no time in getting
out of sight When Hoga cams out
and lifted the basket the old fisher.
man called .:Be careful! Cont dis.
turb mo! I am curing my eye-sick.
ness" Yes" said Hoga with q grim
smile. 1t will soon be cured" So he
took him to the top Of an overhang.
ing rock and threw him as far OF in
the water as he possibly could. -
Ali the way home he laughed and
sang with delight at getting rid OF his
troublesome brother. As no entered
the gate he heard sounds OF mirth and
laughter from within. Hurr, ing in
what was his horror at beholding
Wada at tho head Of q large company
urging them to cat more OF the fish be
had caught As Hoga staggered on
the threshold his brother looked up
with bright smile and said:
Brother why did you not throw
me a little further? Thcn I could
have seized some fish even larger than
these"
But Hoga answered not a word.
Seeing that he vas bafiled and dis
graced. be went out In the back yard
and committed 'Harakiri" by cutting
his body open with q. short sword.
WadA who with his mother inner.
ited all OF his brothers wealth. en-.
jo;ed q long any happy life His
storJ being told abroad. his name be-
came . synonym for quick and ready
Wit throughout all Japan. -Philadel.
phia Times
Oct OUT OF MY LIGHT.
An Ancient Sayin Orr .inated ut . Bal
II was on June is that Alexander
the Great had his noted conversation
with Dicgenea asserts the Detroi,
Tribune Thew wero bOfh at n IN q