Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-12-09
MATSUYAMA MIRROR.
A WONDERFUL JAPANESE DEVICE
THAT PUZZLES SCIENTISTS.
Images Reflected Through Metal-A Jap
aneHc Fairy Tale That win he Enjoyed
Around Every American Fireside-How
a Mother Lived In q Mirror.

aneae Fairy Tale That WIN he Enjoyed
Around Every American FiresidO-HOw
a Mother Lived In q Mirror.
| Especial Corrcspondencel
| YOKOHAMA, Nov. l4-Among the many
marvellous things to be seen in this
country of marvels that first attract the
attention of the foreigner is the japanese
mirror. Its popularity consists in the fact
that it is made Of metal-generally of
bronze-coated on the front with an ANAL
gam of tin and quicksilver, and so highly
polished that but for its weight it might be
mistaken for an ordinary looking glass.
/ The back is adorned in relief with flowers,
birds or Japanese characters which extend
to the handle, and the general appearance
is that of handsome metal fan.
That which is most extraordinary about
the mirror, however, is the quality it pos
sesses of rejecting a luminous image of the
| design on the back. In other words, the
| sunlight seems TO penetrate the metal and
| display the figures that are otherwise hid
den from view. The attention of men of
| science has long been attracted to the phe-
| nomenon, but no explanation heretofore
| given has proved satisfactory. The consen-
| sus of opinion is that the effect is produced
| by an unequal conveXity resulting from
the manipulation of an iron tool accompa-
|
| In connection with these mirrors, the
Japanese have pretty fairy tale and be-
cause of the poetical thought it conveys,
| and the pleasure it may afford to young as
well as old, send you the following free
translation as it has been given to me by
one of the English residents here:
| A long time ago there lived in quiet
| spot 4 young man and his wife. They had
one child, n daughter, to whom they were
greatly attached. and their home was
known as Matsuyama, n beautiful village
in the province of Echigo. 1t SO happened
that the father was obliged to go to the
great city of Toxic, the capital of Japan.
The mother, never having been farther from
home than the next town, could not help
being frightened Mt the thought of her hus-
band making such n long journey, yet she
was proud of the fact. for he was the first
man in all that country side who had been
to the big town where lived the emperor.
At last the time arrived for his return,
and dressing the baby in its best clothes
and arraying herself in the pretty blue
gown which she knew her husband liked,
she waited TO give him welcome. And
when he came, how the little girl clapped
her hands and laughed with delight over
the beautiful toys her father brought. And
for YOU he said to his wife, Il have
brought this. 1t is called a mirror. Look
and tell me what You see inside"
He gave to her plain, white wooden
box, in which on opening it she found a
round piece of metal One side was white
like frosted silver and ornamented with
raised figures of birds and flowers. The
other was as bright as the clearest crystal.
The young mother looked into it with de
light and establishment, for from its depths
was looking at her with parted lips and
bright eyes a smiling happy face.
What do you see:' asked the husband,
gratified at her establishment. Il see a
pretty woman looking at me. She moves
her lips as il she was speaking, and-dear
me- how odd, she has on a blue dress just
like mine why, you silly woman, it's
your own face that you see, said the hus-
band, proud OF knowing something that
was new to his wife. That round piece OF
metal is called n mirror, and everybody in
the great city has one although we have
not seen them in this country place before. !"
The wife was charmed with the present.
But the wonderful thing was far too pre-
cious for every day use, 81 she shut il up in
its box again. putting it away carefully
among her most valuable treasures.
Years passed on and the husband and
wife continued to live happily. The joy OF
their life was their little daughter. who as
she grew up became the very image of her
mother. The latter, mindful OF her own
passing vanity on finding herself SO lovely,
kept the mirror carefully concealed, fear
ing that the use OF il might breed spirit
of pride in her little girl. She never spoke OF
1t, and rs for the father he had quite forgot
ten the circumstance. So it happened that
the daughter grew up as simple as the
mother had been, knowing nothing of her
own good looks or of the mirror which
would have reflected them.
After awhile, however, = terrible misfor
tune occurred in this happy little family
The good mother fell sick, and though
waited upon with loving care by day and
night she grew worse and worse until al
last the sad announcement was made tina;
she must die. Calling the girl to her. the
mother said: My darling child, must
soon pass away and leave you and your ia
ther alone, but want from you n promise
Here is what is called a mirror" taking Il
from its hiding place and handing il to hel
daughter. Promise me that you will lool
into this mirror every night and morning
for there you will see me and know tha
your mother is still watching over you"
The child promised with many tears auG
the mother. being now calm and resigned
soon after died. Obedient aud dutitul, tht
daughter never forgot her mothers last re
quest, and each morning and evening tool
! the mirror from its box and looked at /
? long and earnestly. There she saw, as sh,
, supposed, the bright and smiling vision O
. her lost mother. Not pale and sickly as il
mother of long ago. To her at night sh
: told the story of the trials and difficult!e
ofthe day, and to her in the morning louRet
: for sympathy and encouragement in what
A ever troubles might DO in store for her.
So. day by day, she lived as il in he
. mothers sight, striving still to please he
as she had done in her mothers lifetime
: and careful always to avoid whatever nigh
3 give her pain or grief. Her greatest 10
: was to LOOK i'll the mirror and say, Mother
, have been today what you would wish m
: to be if you were by my side
0 Thus seeing his little daughter ever
, night and morning looking into the mil
! ror holding converse with it, her father on
4 | day asked her the reason for the strange be
havior. Why, father" she said, II Loo
: into the mirror every day to see my dea
I mother and talk with her," Then she toll
: him of her mothers dying wish and hoy
4 she never had failed to fulhll it. Touche'
8 by so much simplicity and such faithful
r loving obedience, the father shed tears Q
. pity and affection; but he could not find i
in his heart to tell the child that the imag
she saw was only the reflection of her ow
- sweet face. which by sympathy and associa
ton had become more and more like he
dead mo; hers day by day. And SO she live
on, happy in the thought that though absen
i'll the flesh, the one she loved best was a
WAYS present in the spirit and always look
ing OIL her from the depths of her cherishe
mirrori Il. w. Z.
As Measure of Economy.
Hot chtstnuts:' said the streetcorne
merchant suggestively.
mo- What do i want of Your no
chestnuts@ retorted the chrysanthemuu
young man who was hurrying past.
Put 'eln i'll your oYercoat pockets!