The morning times., 1895-12-26
Romance of a Poor Jap.
BY JEAN KINCAID.

| the pathos of defeat. being enacted by real
flesh and blood characters under ones
! unseeing eyes
The hero uf such a drama was suddenly
| revealed to the writer few days ag" In the
,, person of young Japanese, who was going
quietly and uncomplaningiy un his way
| as a salesman in one ur Boston's largest
| mercantile establishments.
A little sympathy and u little coaxing
| sufficed TO win his story.
1t must, however, suffer in the repetition,
because one cannot give in ordinary print
| the fascinating little accent and the quaint
japanese idioms which made the tale ST.
| charming as IL was told originally.
! The father of Shiro kuroda was an i'm
poriant man in his proyince-weaithy, pop
ular, universally respected and looked up
| to by all as To one in authority. He was
| very pious man, an ardent Buddhist in be-
| lief, and gave OF bis wealth liberally for
| the extension of his religion, erecting many
| Buddhist temples and giving much for char
! liable purposes tn people OF like faith.
He decided, therefore, tn make OF his
eldest son, Shiro, Buddhist priest. So,
at the age OF twelve years, Shiro was sent
| away to a Buddhist school, although it
was a hard task for his parents tn partfrum
him.
For three years Shiro sta yed at the
Buddhist schoul, without once coming home.
While there he was taught the elaborate
ceremonial of the sacrifice to idols, in which
he was obliged tn take part daily
Shiro did not like this. He was a lazy
little aristocrat, according to his own ac-
count. At hume he was waited upon by
several servants, and to be obliged to- per
/ form what ne considered meniaI duties two
| hours a day for these idols did not please
| him at all,
Shiro had very questioning and investi-
| eating turn of mind He was always asking
| the why and wherefore of things, and he
soon began tn question the use of this ser
vice TO the idols. Many of the idols were
very old; some OF them had lost their
| wooden heads. The boy thought that If
| they really ate the food set before them
every day they must need their heads. He
| felt sure they did not eat the food given
chem, and yet IL always disappeared.
| One day Shiro found that some of the
4 rice was scattered over the altar. That
| surprised him very much, for the Jap
\ aDese are exceedingly dainty in all their
| personal habits, and even young child is
| taught not to spill his food. He shook
| out curtain hanging above the altar, and
| huge rat ran forth.
| This frightened Shlro a little, but amused
| him also. From this moment he began to
| have strong feeling of contempt for these
idols, gods who could not even keep their
| own heads nor their own food.
The incident made a strong impress ion on
Shiro, and he never forgot ii. When he
later came TO this country and heard the
| boys say "Rats!'' he was reminded of that
| which caused his first unbelief In Buddhism.
/ During the three years that Shiro was
at school his father had become acquainted
with foreigners and with foreign ideas. He
learned the necessity of foreign education
Tor the young people, and so established a
private school OF his own.
Shro was, therefore, taken home and put
into this school.
AT Shiro's home there was a family idol
greatly revered 1t was a tiny figure less
than two inches high, and said to be over
! 200 years old. 1t was supposed to have
come down direct from heaven to guard
and protect this pious Buddhis family, and
all the family wealth and prosperity was
supposed 10 come from this source. The lit
tie idol was OF peculiar metal which it
was claimed could not be melted. Shiro's
grandfather had thought that this family
idol could be better cared for at Buddhist
temple, and so he had sent it in grand
procession and with much ceremonial. But
the family legend was 10 the effect that
the idol was next day found in its accus-
toned place on the family altar-having
returned in the night, regardless Of the
expense and trouble which had been ex-
pended iD its honor.
Shiro resolved to try conclusions with this
family god. Having seen that the idols in
the Buddhist temples could not retain their
own bodies perfect, nor keep their food from
rats he thought he would like to test this
one. IL was the custom to have family wor-
ship every NOR ming and evening, sooue even
ing Shiro stayed behind in the room after
the others had passed out. Trembling at his
own daring, Sbiro took the little idol down
from the altar and placed him on the floor
He told him he wanted TO get acquainted
with him. He didn't want to crowd him out
but he reminded him OF the years his IA mily
had tended and worshped him, and he
asked him TO show some of his power. He
would not ask him to go back to the moon
to get some cheese, nor back to the Buddhist
temple In which he had once been placed,
but could he not return to the altar from
which he had just been taken, to show his
power and TO restore the faith OF his fol-
lower.
The god seemed quite Indifferent to the
boys appeal aud would not answer nor stir
from his place.
Shiro thought it was. perhaps. because he
wasso wicked that theg god would do nothing
before him to show him his power. So be
asked him If he would go while he shut his
eyes. Stiil no answer-no movement.
So shiro told him he would leave him there
on the floor, and perhaps he would go back
to the altar during tue night.
The boy slept little that night and was
haunted by frightful dreams. In the morn
ing he hardly dared enter the room when
the gong summoned the family to prayers.
He walked behind his father and peeped
out from under his sleeve. The idol had
not moved IN the night, and the father 60
ing toward the altar, would have stepped
on him If the boy had not shown him where
the idol was.
Then great distress fell upon the family.
The father felt sure some great calamity
was fail on the house and sent in haste
for Buddhist priest to advise him what to
do.
After this Shiro lost faith completely
in Buddhism and in idols, and became an
atheist.
Atthis time he was studying japanese his
tory in his school. He found he could not
believe the story told of the origin of Japan,
and on questioning his teacher he found that
he did not believe IT either, but believed |
rather in the lone God who made heaven |
and earth, the sea, and all that in them isl
This teacher taught him on Sundays, till in |
time the lad became q Christian.
Then came a time of persecution and sor- |
row. His father thought it his duty to drive |
him from his home. and the boy Travelled |
200 miles on foot to the home of a mis- 1
sioDary. whose servant he became.
Always looking for something better,
Shiro determined To come TO America to |
obtain an education. And so the boy OF |
seventeen started alone, with M money |
almost. IL a country whose language ne |
did not know and where he had no friends. |
or lis sufferings in the steerag ge passage |
over tu America, and in his long trip across |
the continent, when he lacked fuod and |
proper clothing, much might be said. He |