The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-26

Wherein the Oriental Excels the
Western Born.

Lafcadio Hearn has probably done more
| than any other man to make the Western
world acquainted with the real life of Ja-
pan. The story OF this mans life is one OF
the strangest ever recorded. His mother
was a Greek, his father an Irish officer in
the English army. He early had to shift
for himself and eventually found his way
to the United States. Here he was reduced
almost to the condition of tramp, al
though he was finely educated and a man
of rare gifts. At length he secured en-
ployment in newspaper work, and then his
rapid A visit to the West Indies awakened
in him the slumbering desire for a home
amid greater refinement and more aesthetic
influences than were to be found in Amer
lea or Europe, and where climatic condi-
tions would be more to his liking. He set
tied in Japan, married Japanese wife,
took Japanese name, embraced the Japan
csc faith and became an Oriental in every
respect save birth He is now professor
in the university at Toxic. He is afflicted
with an affection of the eyes which makes
1t impossible for him to turn them in their
sockets. story is told that ne did his
first work on an American newspaper in
Cincinnati. 1t is said that he applied for
work night and was refused. Just then
a message came TO the editor to the effect
that a murder had been discovered at the
gas works. All the reporters were out on
assignments, and the editor turned to the
urcouth applicant and asked him to look
INTO the matter and report. Hearn re-
turned in the course of an hour or two
and said that a man had been murdered
and his body had been thrown into one OF
write II up.;' ~
Some time later. so the story goes. the
editor went into the room where Hearn
was writing and found him stretched at
length on a table with a tablet under his
face, on. which he was writing, his afi1ic-
ton making it easier for him to write in
that position. The editor picked up several
of the sheets and perused the delicate hand
writing. He was amazed at the literary
quality, and laid his hand approvingy on
the writer's shoulder. A half-savage growi
was the response.
"You may give us all that kind of stuff you
can"
Hearn's story is known as 1.-THE Gas
reportorial classic 1t secured for him a
permanent position, and opened the door
to his future success.
The Boston Journal has a somewhat Diff
ferent story, and relates 1t after this FASH
ion:
about Lafcadio Hearn's latest book, Clean
ings in Buddha Fields DO you know why
Hearn determined to live in JAPAN asked
he went to Cincinnati, where he did news
paper work. He soon suffered terribly
from an enlarged and projecting eve thAt
disfgured him and made him grotesaue.
He was stared at, he was Knocked and in
suited, and, what was even worse, he was
pitied openly. sensitive man, he kept
the house during the day and took exer-
else only at night. Occasion called him to
Japan. To his amazement. in that coun-
try nobody, not even a humorous boy,
showed by sign or word that the stranger
was disfieured or set apart in tavern street.
shop. field. Mr.. Hearn was treated as
though he were a normal being. Thankful
and overcome. he said to himself, Here
is the land of true civilization, and here
will I live and die" He has taken to him
self a Japanese wife, he Is known by a
Japanese name, and the last heard from
him he was professor of English in Jap
anese university
Such civilization said the telephone
expert. must be the result of generations
of training HIM answered the profess
sor; the rude Japanese were undoubtedly
put to death years and years ago. have
seen much Of their country, and never have
I found there boy who by look or gesture
would express surprise at any dress
speech or habit that might SEEM to him
outlandish. How different it is here in Bos-
toni And yet there has been improvement.
I remember that was one of the first to
wear helmet sun hat. Boys jeered, WON
en- giggled old crusted Bostonians looked
at me superciliously and suspiciously. ex-
pressmen and hackmen would often adj
dress me loosely or coarsely from their
vantage seat. I have sometimes thought
that the yearly execution on the common
of the conventionally rude would make
much for civic civilization. But if this cere-
mony had been performed twenty years
ago the town might have been depopu-
lated %