The San Francisco call., 1899-09-24


In the batch of papers brought in
from Japan by the latest steamer are
a good many items Of minor interest,"
illustrating certain phases OF hfe IN
that reawakened land. One of these IS
the statement in the japan Herald that
it has been offered a daily supply OF tel
eerams but has refused them. The rea-
son given for the refusal is this:
1--WE would have been quite willing at
once to close with the offer did not our
experience and that of every other jour
nal paying for kilograms prove thal
their cost is never reimbursed by the
public, for whose information they are
procured and issued. If we with any
sort of certainty were able to look Tor
ward to being repaid to the extent OF
say one-half or upward the expend1-
ture, we would be disposed to incur the
cost Of the balance
Imagine a land where people who
patronize newspapers published in the
English language will not encourage
an expenditure for kilograms! One
would have supposed the American and
the Briton abroad would rather have
kilograms than beer, but 1t appears
and even the most wide-awake dwellers
dispatches less than
Stories told in the Puntaub,
When the yellow twilights pale
And monkeys talk together,
Holding each others tail.
There be enterprising men In japan,
however, and some of them have set
about the task Of booming it as a para
disc for pleasure seekers-a land Of an
infinite variety of delights. In the
Japan Herald q description Of a new
tourist hotel just opened in one of the
romantic districts of the island says
of the village in which it is situated:
Though it has not much population
the degree of livelihood of the inhabit-
ants is comparatively excellent Their
natural disposition is gentle and honest,
and their mutual friendship is so har-
monious asethat of family. Draught
of pure air suspends no poisonous mix
ture, and always cleanses the def1le-
ment of our spirit. During the winter
days the coldness robs of all pleasures
from our hands, but at the summer
months they are set free. The first
view of Full. It's regular conflguration,
hanging down the sky like an opened
white fan, may be looked long at equal
shape from several regions surrounding
it, Every one who saw it ever has
nothing but applause. Wind proper in
quantity suits to our boat to slip by
sail, and moonlight shining on the sky,
shivers quartzy luster over rippIes of
CT -
our hotel plays on harp! and the gulls
flying about to and fro seek their food
in the waves. All these panorama may
be gathered only in this place"
Such a galaxy of aIlurements so
brightly depicted is apt to breed in the
mind fervent desire amounting almost
to a fever to hasten to Japan and en-
joy the delights. Fortunately the anti
dote to the fever is furnished by a
writer for the Japan Mail, who declares
the land is by no means satisfactory to
civilized man. He admits there are
many charms. "All the irksome eti-
quette of European customs" he
says, may be dispensed with, all the
wearisome conventionalities ignored,
and amid beautiful scenery in a salu-
brious climate one may lead a comfort
able, untrammeled existence, ignorant
Of the heart -burnings Of cliques, re-
lieved from the slavery of the tall hat
and the frock coat, and guaranteed
against the worry of servants
He argues, however, there are many
deficiencies which more than counter
balance the joys, and sadly declares:
Music, the drama, art, the march
of scientific discovery the vigorous
struggle of the political paloestra, the
sight of the leaders of thought and the
sound of their voices, the great con-
tests Of physical skill in which the
Anglo -SaSons delight, the splendid
museums that bring us into touch with
buried generations, the light of women's s
! loveliness, and, last but not least, the
Ginning Of the church bells-all these
| things fade out of the life Of a man who
makes Japan his place OF abode"
In that wall for the lost lows OF
| Europe by a satiated reveler in the
blisses Of land where newspaper read
ers are Indifferent to kilograms and the
cuckoo has a harp, there is a sadness
SO vivid 1t can almost be photographed.
Most assuredly it could be painted It
is pity that Millet is dead The poetic
genius that painted the Angelus could
have made dear and deeply moving
picture of a stray American or Briton
standing in the twilight, looking with
unsatisfied eyes upon a garden where
the Geishas are dancing, listening with
unpleased ears to the tinkling of the
little Japanese lutes, and longing for
the sound Of church bells The pathos
Of the thing is so natural it must appeal
at once to every appealable heart.
1t is only fair to both writer and to
Japan to add that considerable oualia-
cation is given to the statement that
Japan has neither music, drama nor
lovely women. He admits they have
such things, but maintains they might
| q wall ho xytt