The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-02-16

boiled rice and the cup of tea which
mark the end of feast in Japan, as In
China, We're served, and we We're then
asked to get ready for the theater.
Unlike China, buildings used expressly
for Thespian purposes are common IN
Japan although out-of-door perfor-
mances on temporary stage are also
given. The theaters of Osaka are in the
Dotom-b ori district, and are surrounded
by side-shows of every description We
went to the largest and best-a plain
wooden building, not in any way attrac-
tive as regards it's exterior nor orna-
mental in its interior The auditorium
is large, square room, the flat floor be-
ling divided into many small sections by
/ low ratings, each section accommoda-
ting six or eight persons and being
equipped with mats. A party may hire
a section, or single tickets may be
bought, the holder taking his chance of
getting place where he can. Ushers
are in attendance, also peddlers of play
books, fruit and lunches, for theatre
cal day is long one, lasting from early
morning until late at night. The fiat
ness of the floor is no obstacle to vision,
as the stage Is high enough for all to
see well. Surrounding the pit is gal
lery divided into boxes, and one of these
had been reserved for our party. A
couple of red blankets had been spread
to protect the mats, and chairs were
provided for our comfort-a thoughtful
concession to the stiff joints of the for
eigner, although tending to make him
unpleasantly conspicuous. The stage
was a revolving one, and the scenery
and accessories, while decidedly crude,
were a marked Improvement over the
bare theaters of China. The plays-for
we saw part of two-were amusing
comedies, bordering on the farce. Eve
rybody smoked, women as well as men,
and at intervals tea and sWeetmeats
We're served to our party. Some of the
most effective entrances of the per-
formers were made from the rear of the
petition of the agonies of the previous
day, which, although | was better for
titled to meet them, were greater than
before. The number of my hdeous as
sailants were more than doubled as far
as l could judge. The whole patch of
sand seemed alive with the voracious
vermin. So much so that when l saw
the approach of those horrible hosts my
heart sank, my flesh shrank on my
bones and l clutched at my throat. But
] could not strange myself, though
had | possessed knife | should GER
tainly have chosen a swift exit from
the unutterable horror of my position,
fiercely as I chung to life To be de-
voured piecemeal, retaining every fac
ulty till the last--I could not bear the
thought. There was no time for re-
Election, however; the struggle began
at once and continued with pertinac-
ity on the part of the crabs that prom
Used a speedy end to it for me. How
long it lasted l have no idea-to my
tortured mind it was an eternity At
last overborne, exhausted surrounded
by mounds of those I had Destroyed
over which fresh legions poured In ever
increasing numbers, earth and sky
whirled around me and / fell backward
AS | went, with many Of the vile things
already clinging to me, | heard q yell
"a human voice that revived my dull
ing senses like a galvanic shock. With
one last flash of vigor l sprang to my
feet seeing as I did so a canoe with
four Kanakas in it, not fifty yards
away, in the smooth water between the
beach and the barrier. Bounding like
a buck, needless of the pain as my
wounded feet clashed among the in
Vulnerable spiky cafapaces of my enc
mics, | reached the water and hurled
myself headlong toward that ark of
safety. How l reached it do not know
nor anything further until | returned
to life again on board the Warrigal, of
Sydney, as weak as a babe and feeling
a century older.--From The Pail Mall
Gazette