Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-28
k..3
/ LITERATURE AND LIFE
A. j. N.
T A. j. n. i


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More than any other writer, perhaps
Lafcadio Hearn catches the charm, the
oaintiness and the beauty of Japanese
life. His books give us a conception OF
life radically different from our own
and each new volume is an added joy
His latest, "a Japanese Miscellany
is a charming collection of all sorts
taken from the literature of Japan, in
Guiding legends, stories, poems, songs
nature sketches, etc. One whole Sec
ton is given to dragon flies, illustrated
with pictures and poems. The japanese
regard as sacred all animal and insect
life, embalning in numberless poems
the strangely beautiful dragon fly. One
Of the ancient names for Japan is
"Akisushima, signifying the island OF
the dragon fly, perhaps so called from
the shape of the island or possibly from
the abundance and won6rous beauty OF
the insect.
A touching story is THE Case OF
O-Dal" A Japanese girl who has been
converted to Christianity destroys GER
tain sacred pictures in obedience to the
command of missionaries. The latter
soon after. leave, thereby cutting Off
the pittance on which the girl has been
living, and quite angry with her be-
cause she tells them that if left behind
she will be forced to life of shame
The story shows how little our mis-
sionaries really understand the situa-
ton. Surely, they say, healthy, able
girl ought easily to support herself
They don't seem to know that the act
they required of her, SO simple to them
forever makes the girl unclean in the
eyes of her race Not even the better
grade of shameful houses would re-
#ceive her, but only the lowest and most
degraded And 80 vanished forever
O-Dal, flung into the furnace of city's
lust Perhaps she existed only to fur
nish an example of facts that every
foreign missionary ought to try to I'M
derStand."
Another section is devoted to the
Songs of Japanese Children" from
which one can readily comprehend the
strange mysticism that, implanted in
and colors their whole life. These play
songs teaching Buddhist doctrine are
likely survival of the period when the
instruction of children was given over
to the Buddhistic priesthood, and every
temple was school.
President Roosevelt's Strenuous
Life" has been printed four times since
he became president. and a French
publishing house is having his "Crom-
well' translated into French.
With it's usual enterprise the Cosmo-
politan is working up a worlds con-
gress, to be held either in Washington
or Paris in the year 1903. This con-
gress is to consist of 100 members, Sc
lected from 500 names put in nomina-
ton, representing the best thought and
craftsmanship of the most important
peoples of the globe. The members to
be chosen by consensus of opinion
amnog the peoples represented. Their
selection to be made not for any per-
sonal, political or diplomatic reasons
(Which the Cosmopolitan regards as
the chief source of failure In all inter-
national congresses held thus far), but
the choice to be guided solely by the
following qualifications in the nomner.
a. sincerity of purpose; CD earnest
ness; (3) clear thinking; ca broad ex-
perience in affairs.
Representation vii be given to ma
tions in proportion to their importance
in international affairs, population AMI
intellect. The subject for discussion
presented by each nation will be Sc
lected by its respective delegation. and
these subjects presented to the con-
gress in order of priority assigned on a
basis of population.
The Importance, power and far
reaching results of such a congress nc
man can at present foresee, but that II
would become an Irresistible force II
the creation of wholesome public
sentiment In the direction of peace.
Justice and fraternal good will among
all peoples of the globe it is easy to be-
lieve.
While doubtless the underlying mo
tive Of the Management of this scheme
is to advertise the magzine. still II
must be conceded the advertising
methods of the Cosmopolitan have al
ways Deen most COIn1llenuaDle, seeking
not only to build up it's. own interests
but at the same time striving to
achieve some noble scheme for the bet
torment of the world. And this latest
undertaking is one whose outcome will
be watched with the keenest interes!
by every lover of humanity.
Munsey's Magazine also announces
in the last issue s.n innovation in the
publishing world, changing the bust
ness to a corporation consisting of Its
readers and patrons. The publisher
has Incorporated all his magzlne inter
ests under the name of the Frank A,
Munsey Co, with capital stock OF
$4,000 600, his own valution, below
which, he says, he is not willing to sell
any part of it. This stock he divides