The Weiser semi-weekly signal. (Weiser, Washington Co., Idaho) 1904-1911, 1904-12-24
THE HUMOR OF JAPAN
JOKES That AMusg THE NATIVES
OF pAl NIPPON.

u"hy stories The Oc~. /
VINO Didn't Fear Burglars
writing Critic Who oouian,t vv.,.S
IN review Of a collection of f,,nr,
stories called .Kokkei Hyaku sbovvoa
Dy Mr.. Kubo Tendzui the Jonan
weekly Mail quotes the following as
Deing peculiarly characteristic OF lana,
pese humor: 10y "po'
"a certain government official who IN
olden times used to be called ..do,r.
wan,' but now is known as q oo,,n. /
emo mead OF a DISTRICT, having been
recently appointed to q certain district
was engaged in a tour Of insDection
when his notice was attracted by the
approach Of an old man who was foo
tipsy to walk straight
wondering who the Intoxicated man
could be, the district officer accostad
him and after much difficulty ascer.
tanned that he was the head Of the
village which he had come to inspect
thinking 1t to be his duty to make use
OF the occasion for obtaining reliable
information, the district officer asked
the topper how many houses and how
many people there were in the village.
There are 100 houses and, males and
females included, 60 persons in the
village" replied the man. Puzzled. the
officer asked, "How can that be?"
There is nothing wrong about that"
replied the head of the village. "Be-
sides these sixty there are any amount
Of people in the village, but since they
are creatures who know not what 1t Is
to drink they are not, take II, worthy
Of being mentioned"
Once upon time 1t happened that
five or six burglars, armed with
swords and shouting like men attack
Ing an enemy on the battlefield, came
bouncing into the house Of a certain
doctor. The whole household, with the
exception of the master, were para
lyzed. They felt as though iron chains
had been placed around them, and not
one of them moved hand or foot. They
watched In terror to see what would
happen, when, 10 and behold, the rob
bers took their departure without
stealing thing. Though they could
not tell what was the meaning Of this
strange proceeding, certain 1t was that
the family was safe. But where was
the head of the house? After search
ing through the rooms they found him
in his dispensary. There he stood in
the midst of the drugs, medicine spoon
In hand, looking fierce and triumphant
"What are you doing heref inquired
one of the members Of his household.
Smiling, he replied: ''Those robbers
were perhaps as noted as Kumasaka
Chohan, but they may thank their
stars that they have got off with their
lives! Had they pushed matters lit
tie further and entered this dispensary
not one Of them would have left II
alive" Amused by this remark, one of
the members Of the family rejoined:
without a sword or a pistol how
could you have killed these robbers
Can you kill robbers with a spoonT'
Whereupon the doctor, with fine self
assurance, replied: How many thou
sands Of lives have l taken by means
of this spoon! What to me are the
lives of FIVE or six robbersH Lucky
chaps to get of as they did"
The son Of an extremely nliterate
peasant was in the habit Of bringing
his copies home day after day, his
hands and face covered with the ink
that should have gone on his copy
Thinking II well to exercise his pater'
nal authority over the lad even In re
gard TO his school lessons, the rather
one day commanded the boy to show
him his writing. Looking 1t over WIFI
the air Of an expert penman, he crlti
cised various strokes: This stroke is
too long; this one too short. These TWO
strokes are too far apart" observed
the father.
"But," said the boy, 1.-THE writing
master tells us to write them as nave
doneo "Sbow me the copy" )erke'
ont the father. The boy produced the
copv. which his father began 10 eA
| anime CLOSELY upsiuS W" a.,
} Won are holding it upside DOWN. eA
claimed the lad. Not to be beaten, tn'
father replied: Don't be SO concerted
l am holding it for you to look at, o
course. You could not read II "el'
n turned the other way. Listen L
what is said to you and don't Ianc'
Won know everything"
} The above reminds US OF story Ina
concerns Taira Kiyomori. 1t Is re
lated that in the time Of the He'll re :,
bellion the rebels attacked kiyCmo OH,
camp very suddenly one day. LoSln ~.
his presence of mind, Kiyomori pu
ON his armor in a great hurry the pacl
mart front. Some persons near po ii1S'
ont the mistake he had MADE io
have nut your armor on the wronI
woy" they exclaimed. III Is no. ~ ~
calmly answered Kiyomori, As ~ ~
omneror IS coming behind nave ~ ~
+ On ne armor so as to have the ir r,,a
oart facing him. II would be linpop ',
10 have tho back part OF ones one ., ta,.lo
! Facing an emperor Witpoul A''''D
a ne went OUT % Dntpe' ~ 20 "a,