The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-09

"din, of preparation" The Orders and the
supports were bound together by the deft
Wrapping of straw ropes. Every board and
every stick seemed to have its place, and
the officers to know just where the place
was. At the same moment that the coolie
ants began their work, officers went from
house to house to provide for the billet
ing soldiers and more lines of ideographs
were made in notebooks.
In a few hours the soldiers-drOpping
their peace tasks wherever the pink tickets
round them-began to arrive ana settled
down in their quarters, quiet, welcome
guests of quiet hosts. The hosts and their
guests stayed indoors waiting, man, woman
and child, on the wishes of the MikadoS
warriors. Why go out and cheer when you
might sit over the hibachi and smile with
the heroes-to-be, who, augustly condescend-
ing, have deigned to honor a poor domicile
with their presence?
At the Russian legation the gates are
closed. No japanese stops in passing. The
native attendants in the little lodges on
either side of the massive grill-work with
its gold-crowned dOuble-headed eagle, press
their faces TO the windows ENORMOUSLY.
The thin columns of smoke rising from
the chimneys form the only other sign of
life. Within the silent structure are the
sole beings in all Japan who wish for Rus
tacheS, awaiting their departure, might we'll
wish for crowd and some signs of demon
st ration to break the . sinister quiet
to Japanese.
Yes with a smile-as if to imply, "Will
you augustly condescend to excuse the war
for cOming?"
"And Japan is going to fight hard and win
victories?"
Yes" with the same smile, quizzical and
meaning-meaning one knows not what to
The click of the Getas on the stones
seems itself to be in minor key, few
people are abroad; the jinrkisha men,
huddled in their blankets at their waiting
stands, knock the ashes out of their tiny
pipes and start homeward. The little shops
Ill.
workers are busy with their tasks rather
than with discussing war. Yet they well
come the news, and they would give their
all for the cause. By midnight you look the
flight of one of the vari-colored lanterns
which the runners hold on the thills Of the
at the usual hour. But what thoughts may
be passing behind the paper windows with
their checkered latticework. through which
the lights are no longer shining, is as far
from our knowledge as what is passing in
the office of the general staff
Scared, aren't they?" asked a foreigner
who arrived in Japan. to-day for the first
time why don't they get out their
bands?"
"Study the Japanese SMILE" residents
warned him.
houses, against the big Russiansl Haven't
they awakened to what they have under
taken, and aren't they worried? Why, they
are beaten at the start by their own show
STUDY the Japanese SMILE again the
residents warned him.
In other lands the withdrawal of ministers
means the playing of fOrtissimO passages
with the brasses. On another historical
night, thirty-odd years ago. the Paris
crowd was crying ION to Berlini'' In Japan
it is pianssimo with the violin, which
means more than the brasses. There is no
shouting of ION to Manchuria." yet The
hush OF the iong-expected come true. the
issue narrowed to the extremity as the one
objective, the plain realization of this day,