The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-24
BANzAI TO THE TROOPS.
A Japanese send-off to Departing Soldier

A Japanese send-Off to Departing soldiers. Kobe Letter in St. James Gazette.
 '"The Japanese women never weep" So concluded the writer of. a Japanese love story. If that writer could have seen a parting that witnessed yesterday, he would not thus have committed himself. The man was not a little Jap" He was not a tall man. either. Of medium height. with a big chest and square shoulders. and a countenance which, if not altogether hand some. was unmistakabiy honest. he was Q typical soldier and a man. There were other similarly uniformed on the platform. and small crowd wearing the traditional kimono and clogs watched them with ad- miration as they strapped up their ac- coutrements or squatted on their knapsacks and talked and puffed their cigarettes That might be their last sodan on that sta- tion, for they were off to face the Russians in Korea.
 Through the wicket gate came q woman. The official there did not insist on the plat from ticket which is essential on all Jap anese railway stations for the privilege of seeing off: he stood aside and allowed her to pass. She was distinctly pretty, and with the pleasantest arisato in acknowl- edgment of the privilege accorded her by the official, passed on to the platform. I noticed that her lips were reddened and her face was slightly powdered. and the tiny baby she was carrying on her back was dressed in his picturesque holiday garb. The little girl who clung to the woman's kimono was also attired in a new dres of the bright est colors her straightly cut hair with the little shaven circlet on the crown bearing evidences of a special attention for a special occasion and her chubby little face delicate ly improved" by cosmetic touch.
 The woman's smile of thanks quickly gave place to a look of concern. but her counte-
 aha nlaA NAn group of soldiers and the one for whom she was looking pressed through the little throng and advanced towards her. Again she smiled and contested as her husband greet ed her in that severely polite and formal way which is the manner of Japanese hus- bands at all times. With but word tc the woman, he playfully snapped his fingers for the edification of his son and heir. and then the little girl left her mother and took her fathers outstretched hand in both hers and looked up at him induiringly. They sauntered to the quiet end of the platform. the mother folding her hands at her back for the support of the infant--a sure sign of fatisue-and could see by the manner of the little girl as she Aidied up to her father. almost overbalancing herself on her tiny clogs, that he had cracked joke for her especial benefit.
 For a while I forgot that little family as I noticed the railway officials busily dis playing from the watting-rooms and book ing offices. the hino-maru, the unpretentious but effective Japanese flag. which has so frequently been entwined with the Union Jack of late. while many people were arriv- ing. all paying for Q platform ticket, and all bearing a hino-maru of some descrip- ton. They brought red and white lanterns. too. and I now understood why 1t was that the tea-houses in the vicinity of the station the station hotels'-were festooned with lanterns bearing the familiar emblem of the Rising Sun. These. I afterwards learned. were left burning all night while the troop trains were passing through "to light the soldiers on heir way"
 There was yet half an hour before the train was due. but the chatter Of clogs on the paved platform increased, and all was already hustle and excitement. After all half -an-hour is nothing of a walt for a Japanese crowd; half a day would hardly exhaust their patience. Young girls in bright kimono and gay obL with flowers or ribbons in their coiffured hair brought quaint little baskets. and couple of smil- ing coolies carried bundles of long ham, boos. was the only alien on the plat form. and in the excitement of the moment my presence was hardly noticed.