The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-27


Of the third month"; the Feast Of Flags the fifth of the
fifth month, Tanabata the seventh of the seventh
month"; and the holidays in early spring in plum blossom
and cherry blossom tme and in the late fall when the
chrysanthemums were in their glory.
New Years really began about the middle Of De-
cember for Taro and Taxa. That when the mochi-
came and setting his small earthen stove the
walk in front of the house, prepared to make the holiday
and put away to last whole year He Blew upon the
charcoal thru bamboo reed and by and by the odor
Of cooking rice to the nostrs Of Taro ands Taxa
who did not want to leave the mochi-man even for
breakfast.
When the rice done, the mochi-man poured it
with him, and taking wooden malet began to pound
into smooth paste When Mother Msu brought ent
down with glee The moch paste would soon be ready
for their eager little hands, Mother Msu sprinked tie
board with rice flour and then the mohman turned the
and Taxa plunged their clean brown hands into
it with shrin cries of delight and in no time had patted
that to be during the New Years festivities
were stuffed with the bean stripped of its skin
when they would be packed away to be steamed and
eaten as they desired during the rest Of the year
of the other things that came with New Years
The house was always as clean as Mother Mtsu could
make it, but just before New Years. she had everything
in the house up and out and made cleaner than clean
Every mat beaten and cleaned, all the beds were
aired and beaten; the clothing carefully brushed,
everything broken was mended and things that were
past mending were heaped in the street and bonfire
made of them.
Then Taro and Taxa helped Mother Mitsu do up all
the presents that to be given away at New Years
Each wrapped neatly in and tied with red and
white string with bit of dried fish tucked in the
knot for good luck BY the time the members Of the
family all remembered and the friends and the
servants and the servants children to the third
generation the pile of presents looked like much
broken red and white peppermint candy
The last thing of all New Years eve Father Man
yemon took small box of hard beans and vat from
room, scattering them in every and say
ing, Center, good luck! Depart all ev'' Taro and
Taxa always held their breath when Father Manyemon
did this for they knew if it not done ''ust so
exactly his forefahers for thousands Of years had
always done it, they would have the most dreadful Of
dreadful luck all thru the year. But then, Taro
did how anything evil could stay after hearing
Taro and Taxa used to enjoy going out the streets
Father Manyeon they went along looking into the toy
shops and wondering what among all the toys they would
find in their neatlytied packages the next day. The
spread out upon the walk their attempts to find
buyers There lanterns and lights of every kind,
everywhere. Never at any other time of the year
there much light much noise, great crowd,
much bubbng good nature this last night of the
old year. Men, each preceded by boy, carrying great
lantern dangling at the end of long pole went from
place to place collecting what owing to their
poyers with their lights bobbing everywhere the
streets looked as if all last summers freAes had come
back for merry dance.
(To Be Contnued)