The Savannah morning news., 1904-05-26
BANZAI TO THE TROOPS.
A Japanese send-OR TO Departing
Soldiers.

Kobe Letter in St. James Gazette.
THE japanese women never weep"
So concluded the writer of Japanese
love story. If that writer could have
seen a parting that 1 witnessed yes
terday, he would not thus have COM
mitted himself The man was not a
little Jap" He was not a tall mar,
either. OF medium hight, with big
chest and square shoulders, and
countenance which, if not altogether
handsome, was Enthusiastically honest
he was a typical soldier and a man.
There were other similarly uniformed
on the platform, and a, small crowd
wearing the traditional kimono and
clogs watched them with admiration as
or squatted on their knapsacks and
talked and puffed their cigarettes.
That might be their last sedan on that
station, for they were off to face the
Russians in Korea.
Through the wicket gate came a
woman The official there did not in
sist on the platform ticket, which is
essential on all Japanese railway sta
tions for the privilege of seeing off; :"
he stood aside and allowed her to pass.
She was distinctly pretty, and with the
ment of the privilege accorded her by
the official, passed on to the platform.
I. noticed~that her lips were Redeemed
and her face was slightly powdered,
, and the baby she was carrying on her
back was dressed in his picturesque
holiday garb. The little girl who chung
to the womans kimono was also attir-
ed in a new dress of the brightest col
ors, her stFaightly cut hair with the
nj IN he hear
ing evidences of special attention for
a special occasion, and her chubby lit
tie face delicately improved" by a
cosmetic touch.
The woman's smile of thanks quickly
gave place to a look of concern, but her
countenance frightened again as she
espied the group of soldiers, and the one
for whom she was looking pressed
through the little throng and advanced
towards her. Again she smiled ana
CONTESTED as her husband greeted her
in that severely polite and formal way
which is the manner of Japanese hus-
bands at all times. With but word
10 the woman, he playfully snapped his
fingers for the edifcation of his son ana
heir. and then the little girl left her
mother and took her fathers out
stretched hand in both hers and looked
ur at him inquiringly. 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
eisn of fattgue-and / could see by the
manner of the little girl as she sided
I'D TO her father, almost overbalanelng
herself on her tiny clogs, that he had
cracked a joke for her especial beneflt.
For a while / forgot that little fam
ily as / noticed the railway officials
busily displaying from the waiting
rooms and booking 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 arriving,
all paying for a platform ticket, and
all bearing a hino-maru # some de-
scription. They brought red and white
lanterns. too. and l now understood
why it was that the tea-houses in the
vicinity of the station--the station no.
tels"-were festooned with lanterns
bearing the familiar emblem of the Ris-
ing sun. These. / Afterwards learned.
were left burning all night while the
troop trains were passing through TO
light the soldiers on their way"
There was yet half an hour before
the train was due, but the clatter OF
clogs on the paved platform increased,
and all was already hustle and eN-
element. After all half-anhour is
nothing of a wait for Japanese
crowd: half day would hardly eX-
haust their patience. Young girls in
bright kimono and gay obi, with fiow-