The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-14

ferent dolls. Others believe that the stilted
acting in these old dramas is a correct but
exaggerated reflection of the actual move
ments and gestures Of the days that were
choked with artificiality. ceremony and
etiquette. Now these classic plays give the
best picture of ancient Japan which il is
possible to obtain They produce the days
of the Shoguns. the Daimios, the two
sword men. They show modern Japan how
these men lived and moved, how they wore
their robes and armor, the ceremony that
obtained among them, and their manner
OF using the sword, the teacup and fan.
With the comedies of ccngreve or
Sheridan are seldom played that even
in London it is difficult TO find men who
are at their ease in wigs, small clothes
and ruffes. who can present snuffbox
with elegance or eXclaim "damme' and
fore Cad with conviction They have
not been trained to- the artificial manners
OF the eighteenth century. But in Japan
modern plays are a very modern innoVa-
ton, while the traditions of the classic
drama through many years have been
handed down from actor to actor. and al
ways to the best actors For here the hest
OF the older actors selects the most prom
lslng among the younger, and adopts him
as a son, instructing him in all that per-
titlns TO MS art When the great actor dies
the pupll takes his name, and nherits not
only his experience, but his museums of
priceless robes, Aimonos, swords and ar
NOR.
The war drama was entirely modern. II
had no chorus to interrupt with its COM
ments and prophecies; the costumes and
uniforms were such as you saw before you
IN the auditorium, and the stage properties
were so up-to-date that they included one
OF Walter Camps eight-day clocks. which
Is the first thing that shocks the seeker
after atmosphere in every paper-screened,
do0l-llke house in Japan
Inc events in the first act occurred some
Tour years ago in a japanese seaport out
side Al Shnto temple, where the priests,
villagers and fishermen were holding a
FESTIVAL. Into their happy holiday came a
band of drunken Russian sailors, who
he nrin he Il
ana, what was much worse kissed the
women With screams the villagers fed
ana the Russians pursued. fisherman
VINO In the classic piece had played
Daimio arrived the scene and an
nounced that alone he would drive the sail
ors from the village. AS he rolled up his
howled and applauded just they do when
one or our leading men throws of his coat
and tucks up his sleeves. The curtain lel
on the hsherman's to avenge the in
suit TO the temple and the women. The
curtain rose as soon as it fell and we found
| that the stage revolved like a railroad
| turntable and that while one act was going
forward the scene was being set for the
next In this act the fisherman kept his
| promise and the sailors with their officer
were driven to their shore boat. But as
| they pushed off the Russian officer shot
| the fisherman and he died The turn
| table spun again and we saw the home OF
| his son. -Four years had elapsed and
| between Russia and Japan was in the air.
! This son was the captain of a torpedo boat
and he told how his father had been killed
| by a Russian, captain, now Admiral
| Makaroff, whom he in turn would kill. \
sailor Sauntered down the long PLATFORM
| opened the garden gate and gave the Off
| Ger his summons TO join his ship. War
| had been declared. The officer retired and
| returned in uniform. The parting from his
| wife and his little boy, from our point of
| view as To how such a parting would take
| place, interesting. The Japanese Off
| Ger could not exhibit the least emotion and
| neither he nor his wife touched the other
| nor, of course, did they embrace or kiss.
! The woman brought the husband photo
| graph of herself and her son and he looked
a long time at 1t and stuck it inside his
! coat. The scene was real and solemn-the
sailor who had brought the message loiter-
ing outside in the garden, yawning uncOn-
| cernedly, or grinning "a the little nezan
| waiting at the steps TO put on her master s
| boots; the boy admirtng and Juggling at his
| fathers sword; the wife weeping, but max
ing no outcry, and kneeling at her hus-
| bands feet, and the officer holding himself
in hand and saluting her Frustrated figure
| as he marched away down the long plat
| form. L must confess that it made me
choke, and the men with me all went out
and drank to the Japanese navy.
In the next act we saw a torpedo de-
stToyer off Port Arthur; the waves rolled
i and tossed, and the men on the torpedo
boat changed watch, scanned the with
binoculars and at last were sent to quar-
tiers. They awaited the dash upon the bat
tleships. The officer of the previous act
stood alone on the bridge. He took out the
photograph of his wife and boy, and in the
moving searchlight gazed at it. Then scorn-
fully and contemptIrOusly he tore it into
tiny bits, threw it into the sea and shouted
the order to attack. The audience of husN
bands wives and children shouted in SYM
pathy. The torpedo was launched, the
shells flew. the first attack on Port Arthur
had begun. An officer was shot in the arm
and sailor tried TO bind up the wound.
The officer threw the sailor off, and to
| shame him beat the open wound repeatedly
with his fist. There much more of
this same spirit illustrated in the war
drama, but the climax the tearing up
of the photograph, the sacrifice of every
other emotion TO that of patriotism. For
here my country is first. Lafcadio Hearn
tells how in the last war officers shot them
selves, the modern hara-kiri, because they
were left at the base, or were too i'll to lead
their men into action. Already in this war
three have died for this same ideal. One
officer shot himself because he taken
prisoner. A recruiting sergeant, because a
private wept when saying farewell TO his
parents, drew his sword and struck him
dead, and on the ground that Japan has no
need for soldiers who weep the sergeant
was not punished. The third was a young
lieutenant, who, when ordered to Korea,
found one with whom he could leave his
little daughter. That his mind might not
dwell on her possible sufferings in his alb
sence rather than his countrys work,
he killed her. He was ordered to be tried
for murder after the war and sent TO the
front
drama in England. the home of melodrama,
whot has ventured to place the love of
! country over the love of sweetheart or wife
and children. Even William ferris could
not have made that sentiment popular and
L doubt if any American audience would
care for it. If il were known that an
American officer had halted at the foot of
San Juan hill to tear up the portraits of
his wife and boy, he might get 10 the top
of the HILL but he never would get to the
| White House.