The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-02-14
Yesterday and To-Day i'm
Japan.
lContinued fron First Page.f

| ~Au mas souLeLlmeS powerful exkorta-
ton to his friends and followers. retain.
ers, II he were provincial lord, to
avenge his death. After the writing was
finished short, sharp sword, wrapped
In clean white paped was handed him ON
Ia tray. This he unwrapped and imne-
diately proceeded to eisenhower himself.
after which he leaned forward and q
headsman, with one of those two -nanded
blades whetted to it's keenest edge, pro-
ceeded to cut of the head. This he did
by striking one blow on the back of the
neck, which was so ordered as to cut
through the spinal column and leave
just portion of the skin of the throat
answered. With one hand he took hold
| OF the HAIR OF the head and completely
severed the head from the body with
an upward stroke. Holding the head
alott, for the judges inspection, the exc
tion was pronounced complete.
In an execution of this sort care was
observed that everything should be done.
well, we will say, "decently and in or
der For the headsman to cut the hair
at the base OF the skull or mark the
shoulders of the condemned man was
/, considered a great disgrace to the one
executed, and an evidence of want of
stolid were those old warriors, so little
did the fear of death disturb them, that
it Is said that frequently, when about
to be executed, after striking himself the
fatal thrust that opened wide his own
body, the condemned man would reach
ono hard to the back Of his head and hold
his hair out Of the way of the falling
blade
! oe
under feudal Administrative the couatry
was divided into over seventy provinces.
each presided over by lord who held
his place at the favor and pleasure cf
! the Shosunate (feudal cabinet.} These
provincial lords were required to spend
eight months Of every year in Tokyo,
the capital, then little less than ? great
military camp. Here the Shotgun (cnief
eommander) could have these gentry
a coward. Every soldier wore two
under his own eye and under the watch
care Of the unremitting detective system
which he maintained, and SO prevent the
Matching of instructions. The remain
ing four months of the year the provin-
cial lord might spend on his estate, if he
chose to do SO. This gave rise to great
deal Of passing to and from the capital.
! There were three principal roads ext eu1
! ing the entire length of the main island.
Every day witnessed military professions
passing along these roads, as the proud
lords of provinces, wing with each other,
with demonstrative military escorts went
up to the capital or returned to their
country places for sojourn. AS these
professions moved along the highways
the people on the roadsides were required
to look away from the road and to bow
down their faces to the ground In 8 di-
rection opposite that along which the lord
and his attendants were passing. The
countryman who failed to observe this
rule was lawful mark for the sword of
/ the first soldier that could get at aim.
| In the age only a Samaurai soldier
counted foI much in Japan, and
F., his character was estimated by the kind
and quality of sword he carried,
and the condition in which he kept
=! it. A furnished blade was the badge of
swords. and was not at liberty to set
foot outside his door without them. Even
the little boys, sons of soldiers, as soon
as large enough to toddle around, Tut
On these ancient badges of nobility. One
was a short sword, rather large bowie
knife, the other a two-headed weapon
f.; of the finest temper, and as sharp as
razor. The names of a few famous sword
makers rank among the first men of the
country's past. IT is said, with but lit
tie exaggeration, that the test Of | good
sword and a brave soldier was for him to
i hold his blade horizontally, the edgs Up,
falling leaf striking on the edge would
/ be cut in two by its own weight. These
ancient warriors dressed in steel arnor,
, wore huge masks, and fought with bows
and arrows, spears, and more DGrticu
/; larIy the sword. They studied anatomy,
so man knew the vital parts of the
human body. Once a Samaurai got fair
; lick at an enemy, it was as they so Ere
quently and tersely say, mo shhnatta
(the end Of it,, for with unerring pre-
cision he penetrated either the heart OF
) the brain.
Later they had some Matchbox guns,
mere blunderbusses, of little practical
service.
1t was under conditions such as t.ase
that Europe and America found japan
some fifty odd years ago. After many
and fruitless efforts on the part Of Eu
ropean states, our government dispatch
! ed Commodore Matthew Gailbreth Perry
with considerable fleet of ships 20 tire
east, and gave him rather broad powers
with respect to the negotiations of Il
treaty with Japan. Commodore Perry
had treaty drafted and translated, and
going to Kanagawa, the port of Tokyo,
now suburb of Yokohama, held a CON
sultation with the feudal authorities, and
explained to them that our object was
simply for trade intercourse, for mutual
benefit, that We had produce which we
wished 10 sell them and that we desired
some of their teas and silks in exchange
He asked them to consider the subject
while he should go down the coast o.
China on a mission which would occuuy
his time for some weeks. On his return
he hoped they would be prepared to sion
the treaty. Commodore Perry went away
on his mission and returned to Kama
sawa in due course Of time, only to be
informed by the Shogun's representatives
that that was the Emperor's country
that they, the military government. were
his servants, and that he refused TO give
them permission to sign the treaty
They were at their old game of playing
off the Emperor. Parleying and persuad-
cd