Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1904-02-18

e-tablishnr NJ of FeudaIism, some re-
markable, but consistent, laws were
made and enforced Among Others.
for a japanese to go abroad and set
foot ON a f'reign shore the penalty
was death. A cOa-tlng junk was
blown out to >ea and had drifted FIR
DAYS on the Pacific. Food was ex-
hausted and death by starvation I'M
Ve>el discovered the junk and hui
namely took the japanese crew on
board and nGuriShtd them back to
life, greatly to their surprise. They
were brought on and landed in San
Franc els o.. There "a wealthy man
adopted ~ of the crew, a bright
young fellow, and educated him. 1t
seems providential. This young man
had just finished school when Japan
signed Perry's treaty, and he proved
of great service, both to the United
States and to Japan, as a translator
in the years of early intercourse be-
tween the two governments. But
for years after his return to Japan he
could not liv, among his own people,
and had to keep himself very close
to avoid assassination, and many
were his narrow escapes. Since the
development of the country has pro-
ceeded apace and the people have
become liberalized, he has been told
of frequent plans made to kill him.
Some of the men engaged in these
plots have become his friends.
AT that time the presence of a for
eigner in Japan was supposed to
pollute the soil on which he trOd,
and the first man to plunge a sword
Or spear into the heart Of the "for-
eign devil'' was hailed a patriot and
hero. Three-fourths of a million, who
composed the soldier class, ruled the
remaining thirty-seNen millions as
with a rod of iron. There were forty
odd capital offences. The execution
ground in Tokyo was a pool of blood
refreshed with the red life-currents
of daily victims whose heads, having
been severed from their bodies, were
stuck UP at prominent places on the
to cease doing evil and so shun a
like fate.
In that age only a samaurai, SOL
dier), counted for much in Japan
and 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 a coward. Every sol
dier wore two swords, and was not
at liberty to set foot outside his door
without them. Even the little boys
sons of soldiers, as soon rs they were
big enough to toddle around, put or
the ancient badge Of nobility. One
was a short sword-a large bowie
knife, rather-the other a tWo-hand'
ed weapon of the finest temper ano
as sharp as a razor. The names of a
few famous sword-makers rank
among the first men of the country's
past. It is said, with but little ex.
aggeration, that the test of a gooC
sword and a brave soldier was fol
him to hold his blade horizontally
the edge up, a falling leaf striking
on the edge would be cut in two by
its own weight. These ancient war
riors dressed in steel armOr, wore
huge masks and fought with bows
and row and spears, but particu
larly with swords. They studied
anatomy, and to a man knew tn
vital parts of the human body. Onc'
a samaurai got a fair lick atan enemy
it was, as they SO frequently %tersel,
say, mo shimatta (the end of it), TO
with unerring precision he pene
trated either the heart OF the brain
Later they had some MATCHBOX
guns, mere blunderbusses of little
practical service.
It was under conditions such a
, these that Europe and America fount
Japan some fifty odd years ago.