The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-18
Bow Japan Impressed
 a CrdveIcr Cen Years HQc

Idead ancestors and which is approach
 ed by twenty mile road marked by
 shrines amid tall cedars. brought to
 Mir. Stoddard the impression of having found the last resort of romantic organism" It is told of General Grant that he courteously declined the privi- Ilege accorded him of walking over a bridge sacred to the feet of the em- peror or shogun,-an incident illustra- tive of the infection of politeness, and
 suggestive of the utility of securing
 Japanese missionaries.
 | All know that feudalism was abol- lished in the countries of Europe only
 after revolution and long drawn out civil wars; in Japan, the counsels and ldecrees of the Emperor and govern
 ment officials and the patriotism of the people effected bloodlessly the lchange from feudalism to constitution al monarchy. It was in 1869 that the
 Japanese over-lords 4called Daimos,)
 dismissed their warriors at the com lmand of the Mikado and retired to pri- lvate life, retaining only thei- aristoc- racy On this subject Stoddard's ob-
 servations, read in the light of today, prophetic, though written just after Japans war with China. 'The sight of this great nation turning from feud- alism to a constitutional monarchy. at the cost of fame, wealth, and even live lihood, for tens of thousands of Its foremost citizens, gives proof of
 wide- spread, unselfish patriotism, per
 haps unequalled in the Worlds histo- 1 ry."
 | Among many instances of devotion that of the gift to the construction of
 a temple by peasant women of their
 hair which, twisted and spliced with hemp into great ropes large and long
 as ships cables and used by the builders to hoist beams, was pre-em- inently beautiful and touching. One
 rope 250 feet long was the gift Of E.
 500 women in one province, white
 strands among the black showing how young and old united in the spirit of selfsacrifice. Great novelists' pictures of women who have yielded up their crown of beauty for the maintenance | of a loved child have thrilled genera tions of readers. and the sacred story of the woman who wipeo the feet Of the Master with the hairs of her head has stirred the worlds heart. What
 shall be said of nation whose peas-
 ant women perform as commonplace. everyday actions. deeds resembling those described as ideal by pens in- spired and uninspired?
 Of their skill as artists and artis- ans Stoddard says: Not as incidents uncultured. have tney appeared upon the threshold of the Western world, but as people who, accepting much
 that we have gained, have. too. not a little of value to impart and they
 elicit not only interest and astonish-
 ment but admiration and respect.
 It would be exceeding the limits of this column to give any outline of the variety of scenery described, from the smiling valleys Of the volcanic ridges and peaks. It is easy to believe the assertion with which. one of the de- scriptions closes: Tt was a place for Dante to describe and Dore to illus trate" One realizes the grandeur of
 mountain summits and the spirit of
 their altitude when told how. oh one
 occasion. the native guide lnvoluntar- fly knelt in prayer to his gods as the final assent was reached. and the for eign traveller bowed his head to the Ruler of the universe.-both worship ing the Supreme Power imperfectly symbolized in His world
 It is impossible to guess what they will do when the earthquake shocks of doubt" assail these worshippers of Buddha and believers in Shintoism- we can only remember how quietly and effectively they have effected their outlived commercial and industrial
 methods and processes, submitting bet ter, and how they cheerfully build anew when internal iOTceb Iehu anu desolate portions of their fair island. One understands better and admires no less the marvels of Japanese valor after a careful persual of these two l lectures; they differ so widely from the creations of other writers enthusi-
 asms and awaken ones own, leaving l on the mind by their force and vivid
 ness and photographic Illustrations
 something akin to the pleasure of ret
 rospection so cherished by those who
 see things with their own eyes. Kate H. Morrissette. P. S. A recent New York paper gives an incident proving ready Japan ese wit. A little brown man on an
 early morning street car was accosted
 by dapper occupant of the seat next
 himself with the querry:
 | What sort of a 'nese' are you any
 way? A Chinese. or JapaneseT Quick as a wink came the reply what sort of a key are you, any
 wayP A monkey. donkey, or a Yam
 keeT'