Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-03-09

everybody comes running to see what
the news may be, How they crowd
in groups upon the corners, in the mid,
die OF the streets, anywhere--dogens
of eager little brown people. all trying
to read the little bit OF paper at once!
| Somebody reads II aloud, but the
others are not satisfied, and SO II pass.
rs from hand to hand. and one looks
! to learn from the varying expressions
/ what the nature OF the news may be,
/ but one looks in yain.--there Is no OK.
! preston at all, Simple stoiidity
Whether the news be joyful or sad. II
is as il the Japanese, collectively and
individually, had determined to re-
main unmoved throughout everything,
/ treating reverses and victories with
the same quiet dignity, think when
Port Arthur falls there must be a
4 genuine burst OF enthusiasm, They
are preparing for Il now, and flag.
STATS are crossed upon all The priuci.
/ al streets. ready TO boar the colors
when the great news does come, as It
must do soon
! Boom, boom, boom Across the city
| lills the SonorouS music OF the temple
/ bell upon the Hill OF lse, near the Shin
I to shrine of Daiilngu II is great
/ bronze hell hung low In an ancient
moss-covered he'll tower. the graceful
Iupturned caves of which are surmount.
ed by grinning, fantastic dolphins,
Boom boom, boom, three times Il
strikes In warning to call the atten,
ton of the city, and then In measures
music It tells the hour of the day, II
has no clapper. this bronze bell, nor
have any Of the great bells OF Japan.
| \ great wooden beam suspended by
ropes from the caves Of the tower Ia
! pulled back by couple OF priests and
allowed to swing against the side OF
! the bell, This produces the beautiful,
mellow. almost tragic tone for which
| all thcg reat Buddhist bells are 30 Gel
ebratcd, and which seems to All all
the atmosphere of this strange land
with their solemn, low.hung hopeless
| fatalisni,
There Is never the tramp Of horses
feet upon the streets OF Japanese
cities, nor ringing OF street car bells,
nor blowing OF omnibus horns No
crack Of drivers whips nor wrangllng
OF angry truckmcn, All this belongs
to the busy, busting west. and here
we have only the patpat Of many
sandled feet, the ringing OF many
wooden geta or clogs upon the gravel.
! ed pavements, many pipes and
whistles. small horns, and tinklIng
bells Then there Is the cry OF the
COLES pulling jinriklshas through the
crowded streets. They go at swift
ran through the densest throngs, and
keep up an almost constant "holhy.
yal" to clear n narrow way for the 1T.
tie vehicle. There Is sweet tran
guilty about II all that gets into
ones blood. II Is said that nobody can
live year In Japan and ever be con
tent to live In any other country. One
somehow soon comes face to face with
a fun realization Of ones own incon.
sequence, and the result Is a serenity,
a lethargy perhaps, from which II IL
ulIHCHlt 10 arouse one BOlI
The afternoon Is far spent, and the
sun hangs low. Most other sounds
are drowned by the joyful shrek OF
the playing children In the streets
that sound which Il it's own sweet
self In every corner Of the world,
When the evening begins to purple
through all the marvellous shades of
sunset into sturstudded night ! know
with their flutes and strange stringed
instruments and play weird strains In
he garden under my widow for pen.
nies which they are supposed TO give
to the temple. Such strangely clad
creatures they are. in immaculate
limons reaching all the way down to
their white tabi and high geta. They
carry short swords, these begging Bud
dhists from which are suspended bril-
liant silk tassels. but the strangest
part Of their costume IL the head cover
ing, which looks like nothing but q
hinge straw basket turned bottom side
up. II rs perforated In the front, OF
course, so the Weafef can see every
thing without being seen, and II f.
thus 10 conceal their identity, be
lieye. that these queer hats are worn
for It Is said that some OF these flute
playing, fantastic beggars are rich
city merchants--and even noblemen---
doing penance and collecting aims for
the temple whose gods they seek ia
propitiate.
When the night shadows fall and
the myriad bright paper lanterns are
lighted In the streets. then the SAINT
sen will begin to twang. and the voices
( the geishs girls will he heard wall.
Ing In the tea.houses above the shout.
Ing laughter Of the sake-drlnling,
roistering young men who pay them
for their entertainment. And on the
streets viii be other singers old and
ugly selshas, perhaps, seeking 70 earn
a few sen by twanging ancient aami.
! gong and gInViug ribaId Eonpa In