The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-02-13
Red Cross Pharmacy,
$50 North Main Street. Barre. Vermont.

he prays for the aid and guidance Of
some famous jurist; before he lays out
his garden he prays to the spirit Of
some great landscape architect, and SO
on in every duty, pleasure and labor Of
life he consults the spirits Of his an
cestors and those Of other wise and
good men and without expecting any
direct answer has faith that they will
give him their encouragement, protect
him from errors and lead him Ia the
right way. This, the theologians say,
is not religion, but it is practical, &C
tual, everyday thing and illustrates
the Japanese character more strongly
than any other act or word.
In 1894 was invited to witness a
beautiful ceremony in Kyoto, Of which
Admiral Togos address to the spirits
reminds me. Iesuko. one of the most
famous of ceramic artists, had acciden-
tally produced d remarkable example
OF a texture known as "Chinese crac-
kle' on the surface of jar. This par
ticular effect was common among pot
tiers in the interior of China thou
sand years ago. but has been lost art
for several centuries, and Jars and
vases with that finish are very rare
and valuable 1t is the ambition OF
every potter in the east to reproduce
that particular effect, but all expert
ments have been unsuccessful. and
Iesuko was amazed to find it upon a
lar which he took from his kiln one
morning in 1888. The result was 50
unexpected that for time he was I'M
able to realize what had happened.
Then he tried to recall everything that
had been done TO the vase from the
hour when the clay had come to the
shop until his astounding discovery.
He repeated the process over and over
again; he did nothing else for the rest
of his life; he neglected his ordinary
business; he refused profitable COM
missions: he shut himself up like a
hermit and denied himself food. rest,
sleep and exercise and actually became
insane in his anxiety to repeat the ac-
cident that he could not explain.
In the meantime the Jar was sent to
the Chicago exposition and was one Of
the objects most admired by the con.
noisseurs. Fabulous prices were of
fered for it. but Mr.. Tejima, the Japa.
nese commissioners, was not authorized
to sell it and could not get a reply
from Iesuko, who was buried IN his
experiments and would not even read
his mail. The jury Of awards gave
him gold medal and big diploma,
upon which bis triumph was inscribed.
but before these testimonials reached
japan poor Iesuko had committed slow
suicide and his ashes had been placed
in an urn on the hillside overlooking
Kvoto. back of the Yaami hotel.
One day friend invited me to az.
tend what lie promised would be a
novel ceremony. We went together to
the little hillside cemetery, where thir.
~ or forty of the most famous artists
in Japan were gathered. A learned
Buddhist III gorgeous robes delivered
what YOU might call an explanatory
address. He recited briefly the story
have told you Then one Of the Oldest
friends Of Iesnko stepped forward and
addressed the spirit OF the dead artist
lust as we would address a person e
whom testimonial was to be ten
dered. He described the Columbian
exposition at Chicago, explained john
Boyd Thacher's system Of awards
gave detailed review Of the work O
the Jury and finally concluded with Q
minute description of the medal and
the diploma which he held in his hand
when he had finished the medal was
sealed up 10 a cavity which had beer
carved out Of the stone and the diplo
ma was burned over the grave Will
incense and fitting ceremonies con
Quoted by the priest, which, Of course
/ could not understand. But the sig
nificance OF the ceremony was very
clear. The medal being indestructiblt
and Of material substance, could no
be transported to the other world Pm
the diploma was carried there by Til
flames. Several Of the gentlemen pres
ent made brief addresses md placed
| flowers upon the tomb.