The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-28
The Spirit of Japan--'Tis the Scent OF
the Cherry Tree in the Morning A1r

they make no sign of JOY and are silent
save for tho lclnnk- clonk OF their wooden
shoes upon tho graveled walks. II az
burst of song reaches ones cars 1t Is from
the lips Of some staggering student and
Ia d resolveless little nOteswithout mean.
ing to senses trained to the positive. inc
assertive in melody. 1t VIII express
sentiment OF Japan to the Japanese no
doubt and sound as heavenly sweet 10
their cars as caroilings of native song TO
ours, but 1t will only servo to conceal
from us all that it is meant to reveal 1t
Ii Is only wicrd fantastic gurgling as inado-
uuate to the expression of the feelings
owith which the bright season inspires us
as any sound could possibly be. But one
might not miss this kind of music IN
Japan so much 1 + only there were music
OF chldrens voices in happy noisy roi-
licking play. But there isn't. The chl' -
drcn IN Japan arc as quiet MS the niue
dolls that arc n,adn IN such perfect SEMI
blance Of them. ono may wander through
tho cherry groves FOR hours; ono may SEQ
hundreds OF brilliantly robed little butter
fly girls and hundreds OF sober hued 1T
tic boys playing in the rose-pink shadows,
but they play as the butterflies play, 81
lently, lightly, airly 1t seems TO me, max.
ing almost no sound, but low, muslcni
clonking In the gravel with their Wood-
en- shoes. II the game Is bnttle-aorc anu
shuttlc-cocs, they play 1t liltlhgly, SIM SIM
inEly, but mutely with never Single
shout of pleasure of triumph or disap-
Monument. II it is blind mans buff, u fn.-
yoritc game, there are no shricks or cx-
,,berant laughter, no registering and
jumping and sbyous shouting which seem
On necessary to our children Mt home,
and am consumed with constant de-
sire to get in among these wee pretty
Riddles md inspire them with proper
appreciation for their own possibill ties. ~
crowd Of children might play blind man
buff under my very window, inc Nv w,
long day without disturbing me IN INC
least for the only sound ID ever het',
would DO q little shuffling or SHOES tl ,.,.
m sots,a sonnl little tinkle of laughter VIII
some nueer Oriental gurglings that would
bc quite without meaning to my cars.
And never once would l have the pleas
ure OF hearing ono Of tho children cry.
| / don't believe Japanese babes klloW INV
| to cry. I've lived in the country 1or u
| full wear now and I have seen t!iou-
sands Of children of all ages ana all con-
| ditions. butt think I have never seen ol'e
| OF them IN grief.
| So tho brilliant, cherry season IN Japan
! lacks much that We would make a par
OF it If the groves Of Uyeno gre" IN
Central Park, and all the other thou sailds
Of gardens were scattered throughout our
country Of much exuberance and much
10y In life. But japan is for the Jap
nnese. and that their joys do not ex-
nress themselves as ours do, is no PROOF
that they arc not as deep and STRONG.
."rhe true spirit Of Japan Is as tho scent
Of the mountain cherry tree in the morn
ing air." says Motoor with a depth OF
poetic sentiment which proves much IN
| tensity in the national life and II this IN
stensity finds its best expression In the
shirt faint breath OF the cherry flowers,
then Japan to-day is living for tho whole
country is envcloped in clouds OF pink SO
light that one expects to see them rise
! into tho air like morning mist ana eVap-
| crate before ones eyes.