The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1907-07-13
A JAPANESE STORY.

"Robinson Crusoe" il "A tale OF wan.
dering and adventure, and that In be.
cause the English are wandering
race. Until "A short time ago the Japa.
nese never travelled. They We're even
forbidden TO build junks above a Ger.
tain size lest they might be tempted to
ro too far In them. Nowadays there
are fine Japanese steamers. but at the
time when the good stories grew their
theme in Japan was almost always
courage and devotion.
In the year 170i the head OF the III
min family. or clan-for this tale. likev
"Roblnson Crusoe," is founded on fact
was insulted by a superior ofioSAan
attacked him with a sword. For this
crime the chief Ronin was condemned
10 slay himself. that being the usual
punishment in Japan; also II was de-
cided that his castle and property
should be taken away and his people
driven on Accordingly the chief Ronin
killed himself.
The new head OF the Ronlns WINS
named Kurarosuke. He IL the national
popular hero Of Japan. much like
Ethan Allen or Francis Marion in this
country. II was Kurarosuke's duty 10
ayenge his masters death In some way.
So he called the clan together to de
fend the castle against the soldiers
who were TO take It. This was quite
proper, according 10 Japanese ideas.
When they were all gathered togeth-
err Kurarosuke said: I'VE have not met
10 defend the castle. for that would be
useless. We should only In the end
be taken and slain. Let us all slay
ourselves after the old japanese man
ner and thus die with our beloved
master"
To this sixty-three Of the Ronins
agreed, but the rest went away shak-
Ing their heads.
The cunning Kurarosuke, however
had no notion OF killing himself. When
the sixty-three were all together he
was sure they al least would not reveal
his secret, and he said TO them: I'VE
shall neither defend the castle, which
would be useless, nor kill ourselves,
which would be no better. But weshail
be patient and wait, wait, wait, until
we can kill the man whose insult caus-
ed our masters death" Then he eI-
planned his plan, and forty-seven OF the
sixty-three agreed TO It,
According TO Japanese ideas, what
they endured was worse even than
suicide, for they did nothing. Instead
OF trying TO avenge the insult they
wandered about and became mere vag-
abonds. IL looked as II they were go
Ing 20 make no effort to avenge their
master, and this made every one de
spise them. Even the children would call
out after one OF them as he staggered
past: He! There goes Ronin.
Drunkardl Coward 'Fraid catl 'Fraid
cat" or something japanese TO the
same effect.
The Japanese children are usually
very polite-because they eat no meat,
some saybut nobody thought IL worth
while 10 be polite 10 a coward. or
course all this was terribly hard for
the Ronlns to bear They knew they
were not towards, but they could only
wholesome day. though, and some
day came at last When everybody
had come 10 the conclusion that the
Ronins had no pluck at all. these forty
seven vagabonds came together one
night and carried the castle of their
enemy by assault Then they put him
10 death and quietly awaited their own
fate They were taken, OF course, and
TO kill themselves, as their
master had done
AS they were led away I'm three par
ties servant OF the house called
First Companion" man OF too little
Ing, stood to see them pass that he
might carry home the news. One or
the Ronins was a real drunkard, vaga-
bond and without need OF making be-
iieve. His name was RED Hedge"
and he was pretty low down fellow.
so that First Companion" feared that
Red Hedge" might haze been drunk
the night before and have been left
ont OF the attack
But no. At the head OF the third d.
vision of the captured Ronins marched
Red Hedge" very proud In his mr.
NOR Seeing the servant kneeling In
the snow, Red Hedge" gave him mes
sages and threw him the pennon of his
lance for n memento.
Then First Companion turned to
the lockers on and cried: Look at
him. Gentlemen. that Is Sir Red
Hedge, the brother OF my master. lie
IL a Ronin by adoption only. But soc
him today among the avengers
And In his delight the faithful old
servant hurried home and kept az rel.
les not only the lance pennon, but
Red Hedges" hat and bottle
or course all the forty-seven had TO
XIII themselves, but they have become
national heroes. especially Kurarosuke,
the brave and crafty leader, and Red
Hedge" the poor drunkard, who sue
ceeded In keeping for one night sober
enough TO go 10 his death with the
others.
Not only In their memory kept green
IN this story. which every one In japan
knows by heart, but the grave OF Ku-
rarosuke Is one OF the numerous ma
tional shrines 20 which pllgrlmagcs
are made. Even the emperor himself
about twenty years ago caused distin-