The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1908-03-20
why, a half-baked soda biscuit is q

Why, half-baked soda biscuit 10 o
queen to you! And you're a night
ingale, are you? Why, you splay-foot-
ed, wry-neck, hollow-back, shark-nose
nightmare! a setting hen with the
wind-cackles is a bird of paradise to
you! What did that idiotic Bilkins,
with his internal symbols mean by
letting me in $25 for this? Yes, SIS!
and what's the result? Maria throw
ing fits, and the doctors bill another
twenty-five, and nothing to show for
the fifty but this dumbasted Japanese
brain storm!
"a symbol Of happiness, Ell? Well,
it hasn't brought much happiness to
my home! A plum tree! Looks more
like a gooseberry bush. I'll bet the
plums on it would sour a barrel of
molasses!
Patriotism, said that ass of a
Bilkins, is sometimes indicated by
spray of cherry blossoms Well, I've
seen it indicated round the 18th of
March by sprig of shamrock, and
more times round the Fourth of July
by red, white and blue rosette, but
nobody needed an interpreter in either
case to tell what they were the sym
boil of.
Grace and quietness are indicated
by the willowy tree and the swallow,
Ell? Very WE'LL admit the willow
tree. For gracefulness she's all to the
good. But the swallow for quietness!
Well, I've seen some swallows that
wouldn't go in that class-not for
nickels. One swallow don't make
summer, but two will get away with
whisky-straight in second and half;
and three more will make a mans
tongue go like millclapper, while
three more will bust up all the quiet
ness left over from a generation of
country Sabbaths.
and this little game cock perched
on a drum signifies good government?
Well, that's a stretch Of imagination
with vengeance! Looks more like
sparrow on pancake-griddle. Good
government, Ell? / reckon they don't
need any over there, or they'd get
something bigger than his drumsticks
for a symbol. His purple nibs hardly
looks equal to the job. l should say
scratching worms in the back yard
was more in his line.
We'll, I've had an alcoholic suffi-
cheney of Japanese art; my reputation
for sobriety with my wife is gone to
the four winds; I'm fifty out of pocket,
and nothing-absolutely nothing-to
show for it but you! you brain-twisted,
colicky, jaundiced paranoiac!
Its the furnace fire for yours"
-
On the other hand no style of art is
so fascinating to occidental minds.
The daintiness of conception, the
charm of color, the spring-time fresh
ness of atmosphere that pervades each
and every effort of the oriental work
man possesses charm.
AS I have said, the scheme must be
studied, the symbols learned; but to
the dilettante this is ever wellspring
Of pleasure, and one that will never
go dry.
'The system of threes" or Of ''ones,"
ONCE ISoIHSu, CdpllNdISS IHc TduSy
for things artistic are nothing if not
fanciful in this oriental land-and holds
the imagination in spite of oneself.
The art-etiquette, so to speak, of
Japanese interior is enchanting, when
one has learned it. There is only one
bunch of flowers only a
single expressive blossom-in room.
There is but one picture. But this
oneness must be at just such a time
and in just such place. Can you not
understand why?. Love is not always
responsive to loves demands. Soil
tude, at times, is sweeter and more to
be desired. So the picture is hung;
the flower placed.
Every flower has a meaning. Ger
tain flowers must never be seen to-
gether Certain others must never be
~ .H,VN'J, STY t4