The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-03-30

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copyright, 1909, by Frank G.. Carpen-
teri
KYOTO.
/ have been asked to write a letter
for the children Of America about the
children of Japan. / want the boys
and girls who take this newspaper to
seat themselves upon the magic carpet
Of fairyland, which will take one.
around the world in h twinkling Of
an eye. All you have to do is to shut
your eyes and wish you WereStheTe,
and when YOU open them, 10! your
wish has come true. Our magic car
pet has carried US across the Pacific
and has dropped us down in the big
city Of KyOtO, in the central part Of
the country. There are III
sight everywhere. and behind US is a
beautiful lak which fills the river
running through the city. h houses
are SO many that they cover as much
space as Philadelphia, which has three
times as many people. Their walls are
such that they can be slid back dur
ing the daytime. and we can see all
that goes on within. Most Of the
streets are lined with stores filled with
all kinds of curious goods, and the
streets, stores and houses are swarm
ing with children. Here they are work
ing. helping their parents; there they
are playing. and further on is q crowd
going to school.
What jolly youngsters they are. We
hear their laughter sounding out on
the air, and as they see US some bend
half double in Japanese fashion, and
yell out, "O-hi-O." their word for good
day. Others, who are ruder, cry out
Japanese syllabIes which, our inter
prefer says, mean:
You furry-headed foreigners; o.
have eyes like a cat,'
Our Japanese Brothers,.
We find that we are as great c%uriosi-
ties to the Japanese children as hey
are to us. Their skins are yellow, ana
their eyes are a trifle slant. and so fas-
tened at the corners that they do not
come as wide pen as ours do. They
think that their eyes are the more
beautiful, and that c~reann-coloTed
skins are quite as fine as white ones.
Outside of this. Jaanese boys aud
girls are lust like Americans. Their
little black yves can see as far as ours
cam; and it YOU scratch their yellow
skins they will bleed in the SAM way.
You had better be careful not to do so,
however. They are as proud as you.
and they will fight at the drop of !
They are not as tall as we children
of the same age, but they are fully as
strong. Get one Of the little fellows 10
double up his arm, and put you hand
on his biceDs. Every muscle stands
up like a base bail and every ounce of
his flesh IS hard with the athletics
which every Schoo1boy has to axe
"tAiA 100 AiS t4iAS = DA A1t'
heard how h japanese whipped the
Russians. who are almost twice as
heavy as they are and three times as
many in number. and hoW. about fiji
teen years ago, they conquered tbs
Chinese, who have ten times as mary
people in their great nation over tbs
way.
The Children Soldiers.
Just now the children Of Japan are
all playing soldiers. The nation is still.
ayaifaG nx-pY. ifS victory ana tho haye
go about with guns and flags, march
ing in step while their trumpeterS
blow. Their guns are sticks Of BAN
boo and their swords are of wood
They march right well, however, and
they have sham fights between the
different companies Of boys in a town
Even abies are now dressed in mill
tary costumes by some Of the mother:
and many a f~Our-year-Old japanese
baby goes about in the dress Of an off
Ger of the navy. Some children Whe
wear kimonos a soldier hats. ant
not a few are dressed in khaki. The
toy shops are full of lead soldiers ant
miniature guns and drums. The Oldc1
boys are real soldiers, for every schoO
has it's military drill under officers Q
the army. BOYS Of twelve and four
teen have to march with guns, and &!
they grow older they go out in til,
field to camp and take part in shan
battles. In every Japanese schoo
there is q drill hall where the gun,
are stacked 10 against the walls Whei
not in use. Every school has q gym
nasiun1 and the boys and girls g
through all sorts Of exercises to max,
them strong and enable them to figh
and work for their emperor when
war comes. Just now the boys thi,ll
the japanese people could whip an.
other nation. and that the Unite
States would have a poor show in
light With their country. We ar
friendly to them. but we must kee-
our eyes open, for no one can tell bu
mat We may have to fight them by an,
ny Ihey have far more soldiers !:
tnelr army than I've have and thai
navy is one Of the best in the world.