The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1910-11-02
ALOYSIUS THORN
Maker of Buddhas

| Directly opposite SlOOu Sllldl
Christian Chapel. 1t was newly built
and still lacked it's final decoration
rose window whose empty sashes
were stopped now with black cloth
!; High above the Towering green its
slanting roof lifted a cross.
Footsteps grated on the gravel anG
the occupant of the older temple came
slowly through its garden. He was a
J foreigner, though dressed in japanese
and powerful and he moved with a
quickness and grace in step and &C
ton that had something feline in it
His hair, worn long, was black
touched with gray, and curved mus
tache hid his lips. His expression
was sensitively delicate and alertly
odd-an impression added to by deep
ly-set eyes, one of which was visibly
larger than the other, of the variety
known as pearl slightly Dubious
though liquid brown and heavily
dashed.
The newcomer assembled the steps
and stood a moment silent beside the
priest, watching the gluttonous pig
cons. AS he looked up, he saw the
others gaze fixed on the Chapel
cross A quick SILVER ran across his
mobile face, and passing, left it hard
with a kind of grim defiance
Presently the priest said in Jap
anese:
"The Christian temple across the
way honora bly, approaches completion.
Assuredly, however, moths have eaten
my intelligence. Why does the gloomy
hole illustriously elect to remain in
it's wall?"
1T is for a thing they call win
dow" said Thorn. after time they
will put therein an august abomina-
tion representing sublimely hideous
cloud-born and diotic-looking saints
in colored glass"
The priest nodded his shaven head
sagely.
1T WILL perhaps, deign to be gaku
IF the Christian God. l shall, with
Difference. study it. have watered my
worthless mind with much arrogant
reading of Him. Doubtless He was
also Buddha and taught The Way"
An acolyte had come from the tenn
pie and approached the red bell tow
err. Midway of the huge bronze bell
heavy cedar beam, like catapult,
was suspended by two chains. He
swung this till it's muffled end struck
the metal rim, and the air swelled
with dreamy sob of sound.
ut is time for the service" said the
priest, and turning, went into the tenn
pie, from whose interior soon came
the woodeny tapping of mok'gyo-
the hollow wooden fish, which is the
emblem of the Monte sect-and the
sound of chanting voices
Thorn, the man with whom the
priest had spoken, crossed the bridge
to the other temple with slow step.
He passed between the scowling
guardian figures, slid back a paper
shoj and entered. The room in which
he stood had been the haiden, or
room Of worship. Around it's walls
were oblong carvings, marvelously
lacquered, of the nine flowers and
nine birds OF old Japanese art.
Thorn drew back heavy drapery
which covered a doorway, and entered
room that was windowless and very
dark. He lit a candle.
The dim light it furnished disclosed
weird and silent assembly. The
space was crowded with strange glin-
mCring deities-of bronze, of silver,
of priceless gold-lacquer-tEe dust
thick On their faces, their aureoles
misty with cobwebs. Some gazed
with passionless serenity, or blessed
with outstretched hand; some threat
ened with scowling faces and clenched
thunderbolts: Jizo of the tender smile,
in whose sleeves nestle the souls of
dead children; kwan-on, of divine
compassion, with her many hands;
Emma-dai-o, Judge of the Dead, men
acing and terrible; strange sardonic
tengu, half-bird, half-human.
The master OF this celestial and in
fernal pantheon closed and locked the |
door, and mounted the stairway to
the loft-a low, rambling room Of &C.
centric shape, under the curving
gables.
Here, through a long window be- !
meath the very caves, the light still |
came brightly. In the center was a |
board table, Uttered with delicate
carving tools He kindled the char
coal in a bronze hibachi, and set over
it a copper pot which began to emit
a thick, weedy odor. From a cabi