Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-01-24

She had come to the newly built
chapel Her fathers name was on the
household list of the temple across the
way, but she herself walked each Sun
day to Ts'kiji, to attend the bishop S
Japanese service in the Cathedral
When influenced by a school mate she
had wished to boom a Christian, the
old Samurai had interposed no objec-
ton. With the broad tolerance Of the
esoteric Buddhist, TO whom all pure
faiths are good. he had allowed her to
choose for herself. She had grown to
love the strangely new and beautiful
worship with its singing, its service
in a tongue that she could understand.
its Bible filled with marvellous sto-
rles Of old heroes. and with vivid i'm
agery like that Of the Kojiki, the
Record Of Ancient Matters" or the
Man-yoshu, the collection of a Myr-
lad Leaves over whose archaic char
acters her father was always porting
For many days Haru had watched the
progress OF the Chapel building. The
Cathedral was a good two miles distant,
but this was near her home; here she
would be able to attend more than the
weekly Sunday service. Tonight, as she
looked at the cross shining in the moon
light. she thought IT very beautiful. A
I tiny symbol like 1t, made of white
enamel was hung on little chain about
her neck. II had been given her by the
bishop the day OF her confirmation. She
drew this out and swung II about her
niger as she walked on.
In the Street-of- Prayer-to-the-G Gods
were no huge and gloomy compounds. IL
was a roadway of humber shops and
homes. bordered with mazes Of lantern
fire. and lively with pedestrians. At a
meager shop. pitifully small, whose shojl
were wide open, Haru paused. smoky
oil lamp swung from the ceiling, and
under its glow. a woman knelt on the
worn tatame. Beside her. on pillow,
lay newborn baby. ana she was sooth-
ing its slumber by softly beating tiny
drum close to its ear. She nodded and
smiled to Haru's salutatron.
"Hai. Ojo-San." she said. go kigeu
vol Dsign augustiy to enter"
rHonorable thanks. - responded Haru.
but my father awaits my unworthy re-
turn Domo! Aka-San des'ka? So this
Is Miss Baby! Ishikichi viii have a new
comrade in this little sister
Poison not your serene mind with
contemplation of my uncomely last-sent
oner' said the woman pridefully fitting
the pillow so as to show the tiny vac
uous face Are not its hands degrad-
eddy welI-formed7"
wonderfully beyond saying! The
father is still exaltedly in?'
1T is indeed sol 1 have not failed
to sprinkle the holy water over Jizo
nor to present the straw sandals to the
Clardians-of-th e-Gate. Also have
rubbed each day the breast of the
health-god; yet O-Binzuru does not
harken. Doubtless IL Is because OF
some sin committed by my husband In
previous existencel I have not knowl-
edge OF your Christian God, or 1 would
make my worthless sacrifices also to
Him"
He heals the sick" said Haru. but
He augustly loves not sacrifice-as He
exalted did in olden time = she hastily
supplemented. recalling certain readings
from the old Testament.
The gods of Nippon divinely change
not their habit" returned the woman
Also my vile intellect cannot compre-
bend why the foreigners God should
I iHustriously concern. himself with the
things OF another land
The Christian Divinity" said Haru
''is a God of all lands and all peoples
The other unused. 1T passes in my
degraded mind that He, then, would
lack a sublime all-sympathy for our
kingdom f-Slender-Swords. You are
transcendently young Oto-San. but ]
am thirty-two. and I mold by the gods
of my ancestors"
''Honorably present my greetings to
your husband" Haru said, as she bowed
/ her adieu. May his exalted person
soon attain divine health! Tomorrow
will send another book for him to
/ read"
The woman watched her go, with g
smile on her tired race-the japanese
smile that covers so many things She
\ looked at the baby's face on the pill
I low. Praise Shaka," she said aloud
there is rnillet yet for another week
Then we must give up the shop. Well
can play the SamAsen and the gods
are not deadF'
Behind her a diminutive figure had
lifted himself upright from a fton. He
came forward from the gloom, his sin
gle sleeping-rcbe trailing comically and
his great black eyes round and serious