The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-09
Lafcadio Hearn in the papyrus.

Lafcadio Hearn in the Papyrus.
 T T had been ordered that the execu-
 tion should take place in the gar
 \ den of the yashiki So the man was taken there and made to knecl down in a wide sanded space crossed by a line of tobi-ishi, or stepping stones, such as you may still see in Japanese landscape gardens
 His arms were bound behind him. Retainers brought water in buckets and | ricebags filled with pebbles: and they packed the ricebags round the kneeling
 man, so wedging him in that he could
 not move. Tie master came and ob-
 served the arrangements. He found
 them satisfactory and made no remarks Suddenly the condemned man crrea
 out to hin
 "Honored sir, the fault for which have been doomed l did not willingly commic. It was only my very great stupidity which caused the fault. Hav- ing been born stupid, by reason of my Karina, I could not always help making mistakes. Hut to kill a man for be- ing stupid is wrong-and that wrong will be reraid. So surely as you kill me, 60 surely shall I be avenged-out of the resentment that you provoke will come the vengeance and evil will be rendered for evil" If any psrson be killed while feeling
 strong resentment, the ghost of that person will be able to take vengeance upon the killer. This the samurai knew
 He replied very gently-almost caress- ingly:
 We shall allow you to frighten us as much as you please-after you are dead
 But it is difficult to believe that you mean what you say. Will you try to
 give us some sign of your great resent
 ment--after your head has been cut on?" "Assuredly will" answered the man. Very we'll" said the samurai, draw ing his long sword, T am now going to
 cut off your head. Directly in front of
 you there is d stepping stone After your head has been cut off, try to bite the stepping stone. If your angry
 ghost can help you do that. some of us may be frightened. Will you try to bite the stone?'
 VIII Dlle it- CTleu the man.
 great anger. T will bite it I will bite"
 There was a flash, a swish a crunch ing tltud, the bound body bowed over
 the rice saelSs--two long blood jets pumping from the sho-n neck, and the
 head relied upon the sand. Heavily to- ward the stepping stone it rolled then. suddenly bounding, it caught the upper edge of the stone between it's teeth, chung desperately for d moment and dropped inert.
 None spoke; but the trainers stared in horror at their master. He seemed to be quite unconcerned He merely held out his sword to the nearest attendant, who. With a wooden clipper, poured water over the blade from haft to point. and then carefully wiped the steel several times with sheets of soft paper.
 .. And thus ended the ceremonial part of the incident.
 For months thereafter the retainers and the domestics lived in unceasing fear of ghostly visitations. None of them doupted that the promised ven- gcancc would come; and their constant terror caused them to hear and to see much that did not exist. They became afraid of inc sound of ;he wind In sne bamboos afraid even of the stirring of the shadows in the garden. At last, after taking counsel together, they de- cided to petition their master to have a segak. service perfor:.-ed on behalf of the vengeful spirit.
 "ouite unnecessary the san.ur;l said. " hen his chief retainer had uttered tho general wish. T under stand that the desire of dying man for rovcngs may he cause for fear. But in this case there is nothing to fear.
 The retainer locked at his master be- Iseech;ngly. but hesitated to ask the req son of this alarming confidence. "uh, the reason Is simple enough de-