The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-02-24

tul SSquS, Win a pfOLuSloH " EQUALS,
campfire trees and gigantic acacias,
and in the distance nestle tiny vii
lagos, that seem like SO many kisses
OF heaven on the green sward OF this
glorious panorama.
In one of the larger suburbs of Ma
gasaki dwelt o Fana and her mother.
Kumanura having been one of the
most prominent inhabitants of the
town, his funeral was celebrated with
the greatest pomp and solemnity.
The body was wrapped in white
shroud, on which a Buddhist priest
had written some secret characters
that gave the deceased the right to
pass at once through the first and
outer gates of paradise. The remains
were then placed in casket, cylin.
drical in shape, and borne aloft on
the shoulders of chosen pallbearers to
the cemetery of Shimibara There,
after the funeral rites were perform
ed, the procession dispersed.
The widow of Kumanura and her
daughter returned to their native vii
lage. Before the house burned a fire
made odorous with campfire wood,
which, together with salt sprinkled on
their garments, was to remove the
legal impurity caused by death in
their family.
0 Fana took up her lutte and con-
finl1nI 1nncr fn cnff1,y hnfO~o he
image of her father.
20 Fana," said her mother entering
the little apartment of her daughter,
thy honored uncle will soon be here,
and will give us a full account of the
affairs of Kumanura."
"Why did not my honored uncle re.
turn with us?' asked O Fana
He remained at the cemetery to
take list of all those who attended
the funeral. Thou we'll knowest that
honor is due to all those who did
honor to the Kami of Kumanura."
o Fana answered not a word; and
in another instant the mournful tones
of the Japanese lutte sent thrills of
delight through the perfumed atmos-
phere before the image of Kumanura.
Kiwaci soon arrived at his brother
house, and sprinkled salt on his gar
ments in the presence of the two
women. o Fana knelt down before
her uncle, and with her forehead
touched the ground She then with
her delicately shaped hands removed
his sandals, offered him cup of tea
and having lighted his pipe for him
alone with the spouse of his late
brother. $50
Wife of Kumanura," he began
the affairs of your husband are in
very bad shape. The god of riches
has not smiled, but has frowned upor
him."
The mother of o Fana raised hel
eyes toward Kiwaci and the Jap
| anese read in them sudden terror
| and sense of faintness.
Kiwaci continued to smoke il
silence.
"Wife of Kumanura,'' he continued
after some time, 20 Fana is utterly
| penniless."
But the rice fields of Goto?" she
inquired with ever increasing anxiety
They have been sold to the honor
able Banhura"
And the orange plantations alons
the blue waters of Fushio?"
Sold to the honorable Kamiaro,
came in the same cold tones.
| And what, o what will ever be
come of my poor o Fana?" cried the
mother in grief-stricken tones.
"Kumanura has left her to my care
o Fana will play the lutte in my hote
in Nagasaki. o Fana is beautiful a:
the flower of the camelia, and hel
voice is like that of the uguhisi.f The
! koto of o Fana will draw all the trav
elers from the West to the hotel O.
| KiWaci"
| fUguhisi is the Japanese nightingale
The youthful o Fana, in obedience
| to the wishes of her mother and hel
uncle, accompanied KiWaci to Maya
saki, and began to play and sing il
| the fashionable resort of this beauti
full city.
o Fana represented in herself thu
female type of Japanese in all he
| purity Scarcely sixteen, her person
was 1.-THE and graceful, the feet ant
hands delicately petite, raven tresses
shining and combed back with thu
greatest care; the oval SHAPED
countenance, breathing health AM
beauty, formed fit setting for a pal
of dark eyes, brilliant as two stars II
the azure sky above. To the mos
winning grace of manner, she unite'
the tender heart of a child, mani
tested by smile that perpetuall
hung from the ruddy lips. When sh
passed through the streets of Maya
saki in gala attire, arrayed in he
kimono of richly embroidered silk
with a tiny, many colored parasol II
one hand, and her exquisitely wrough
fan in the other, o Fana was the cen
ter of an admiring throng, and .neve
failed to prove al irresistible attraC
ton to every stranger and traveller II
sight
She had been brought up after thu
| manner of the JananpSe. and had boe1