The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-08-02

4
spelling perfect welding and perhaps
leaving a visible flaw. sword, when
completed. has fine lines, like the
grain of wood, more than 4,000,oo0
layers of steel being folded into the
perfect blades
Gods. dragons and flowers are often
seen in representations engraved up
on the blades, as also are characters
and phrases. Since, however, such
engraving may be method to con-
ceal blemishes, some connoisseurs
prefer the blades less ornate. AS long
ago as the year 701 smiths cut their
names on their output, although two
of the most famous, Yoshihiro and
Mesaumne, refused to do so, saying
that men who knew anything 81
swords would recognize in the quail
| ity the creator.
Sword Connoisseurs for the King.
One family of connoisseurs bears
the name Honnami For nearly 600
years men OF this name have been the
imperial sword appraisers. the most
illustrious being Honnami kotoku,
who lived about four centuries ago.
Honnami Kotoku, therefore. followed
as the name, generation after gener-
alton, of the official representative OF
this ancient family. These appraisers
alone had the privilege of judging the
excellence of royal swords.
The final grinding and polishing OF
the sword is an art in itself The
scabbard Is frequently made of mag
nolio, lacquered sometimes with blue
and scarlet and sometimes inlaid with
mother Of pearl. 1t appears to be
customary to test the newly made
sword only by trial upon the bodies
of beheaded convicts or by having
them used in the execution of trying
| Some favorite swords of Japan have
as do some famous jewels, their own
individual names One sword Of great
repute was called Little Crow" Le-
gends and superstitions are connected
with such historical names or their
makers. One of these makers was
called the "One- Handed Smith" The
story goes that while In his appren-
ticeship to an older artisan he came
to learn everything his superior knew,
except the temperature of the water
used In tempering. Finally, able to
endure his situation no longer, he stole
| to the forge one day when the master
was working alone and preparing to
temper finished work of high quail
Iity. Rushing In, the young man
thrust his hand into the water, only
to have it cut off by the irate en-
ployer.
Sword From the Tail Of the Dragon.
Worship of blades, common to many
ancient nations. never reached such
poetic expression as among the Jap
anese. When the brother of the sun
goddess. as ruler of the seas, slew the
great dragon that had been devastat-
ing the land he took from the mon
ster's tail a marvellous sword. This
the sun goddess bestowed upon her
grandson, first of the imperial line of
the land Of cherry blossoms. This
sword, mirror and a single jewel
constitute the regalia Of Japan, the
sword lying. in the ancient Shinto
shrine of Atsuta. where thousands of
pilgrims go every year to pay hon.
,age.
The momentary value of fine Jap
anese sword blade, unmounted and
unadorned, and such as the mobiles
wore at one time. was from $1,000 to
$500
The most trivial breach of these
minute observances was often the
cause of murderous brawls and de-
graded reprisals. To touch another's
weapon or to come into collision with
the sheath was dire offense. and to
enter friends house without leaving
the sword outside was a breach of
friendship. He whose position justi-
fled the accompaniment of an attend
ant invariably left the sword in his
charge at the entrance, or if he were
alone it was usually laid down at the
entrance. If removed inside this was
invariably done by the hosts servants,
and it was not touched by the bare
hand, but with silk napkin kept for
the purpose.
Sword Etiquette.
| The sword was placed upon a
sword rack, in the place of honor near
the guests and treated with all the
politeness due to an honored visitor
who would resent discourtesy.
| TO exhibit a naked weapon was a
gross insult. unless when gentle
man wished to show his friend his
collection. To express wish to see
sword was not usual unless the
blade in question was of great value,
when q request to be shown II would
be a compliment. The sword would
then be handled with the back toward
the guest. the edge turned toward the
owner and the hilt to the left, the
guest wrapping the hilt either in the
silk napkin always carried by gentle-
men in their pockets, or in sheet of
clean paper.
The weapon was drawn from the
scabbard and admired inch by inch
but not to the full length unless the
owner pressed his o,iest m do 90