The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-06-04
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Il midst the hustle and hustle of
debarkation, | first caught the
phrase, Meet me at the monu-
ment."
Ashore, at the customs, where
travellers babble principally in
English, tourist remarked to friend,
81 will watch for you at the statue"
Which statue? Here again, ambiguity.
An hour later in Tokyo, l received a
third hint when an American silk mer-
chant, revisiting Japan, agreed to
meet an acquaintance the next day at
"Hachiko's pedestal"
The following afternoon, having ar
ranged an appointment to meet up with
friend at Shibuya station, suburb
of Tokyo, l was told to show myself
at the dog monument" BY this time,
fed up with the mystery, agreed to
come, provided he would inform me
concerning the widespread popularity
of that particular point for the con-
tacting of friends and countrymen.
when you get there" said he, "I'll
explain all. You'll be interested. Don't
fail"
Memorial to Faithful Dog.
Detraining, 1 passed through the
station toward a short flight of steps
that led to the street, where l came
rather suddenly upon the statue of a
curly-haired dog seated on his
launches and mounted on a pedestal
of stone, the whole construction ap-
prOximately seven feet in height, and
highly ornamental in the Japanese
style. Standing around were number
of people apparently waiting for others
to turn up. Among them was the friend
who had dated me up at the dog
monument"
He approached with all the manners
of a first-class tourist guide. "As you
don't read japanese" he said, ''it is
my pleasure to translate the legend
on the pedestal. In some particulars
this is the most interesting piece of
sculpture in the kingdom, symbOlizing
as it does the virtues of Patience and
Fidelity, without resorting to mythol-
ogy. This dog, who in life answered
to the name of Hachiko, was the friend
and companion of Professor Uyeno, de-
partment of agriculture, Imperial uni
versity, Tokyo. Both have since died,
immortalized in sense because of the
story that survives them"
With Hachiko for escort, it was the
professors daily habit to leave his
home in the morning and to walk the
few blocks between his residence and
the Shibuya station where, with a
short speech and a pat on the head,
he dismissed his dog, boarded the train
and went about his professional duties
at the university. Hachiko, knowing
what was expected of him, ambled
back to his kennel alone, there to
await the p m. train, when he would
again turn up at the station and greet
his master at the foot of the short
staircase down which the professor
always came with the regularity of
clockwOrk.
Death Takes the Professor.
One afternoon, about eight years
ago, in conformity with his weekday
custom, Hachiko trotted up to the lis
tening post and squatted upon his
launches. The p. m. train rolled in
and discharged its passengers. The
usual hurry and scurry common among
returning Suburbanites ensued, each
homecomer receiving swift inspection
from the eye of Hachiko, seeking only
for the familiar figure with which he
had appointment In singles and pairs
and groups, the hurrying throng flowed
along the platforms and down into the
street.
But, for some unknown reason, the
beloved Uyeno was not that afternoon
among them.
The professor had died that after
noon at his post in the university. No
messenger brought the i'll news to his
waiting friend, who for eight long,
anxious, but perhaps-who knows
hopeful years, Hachiko of the hungry
heart, took up his place to be on hand
against the day when the p. m. train
brought the missing comrade home
from somewhere out there in the dis
tant unknown.
Vigil of Hopeless Memory.
Rain or shine, the dumb beast,
spurning all human sympathy, kept
this vigil, never wavering in the belief
that the absentee would reappear. The
efforts of kindly man, believing that
he could win the dog away from the
hopeless memory by giving him new
home, came to naught, for, each day
at the appointed hour, Hachiko turned
up at the Shibuya station, taking
his place at the foct of the empty
stairs, there to watch until nightfall,
when he went home, thinking only of
the familiar figure that had vanished
from view. All of Tokyo knew the
truth, that never penetrated to the
consciousness of the one who suffered
most.
A little more than a year ago this
shaggy akita dog, faithful to the last,
broken spirited, sad eyed and mysti-
fed, passed out of this life. The
story of Hachiko's steadfast affection,
brought sharply to the public mind by
his death, swept Japan like a warm
zephyr, arousing sentiment that ex.
pressed itself in the erection, through
public subscription comprising all
classes, including the school children
of a statue unveiled with public cere.
monies appropriate to the occasion.
g Western Newspaper Union.