Onoto Watanna

“ Kurukawa reached out to catch Marion in her arms; the little girl had become almost paralyzed with fear. A moment later the candles were lighted. People looked at one another in the new light—everywhere faces were pale and lined with fear.
“Oh, let’s go home,” pleaded Marion, at which the mother arose.
“No, no!” protested Taro. “He’ll tell war-tales now. We want to stay.”
“Of course we do,” cried Billy. “That old cry-baby always spoils our fun.”
A smiling waitress with candy beans assured them that the lights would not be turned out again, and so Marion leaned against her mother resignedly. ”

“ What child does not prefer a vehicle that bumps up and down a bit to one that runs inanely and smoothly?
Taro and Billy occupied one jinrikisha, Marion and Plum Blossom another, while Iris rode with her mother. They called across merrily to each other. When one runner, swifter-footed for the moment than his fellows, sped on ahead, the pair in advance would cheer in delight. ”

“ Summer found a seat and began to fan herself languidly. “My sleeves feel very heavy to-day,” said she.
“Why?”
“They are much weighted,” declared Summer; “I carry in them five love-letters.”
“Oh! Oh-h! From our Gozo? Why, has he already written to you, Summer?”
“I’ll tell you a secret,” said Summer, giggling. “No, you must not listen, Iris. You are too young.” She whispered into Plum Blossom’s ear. Suddenly the latter thrust out her little, plump hands.
“Go away. You are not good girl. Only my brother should write you love-letters!” ”

“ She bore it all with that brave cheerfulness peculiar to the Japanese woman. Only when he planned the disposition of his fortune in case of his death, did she protest.
“We will not anticipate the worst, Kiyo.”
“Is it not best to do so?” he gently interposed.
“I know it is Japanese,” she said, wistfully, “but I will always look for you to return. In that you can’t make me Japanese.”
“A Japanese soldier never expects to return. His wife gives him up forever. But I, like you, will have the better hope, my wife. I will come back to you.” ”

“ Billy fought Taro back.
“Here, Taro! That’s not fair! He’s tied!”
He drew forth the flag. The dye ran down in livid streams on Alphonse’s chin. He fought vainly to free his arms.
“Now, you,” said Billy, “we’ll let you free if you’ll fight either one of us alone. But if you won’t, you’d better do what we tell you. If you don’t—”
Taro had quietly stripped himself to the waist prepared for battle. He was younger by several years than the French boy, but the latter had already felt the taste of the little Japanese’s strength. ”

“ XV SUMMER, with its flowers, carnivals, moonlight fêtes and banquets, is a season of unalloyed bliss to Japanese children. It seemed as if all nature took a holiday, and bade the children and the grown folks, too, come forth from their houses and rejoice at her beauty and happiness. ”

“ He would have found it hard enough to bear if his father had married a Japanese woman, but the thought of an American mother overwhelmed him with dismay. He pictured to his young mind her influence upon his sisters Plum Blossom and Iris, twelve and eight years old respectively; in boyish indignation he saw her punishing his little ten-year-old brother Taro, who could not keep his face and hands clean nor keep his clothes whole. One night Gozo dreamed he saw his step-mother in the guise of a hated fox-woman soundly switching with a bamboo stick his little, fat, baby brother Juji. ”

“ So the little Japanese girl had tied herself by the corset-string to a post. By dint of hard pulling she had managed to encase her plump form so tightly that she could scarcely breathe. Iris, with hands clad in large kid gloves, was drawing on a pair of number five shoes. Her feet were those of the average American child of seven or eight years. At this juncture Miss Summer (who being engaged to Gozo was always called “Miss” by the little girls) opened the shoji and thrust a flushed and excited face between the partitions. ”

“ Marion alone had been unable to contain her emotion, and, weeping bitterly, had been sent from the room. Now husband and wife were alone for the first time that day.
“Does it seem strange to you,” he said, “that I should repeat such tales to my children?”
“No,” she said, steadily, “not if they are accustomed to such things.”
“Japanese children are told stories of war from their youngest years. That is why they seem impassive when their own family’s gory history is unfolded to them.”
“But the little girls,” she said; “their eyes shone with as great a zeal as Taro’s.” ”

“ You must know, children, that all loyal Japanese love and reverence Ten-shi-sama (the Mikado) . No true Japanese would hesitate to give his life for the father of us all. That is why our boys go to war with faces shining like the sun. That is why we bid them go, and do not weep because we love them. ”

“ Kurukawa taught him a lesson known to all Japanese children.
“Never pluck the flowers wantonly, least of all the sacred cherry blossom. When you wish the flower in your house, pluck out one branch, one flower. See, you have filled the front of your kimono, your sleeves, and your obi with the blossoms. Look at them!”
He held up the crushed branches to view. They drooped almost reproachfully at Billy.
“But, father,” he began again. “You did tell me—”
“To gather all the cherry-blossom petals you could. See, the ground is thick with them.”
“But they are all apart. They have no stalks.” ”

“ Out in the garden, the big brother ducked him in the family pond. Kind travellers in Japan have made the extraordinary statement that Japanese children never cry. Certainly they could never have heard Juji—and there are many Jujis in Japan, just as there are in every country.
Juji’s crying fit broke up the little family council for that day, but he was the only member of the family who slept soundly that night.
The little girls cried softly together, as they whispered under the great padded coverlid of their bed. Taro was quite feverish in his imaginative battles with his step-brother. ”

“ Summer nodded. “Gozo hates much Otami Ichi,” said Summer, with meaning.
Plum Blossom’s scorn burst the last string of the corset. It slipped from her as she arose.
“Hi,” she said, “Otami Ichi! He says he is two years too young to be a soldier. He is older than Gozo. Did you take gifts from him!”
Summer giggled and shrugged her shoulders.
“Why not? His honorable father keeps a fine foreign store in Tokio.”
It was Plum Blossom’s turn to shrug. She undid her obi and tied the corset to her with the sash.
“What do you suppose Taro has been doing?” said Iris. ”

“ Her mother died when she was born, and her father, being in the cabinet service of the Mikado, rarely saw her. But though a maiden, as I have said, she had the soul of a man, and she yearned to do the deeds of a man and a hero. Every morning of her life, as a little girl, she would prostrate herself before her shrine and beseech the gods to perform some miracle whereby she might indeed become a man. ”

“ Then she spoke: “Yes, as a Japanese wife would be. Oh, Kiyo, I have understood them. It is not because they do not love their husbands that they do not weep and protest when they must lose them for a glorious cause. It is brave to give up the loved ones freely, willingly.” ”

“ I read many times the letters from my little girls. Tell Plum Blossom so well have I kissed the spot she indicated in her letter that there is a little hole there now. Tell my little Yankee girl, too, that not only have I lent her Bible to Gozo, but it is the common property of the little band of Christians in our regiment. There are fifteen of us in all. It will give Marion pleasure to know that her gift to me passes from hand to hand, and fifteen loyal soldiers of Ten-shi-sama unconsciously bless her each day they read. ”

“ A soldier’s letter cannot be had every day. And so she waited with the patience worthy of a brave woman. But when December was ushered in with a little drift of snow, and she knew that winter was coming, her thoughts wandered unceasingly to that one out there in the frozen Manchuria, and, brooding over it, her strength gave way. ”

“ Kurukawa’s quiet command complete silence reigned before he touched it. Then he said, in the gravest of voices:
“You children must learn to control your feeling. You exhibit too much excitement. You, Billy, and Taro, both of you, evince the same excitement over a solemn occasion such as this, as you would over a festival or a game. ”

“ She and Juji weep enough tears for all the honorable family. Plum Blossom does all your work most neatly, and is learning excellently to be a good house-keeper. You chose wisely to put her in your place, and she feels proudly your august confidence in her. Iris assists her in all things, but neither does she appear in good health. She has too much paleness in the face also. Taro is a great comfort. His father’s heroism has inspired him with noble ambitions. He is a worthy son, though young. The baby has more words to say each day. ”

“ There is not a child, I believe, of any nationality, who does not love a “story.” In Japan story-telling is an actual profession, possessing its own halls and houses of entertainment. But the audience is not made up of children. People of all ages attend, though the story-teller is not as popular to-day as he once was. With eagerness, then, the little Kurukawa children, after hanging their clogs among others, entered the hall. They were led into a square little booth or box. In a few minutes a waitress from an adjoining tea-house sold them refreshments. ”

“ Billy gave a jack-knife, such a one as he had long saved to buy for himself. A little Bible was Marion’s gift. The grandparents gave the most sensible gift—certain clothes he would appreciate, compactly rolled in a small bundle, and consisting of Japanese underwear and sandals. He would find them grateful after long use of the uniform. Juji had been permitted to choose his own gift.
“Buy something for father,” said Plum Blossom in the store. Then Juji had pointed with a fat finger at something bright. It proved to be a silk handkerchief. Even Norah and the baby had gifts for him. ”

“ Even Juji was called to the family council, while the nurse-maid, Norah, held the baby in her arms.
Mr. Kurukawa talked of his going to the front as if it were a cause to make them happy and rejoice. His words had the desired effect upon the Japanese children. Taro, Plum Blossom, and Iris were thrilled with pride and excitement. Taro wanted to rush out to the village at once to proclaim to every one the great tidings. His father was going to serve Ten-shi-sama. He was going to recruit a new regiment from their town and vicinity. ”

“ Ah, had my beloved daughter lived, you little ones would have had more filial principles.”
“It is not right to distress grandmother,” said Plum Blossom, “and it is very wrong to speak evil of one we do not even know. I, for one, am going to—to—love the foreign devil!”
“So am I,” sobbed Iris, still caressing Gozo’s hand, “b-but I shall hate her if she drives our Gozo away!”
Gozo patted the little girl’s head, but said nothing.
Meanwhile, little Juji’s thumb had fallen from his mouth. ”

“ Women, smiling strangely, told their little sons the story, and they repeated after their mothers the words: “We Japanese never forget!” In the higher classes of the schools the teachers quietly instructed their pupils of the unfriendly act of a “friendly” nation. The story-tellers in their halls enlarged upon the theme, and told the story over and over again, with greater exaggeration each time. By-and-by the news reached the ears of the Kurukawa family. Billy and Taro held a council of war. ”

“ Unlike Billy, she did not pause to bargain. Her husband had warned her: “The Japanese shop-keeper will take what he can get. Set your price and give no more.”
“I’ll give you five dollars for that,” said she. Then she felt ashamed of herself when he, with a sad shake of his head, began wrapping it up for her.
The little girls’ purchases were trifling but pretty. Their sleeves, being full of parcels, hung down on either side like heavy bags. Billy’s and Taro’s purchases, however, were so large that there was some question how they were to be carried. ”

“ Kurukawa learned from another member that most of the war families had dismissed their servants, or kept at most but one scullery maid. The little Japanese lady told her at the same time that none of them had bought new clothes since the beginning of the war, and that some of them had refused fire, food, and luxuries. The reason was this. Their husbands, sons, fathers, and brothers were suffering hardship and peril. It would be unseemly for them to live in luxury. Since they could not share that hardship at the front with their men they would deny themselves at home. ”

“ Plum Blossom and Iris also hid their faces, and though they say they did not cry, I think they did, for their eyes were all red. Everybody treats us as if we were great people. In church they all bowed so deeply to us as we went in. Sometimes the men we meet on the street will cheer when they see us. Taro says it is because father did such heroic things. Taro has no heart, I sometimes think, for he seems to be proud and happy that father is gone, and he says he wishes he could have the chance to do what father did. Billy is very serious these days. ”

“ Little Iris drew him comfortingly into her arms, soothing him in this wise:
“There, there, Juji, don’t cry! Gozo is coming back some day. Oh, you should laugh, Juji, because our Gozo is so brave and fine. Think of it! He is a soldier of the beloved Ten-shi-sama!”
“Soldier!” cried Mr. Kurukawa, and leaped to his feet. “My boy a soldier!” he cried, almost staggering forward.
“Yes, father,” said Plum Blossom. “Gozo is a g-great soldier now!”
Mr. Kurukawa went towards the grandparents.
“What does this mean? He was left in your charge. He is only a child—a mere boy of eighteen. ”