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ghostly ceremony witnessed in
A JAPANESE CEMETERY.
, font nay•’ F«a*t for bpDdlt; Spirit!.
Burying Ground* Blchly and Luxurl
ou gly Docorntod with Knrlnndi and
Tempting Viand*.
Dr. G. H. Colton Salter, who for many
years was United States consul in Japan
ami afterward entered the Chinese gov
ernment service, gazed thoughtfully into
the glowing embers in the grate and
after a short pause told the following
tale:
The many stories published about
Indian ghost dances and the Messiah
craze remind me of one of tlm most re
markable incidents I have ever witnessed
during my long career in the Orient,
and I am sure there are but few Arner-
cans or Europeans who have had the
opportunity to see the sights of which 1
am going to tell.
The native religion of the Japanese is,
as you know, Buddhism, and there is no
creed which is as full of superstition.
Some of the ancient beliefs of ths Bud
dhists are calculated to frighten the faith
ful and vividly portray the horrible pun
ishment that awaits the sinful man after
he closes his earthly career, while others,
with charming simplicity, show that the
greatest aim of the Hindoo religiou is
the release from existence.
The doctrine of the transmigration of
souls and a hope for a better fate in a
future life are the principal fonudations
upon which Buddhism rests. Nagasaki,
where I resided for many years, was
famed for the splendid festivals in honor
of Bnddab. or Gautama, the founder of
the religion. Owing to the work of
missionaries and the consequent spread
of Christianity in Japan, many of the
religious fetes are no longer publicly ob-
■ served, and the one of which I am about
to speak had its last grand celebration in
1886, just before I left Nagasaki.
DECORATED GRAVEYARDS. '
It is called the Matsidri and was held
during the last week in August or the
first week in September, continuing four
days. These days were set aside for the
reception of the spirits of the (lend, who,
according to n legendary belief, return
once a year to their old homes. For
many weeks previous to the festival
preparations had been in progress. The
houses of the believers had all been care
fully swept, cleaned and polished, and
the homo altars, which aro to be found
in every native house, had been redeco
rated and refurnished. The interior of
all the buildings had been profusely
adorned with flowers, the streets bad
been repaired nnd the whole city was
clothed in holiday attire.
On the morning of tho first day the
dead were received with mnch ceremony
in the graveyard, which is in a beautiful
grove. Each mound was profusely dec
orated with lighted lanterns and gar
lands of many colored paper globes hung
from tree to tree. On the top of every
grave food of the daintiest kind was
spread in a tempting manner and in quan
tities sufficient to appease the appetites
of an army of the hungriest kind of
ghosts. On mats spread about the
graves sat all the living descendants of
the person who hod been bnried in that
particular spot. Not a single tomb was
neglected. If in the course of years the
family of any one of the silent sleepers
had completely died opt his grave bod
beep embellished and supplied by stran
gers.: - i- l- | :
The spirits were supposed to arrive and
depart by water from the sea, and tor
four days and nights the living commune
with their dead and were with them in
spirit The souls of the departed were
supposed to hover around the tombs like
substantial visible beings, and they were
treated with every attention dne to sacred
and distinguished visitors from the other
world. • , , 1 ‘ .
The night of the second day was de
voted to a grand terpsicborean entertain
ment or spirit dance, and the graveyard
was transformed for once into a ball
room, where ghostly dancers were sap-
posed to hold revelry.
A SPLENDID SIGHT.
Tho scenes made a strong and ever
lasting impression on me. The night
was perfect, the moon was at its full and
the air was fragrant with the perfumes
of thousands of ■ flowers. Myriads of
lights were flickering on the hillsides
which surround the city, and the polored
lanterns swayed gently to and fro, keep
ing time to the chimes of the silvery
bells in the temple tower, which fur
nished the music for tho mystic enter
tainment. Around an artificial lake in
the center of the graveyard the people
knelt in silent devotion, worshiping on
tho shrine of Buddha, whose emblem,
tho lotus flower, rose from the middle of
the lake.
Every one of the four days and nights
brought new surprises and ceremonies,
many of the latter being held in the
temple, the doors of which were closed
and guarded against the entrance of
infidels. On the lost night—or the night
of nights, as it was called—a grand pro
cession finished the festival. The people
marched in parade to escort their spirit
visitors to the water front, where they
Were to depart.
Boatmen carried on their shoulders a
gigantic craft built of wood and straw,
In which the dead Were supposed to be
J»«ted, and which was to convey them
‘* c * to spirit land and to Ohata, the
Burnt father beyond tbs sea. This boat,
which is colled Fnkuy, was a master-
Somethlng About tbo Famoaa Steamers
That Flourished ItoMro tba War.
The most important American rival
which foreign corporations have en
countered in transatlantic steam naviga
tion was the famous Collins line. Mr. E.
K. Collins had grown up in the freight
and passenger business between New
York and Liverpool, and in 1847 he began
to interest Now York merchants in a
plan to establish a hew steamship line.
Two years later a company which he had
organized launched four vessels—the At
lantic, Pacific, Arctic and Baltic.
They were liberally subsidized, the
government paying the company. $858,000
yearly for carrying tho mails: conditions
imposed being that tlie vessels should
make twenty-six voyages every year, and
that the passage from port to port should
be better in point of time than that made
by the Cunardors. The Collins line met
the conditions successfully, its yesscl?
making westward trips that averaged
eleven days, ten hours and twenty-one
ininntes, as compared with twelve days,
nineteen hours and twenty-six minutes
by the British steamships.
The vessels of the Collins line cost up
ward of fiOO,000 each. This was a great
deal of money to put into a steamship in
those days, and as the largest of the
fleet was considerably smaller than the
smallest of the steamships that now ply
between New York and European ports,
there was naturally a good percentage
olfcost in the appointments for the com
fort of the passengers. Many features
that have since come to be regarded as
indispensable on board ship were intro
duced by the Collins vessels.
Among them none attracted more
comment when the Atlantic arrived at
Liverpool, nt the end of her first voyage.
May 10, 1819, than the barber shop. En
glish visitors to the vessel, us she lay at
anchor in the Mersey, saw for tho first
timo tho comfortable chair, with its
movable head rest and foot rest, in which
Americans are accustomed to recline
while undergoing shaving. Another
novelty was a smoking room in a house
on the ufterpart of the deck.—John II.
Gould in Scribner's.
-»8The Ba.ik of Americus.Qo-
Designated Depository State of Georgia.
Stock hold's* individually liable.
Capital*
0urplus»
-1 U EC*,ORS
H. C. Begley. Pres. Amencus Investment Co.
n. v>. Mgicy. rrcs. Americas invesum
P. C. Clegg, Pres. Ocmulgee Brick Co.
Jas. Dodson, of jas. Dodson & Son, Attorneys.
G. W. Glover, Pres't Araericus Grocery Co.
8. H. Hawkins, Pres't 8. A. & M. Railroad.
8. Montgomery Pres't Peoples National Bank.
J W. Sheffield, of Sheffield & Co., Hardware.
T. Wheatley, wholesale dry goods.
W. E. Murphey, Cashier.
1 up Capital ..... 00,000.'
THE BANK OF SUMTER
T. N. HAWKES, O. A. COLEMAN,
President Vice-President.
W. C. FURLOYV, Cashier.
uIREOTORS- O. A. Coleman, C. C.
Hawkins, B. H. Jossey, T. N. Hawkes,
W. C. Furlow, W. H. O. Wheatley, R. 8.
Oliver, H. M. Brown, W. M. Hawkea,
Dr. E. T. Mathis, Arthur Rylander,
Liberal to its customers, accommoda
ting to the publio and prudent In ita
management, this bank solioita depoaita
and other business in its line.
S. MONTGOMERY, Pmt. ). C. RONEY, Vies Prwt.
JN0. WINDSOR. CV. IESTER WINDSOR Aut. CV.
E.A. HAWKINS, Attorney
NO. 2839.
rHE-
Peoples’ National Bank
Of Americus.
In Ttvo Countries.
In America my neighbor can own a
piece of land adjoining my honso, nnd
can, after long years, build on his laud
in such a way as to take the light away
from every window in my house winch
overlooks his lot. In England, after a
man has had the uninterrupted use of
light and air for sixty years ho acquires
nn easement, which is one of Judge
Blackstone's "incorporeal heredita
ments,” and this has to be respected by
the owner of adjacent land, who, ac
cording to English, and, for the inattet
of that, Roman law, must so enjoy his
own rights and property as not to inter
fere with tho established right and prop
erties of others.
In England if my neighbor sees
building a honso with windows over
looking his property, and in snch a man
ner us to tend to preclude him from
building himself at soma future time, he
at once s«ts to work to put up nn obstruc
tion against my windows, which forces
me to come' to terms with him. This
may be arranged by payment of a small,
in fact, entirely nominal, annual rent of
a few cents in recognition of his rights,
and this will prevent my acquiring an
easement over his land. Which of the
two systems is the more equitable I will
not venture‘an opinion, but leave the
reader to judge.—Detroit News.
Capital, 850,000. Bnrplna, *25,000
ORGANIZED 1883.
H.C.Baoixv,Prea. W. E. Itawalsa, 8«. <£ Tr.
Americas Investment Go
Investment Securities.
J?a»d up (lanital, 81,000,000.
(Surplus, $260,000.
II U Bagley, W E Hawkins, 8 W Coney,
W S Gillls, J W Sheffield, P C Clegg,
W M Hawkes, B F Mathews, G M Byno,
TV E Murphey, S Montgomery, J U Pharr.
B. P. Hollis.
* Bank of Sonthwestern Georgia. *
M. SPEER, J. W. WHEATLEY,
President. Vies President.
W. H. C. DUDLEY, A. W. SMITH,
Cashier. Aa.latent Cashier,
• DIRECTORS:
J. W. Wheatley, E. J. Eldrldge,
C. A. Huntington,. H. R. Johnson,
R. J. Perry, J. C. Nicholson,
A. W. Smith, W, n. C. Dudloy,
M. Speer.
E. Burr, Jr., Pres. H. M. Knapp, V. P,
O. A. Coleman, See, A Troas,
Georgia Loan & Trust Co.
Negotiates Loans on improved
Farm and City Property.
Servian Early Write*
It was not the easiest thing in the
world to bring malefactors to justice in
the early administration of the law in
Virginia, as tba following returns, made
to execuittona, will illustrate. The ex
tract is from the "History of Augusta
County." ,
"In the cose of Johnson vs. Brown
(1751). ’Not executed by reason there is
no road to the place where he (Brown)
Uvea.’" ”
Again: "Not executed by reason of ex-
«s of weather."
"November, 1752—’Not executed by
reason of an ax' (the ax being in the
hands of defendant, uplifted, no donhL
to cleave the officer’s sknll).
Not executed because the defendant's
horse was faster than mine.”
“Not executed, by reason of a gun."
“Emlen vs. Miller—’Kept off from
MUler wi tb a club, etc.; Hiller not fonnd
by Humphrey Marshall.’"
' "Not executed, because the defendant
gotinto deep water—out of my reach.'
"November, 1754—’Executed on the
within, John Warwick, and be is not the
J E Bivins.
Land Examiner,
N. D. MUUAI, PRESIDENT.
I. E. CLARK, CASHIER
Planters’ Bank of ElUe,
marine, Georgia. ,
PAID DP CAPITAL, - -
Collections a Specialty.
Liberal to Ita easterners, accommodating to
tbs public and pro deal la its management, this
bank solicits deposits and other business In Ita
It o - ' * ‘ jaaOdawiy,
LOA.]srS.
Loans negotiated at LOWEST RATES.
Easy payments, on city or farm lands.
J. J. HANES LEY,
not 5 ly Americus, Georgia.
August, 1755—Forty-nine executions
returned ‘Not executed, by reason of the
disturbance of the Indians.’”
piece of Japanese carpentry. ■ it
ninety feet long and had a stately mast
with a huge sail which bore in native
characters tho inscription, "Naidinama-
J™ 1 '" a word which is symbolic of
Q “to«a’a grantee*.
“di boat, artistically and richly deco-
toted, waa launched with mnch cere-
Electric Car Heater*.
In many places where electric rail
ways are in operation the temperature
falU so low in winter as to render the
cars quite uncomfortable. Why not,
under this condition of affairs, devote a
portion of the current used to propel the
cars to heating them as well? The ordi
nary car stove is open to so many objec
tion! that ita use is practically precluded
from the majority of roads. Electric
beaters, however, can be placed under
neath the scats so that a uniform tem
perature can lie given to the entire car.
Electrio heaters have been made and
have met with some adoption. Whether
they would prove too expensive for the
purpose is a question yet to be solved.
They certainly, however, offer advan
tages over any method of car heating
yet employed.—New York Telegram
Health is Wealth!
Dr. B. C. Writ's Nkftvfe and Bra is Treat*
MRXTf a guaranteed specific for Hysteria, Dizzi
ness. Convulsions, Fits, Nervous Neuralgia,
Headache, Nervdua Prostration caused bv the
Convulsions,
che, Nervous Prostration caused bv the
use of alcohol or tobacco, Wakefulness, Mental
Depression, Softening of the Brain, resulting in
insanity and leading to misery, decay and death t
Premature Old Age, Barrenness, Loaa of Power
n either sex, Involuntary Louses and Bperma*
orrbaea, caused by over-exertion of the brain,
elf-abuse or over-indulgence. Each box con
tains one month's treatment. 91 00 per box, or
•tx boxes for fft.OO, sent by mail, prepaid, on ~
cefpt of price.
WE GUARANTEE BIX BOXES
Tb cure any case. With each order reoeteod by
us for six boxes, accompanied with 96.00, we
will send the purchaser ooi written guarantee to
refund the money If the treatment does not ef-
Machinery Supplies.
We are now in our new building in Artesian Block,
and ready for business.
A Foil Line ol Cooking Stoves and Ranges.
Gas Fixtures and Sanitary Goods a Snecialty.
Globe, Angle and Check Valves,
Te^ra Cotta and Iron Pipings and Fittings.
Greneral R^r>air 'W ork
TELEPHONE No IS.
ESTABLISHED 1867.
INCORPORATED 1890.
JAMES FRICKER & BRO.
I have jnst returned from New York,
where I purchased e very largo stock of
DIAMONDS
PAPERS
NOVELS,
MAGAZINES
Fashion Plates.
WATCHES
at prices that will enable ua to sell
lower than ever before. Our atock Is
immense, assortment complete, prices
lower than any one. Call and aee for
yourselves before buying.
C. A. FRICKER,
President-
409 JACKSON ST„ AMERICUS, GA.
(Barlow Block.)
Americus Ironworks,
BUILDERS OF
Engines, Boilers, Cotton- Gins,
Presses, Feeders and Condensers, Saw and Grist Mills,
Shingle Machines, Pipe and Pipe Fittings, Boiler
Feeders, Valves, Jets, Etc.
Boxes and Pulleys
a&*Special attention given to repairing all kinds of
Machinery.' Telephone 79. *
Sw ill Men, Attention!
if 'flirt— it tit *a*n-iiuw rf-AH Itfln i • {i r # p A , •
Are yon Id need of machinery of any.deecription? If so, writs ns your wants,
■taUng Ju»t what yon desire and we will make yon low prioes. Oar spedal bus!
ness Is heavy machinery such as
ENGINES, BOILERS, SAW MILLS, AND W00D-W0BHHG MACHINERY,
and'forflret-otais machinery, wo defy comp
co; , r IT. . . T.
itltion. We are general agent# for
H, B, SMITH MACHINE dO.’S celebrated frood-working machines, nn<Tcan dls-
oount factory prices.. Be aura to write for circular of, “Farmers’ Favorite" saw
mill; It la the best on the market Second-hand machinery constantly on hand.
Write for prieee and see If we cannot save yon money.
Perkins Machinery Company,
67 SOUTH BROAD STREET,
Hsntlob'Tbs Tins Whew Too Write.
ATLANTA, GA.
JunrtWAwlyear
W. H. R. SCHROEDER,
(ftace«mor to Scbroeder 6 Strickland,)
724 Cotton Avenue. AMERICUS, GA.
Manufacturer or Tin. Copper and Sheet Iron Ware, Galvanized Iron Cornice,
Tin and Iron Roofing, Hot Air Heating Etc. Iron Smoko Sticks.
Exhaust Piping for Saw Hills a Specially.
NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS AND BUILDERS.
Will receive subscriptions
for anylpaper or
oubicAtion.
ORDERS PROMPTLY FILLED.
PLACE.
Mardre’s Book Store.
WM-ly 1
S. A; M. ROUTE.
Savannah, Americas & Montgomery R’y.
Tiara TA11LE
Taking Effect April 19,1891.
T&nn
,.arri 7 00 pi
i ive.....DirmingiiAm.'., , _ _ ,
* . Ciiliriersburg.... .Ive 6 flfl
....Hvlacauga v .,..lve 4 40
} m Ive ’Opelika Ive 1 1 'if>
tat Columbus arr U 45 a m
‘ o Columbufl ive 11 90
. Kllaville arr
e.....,’Ellavl!lc Ive
arr Americud arr
Ive American Ive
Ive Cordele Ive
Ive Helen*........Ive
.. Lyons ........Ive
arr...... 8avannall sir
0 06
8 60
8 20
8 00
6 90
3 66
1 66
7 40 p m
9 15
,, Chsrisptoa, .
iout^omery sad Americus, vis Opelika
8 lo s m Ive Montgomery ....srrl 7 1ft d m
2 IS p m Ire Opel Ik* arr l 06
0 40 .♦fur ..... Amortcos ......lve| 8 90 a m
Between Montgomery and Amdricua, vU Union
Springs and Columbus.
40 am Ive Montgomery srrl 7 06 p m
. 60 Ive Columbus....!, arr 11 90.
6 40 jarr Amnricus lre| 9 to
Betw'n MontgomeryandAmerlcua, via Eufaul*
7 40 am Ive Montgomery arr 7 06*p m
• " — ...XuYsula, .. F * ~
Americus and JackeonvIUe, via Helena
rsssW::::::.*?::
r Brunswick I
y .....Jackson Tills,....
lection made at Montg
Ive 8 00
west, and at;
rfeus for
Buttons.
Sleeping cars between Columbus and Savan-
Passengers from Charleston destined to points
west of Sovannah, change cars at C. & S. Junc-
r. N. MARSHALL. JL 0. GOODMAN,
Ccn. Superintendent. Gen. Pass. Agent.
. AmavfeaSaG*. Americus, Ga.
J. M. CAKOLAN, B. B. Pass. Art.
Savannah. Ga. B. A. SMITH,
Western Pise. Agt , st. Louts, Mo.
M. D. ROYER, T. P. A,
Americus, Ga.
vaco iSS^a..
toonynfter the last spirit had been em-
pvacea and, fimirmrivalv sneakimi. bad
,. —,»nd, figuratively speaking, had
token hie rial on boanl. It waa then
P|““*d out into ths eeo, and drifting
wse finaUj carried out of sight by
the tide. And so ended the last festival
of Matsidri ever b>14 publicly in Na-
and the moat splendid religions
“‘‘“mam j aver witnessed. SanFraa-
osco vhrubiole.
A New Fat Care.
SL Agedore—It is tho easiest thing in
the world.
De Maacna—What, to rednoe a man's
weight?
“Yes, to reduce n man's WUiL The
one thing needful—always be punctual.”
—St, Joseph New*.
H. SANFORD,
Contractor and Builder,
AMERICUS, GA*
U prepared to take contracts for buildings of
all kimlx.
With large experience In building be can
guarantee u good work as can be done any
where.
If the p4*e eaten every day were heaped
one oa top of another they would moke
a tower thirty Seven mile. high. If laid
out in aline they woald reach from New
Yosk to Breton.
Designs Furnished
ites Hide.
I would b* pteaMd t ,
Is* all work to b*arat-claM I
notice. I also do Heavy l
Cy CALL AND GET MY ESTIMATES AND GIVE ME A TRIAL..
l-l-»>
On May i; at the side track at Furlow Lawn, the
OCMULGEE BRICK COMPANY
■ . - - ; ■ —and ntei—-
RIVERS LUMBER COMPANY
WILL OPFN A SALES YARD FOB
BRICK, LUMBER AND SHINGLES
East Tennessee,
Virginia and
Georgia R’y
System.
-18 THE ONLY—
Short and Direct Line to tbe North, East or
Vest.
A man will be in charge of the yard to deliver goods to customers.
A full stock of everything will fie kept. Your orders solicited. 4-30
s
DUNLAP HATS.
LATEST STYLES AMD SHAPES.
ARTHUR
THE
This line Is conceded to be tbe beat equipped
and runs tbe finest Pullman, Sleeping Can In
tbe South.
Elegant Pullman Sleeping Cara, between
Jacksonville and Cincinnati,
Tttuaville and Cincinnati,
Brunawick and Louhville,
Chattanooga and Waahington,
Ifemphia and New York,
Philadelphia and New Otleaoa,
8r%fog
Chattanooga and Mobile,
Atlanta and
witOMtCOeag*.