June, 1933
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
184
2:00 a . m . Most exciting is the event just transpired!. In the next large town, called Itabashi, a great fire broke out. The wind was blowing directly toward us in Ikebu- kuro. Oh, the sky was so red with flames which rose higher and higher until we all feared we knew not what! I met Matsu Chan who was also anxious, as his mother is ill and cannot leave her bed. We thought of the foreign teacher and resolved to go and inform him of the danger. Many people were fleeing with beds and bundles from Itabashi, and one small child cried distressingly. I paused and in quired the reason for it. She was losted from her mother and broken-hearted. I led her to a vegetable shop that I know, then we proceeded to the foreigner’s house. To our astonishment, he was not in, but on the highway assisting refugees. Mrs. McEdward did not appear anxious, for “ God will take care for us,” she said. There was a Japa nese child with her, and she was spreading a bed for it. I told her o f the small girl I had left at the vegetable shop, where are nine chil dren of that family already, and she said since much more space was here, to bring her. So I did, and meantime Mr. Me.
many days he had felt great burden for sin, but how, pray, could that be? I should think incarceration in prison would follow so many sins. Anyhow, he did earnest prayers and confessions, and on that happy day faith came suddenly and easily on the promise of God which we had before us—John 1, 12 verse. He was then running over full of joy, as he had become a son o f God. There is one man in the Bible class that I do not so much like. His name is Mr. Okanobu, and often he wages arguments with the teacher. He is student o f Waseda University and very clever, but I think he should seem more clever if he behaved as an owl and not as a magpie. Tonight a thing occurred which made him small and was doubtless for the benefit of his character. We sit on folding chairs there, and sometimes they slide a little, so we must sit with a degree of nicety. Mr. Okanobu sat down hardly, and the chair suddenly gave way beneath him, and he was precipitated to the floor. I wished to let
forth a loud happy guffaw, but strained my desire. Mr. Oka-
nobu’s face became red, and he did not spc so often after that. It is so cold that I lighted the coals
veri
ak
returned with a small b o y . So
for the b o d y warm er, and placing it in side, I went to school with it in my pocket. If Uncle could know such ef- f e m i n a c y , would he not re
Matsumura and I went to in form the gen- fdarmes t h a t the paren ts might under stand where to s e e k t h e i r children. The air has been filled with screeches o f fire motors, and little by little they have
monstrate with me' bitterly? It feels so splendid to my purple fingers to have the warm velvet box of fire in my pocket in school. Some students are wearing overcoats in their class
reached success. The “ flow ers of Tokyo” are faded now. Fire is a horrible thing. I wonder if my grandmother spoke right in her belief of in J a p a n the seven hells. All Buddhists do not think it is so after death. I must inquire what the Christian belief is o f it. M arch 16. At last! At last! The dreaded examinations are over, and we are free to play for two weeks now. My thoughts o f relief beggars description! My name was posted among those who passed every subject. Matsu Chan also was among the fortunate ones. My graduation essay was com pleted in December, but I reconstructed it a little, then gave it to the teacher. It is an obloquy on the Proletariat o f Soviet Russia, and I am hoping very much for good recognition o f this essay. Also I informed my professor that the journal is not yet reached to 5,000 words, but I proposed to continue even beyond that number. Now I am much in sorrow for our neighbor who is Mr. Nakayama. His son has tried for three years successively the entrance examinations o f the Imperial University, but they have proved too difficult for him. Each year about 1,300 apply by examination, and though many have good standing on their papers, only place for about 150 new students can be made. Mr. Nakayama’s son was so dis couraged that he went from his home secretly, and no one knew until one morning last week. Much search was made, and his body was taken by some boatmen from the river. O f course many hundreds of students commit suicide every
Courtesy N. Y. K. Line
rooms, but in our class every man removes his coat, and we sit as stoics, without fire, through all the winter days.
S p r in g t im e
M arch 1. Oh, how we do study! Last night I did not sleep until three, but tonight I shall pull out my bed at ten and sleep until two, then rise up and study until morning again. This purpose I told Matsumura, and he agreed to do likewise. My aunt has a small child who has taken cold and cries out coughing in the night. So it is easier to remain awake than before. We shall, if fortunate, finish our Higher English School this month, but I wish to return in April and take postgraduate course to prepare myself for the profession of interpreter. I wish to be master of the English language and perhaps teach it some day. Perhaps Father will permit me to go to America and enter some college for further study. Ever since a small child, how have I longed to travel to America, where money is so plenty that even labor ing men own motor cars and ride to work as kings and princes! And the cities there have buildings which pierce to the clouds! I should not like to be on top of such build ing when earthquake came. Oh, it would be horrible! It is good that Tokyo has a law which states only eight stories may be allowed in buildings. Now I must cease this prattle and begin to study in earnest.
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