OCR Text |
Show RAIN IN JAPAN. M" flow ilia Natlvtt Trr to Ilrlnr Ik Mow ert llown. During tho summer season In Japan droughts aro very frequent, aud the rico fields, before co bcuutlful, pro-Bcutlnf,' pro-Bcutlnf,' nn they do all tho different shades of green Imuglnablo, gradually luio their brilliancy of color, turn yellow yel-low and parched, nnd threaten tho total destruction of tho crop. Not only does tho rlco suffer, but tho wells dry up and uccessltato tho carrying' of water from loiif? distances. So a drought in Jnpau Is, Indeed, a great calamity. After wnltlnc and hoping In vain for a downfall of rain, tho people turn on masio to ovolto the power of their del-ties del-ties to bend them tho saving showers. A procession Is formed of perhaps two hundred men, nil nearly naked, who, carrying straw emblems representing tho sun with tho ruin pouring from it, ami with loin? streamers having prayers written on thorn Hying in tho wind, proceed to thu nearest river or bay, where tho whola company wndo into the water until they aro waist-Jeep,, waist-Jeep,, and, surrounding tho oinblotns, pray aloud nnd throw water ou tho images with botlijinnds. Aftordolng1hlshover.il times, says thu New York Journal, tho procession In reformed, whun It prooeods to tho temple U prny agnln. This ceremony Is repeated saveral times, nnd iJiould the rain eomo in nbundanco prayers aro offered in thanksgiving; Bhould It bo only u shower they blamo themselves them-selves for not having prayed forvontly enough, and continue their devotions until n downpour takes place. Vt I'voullar liuokt. Tho most curious book in tlio world (s ono which Is neither written nor printed. livery letter is cut into tho leaf, and as thu alternnto leaves are of blue paper It is ns easily read as the best printing. Tho hook Is entitled "Tlio Passion of Christ." It Is a very ohb volume, and was a curiosity as long ago as Into. It belongs to tho family of Prlnco do I.lgnu, and is now in Prance. Another book in which tho text Is neither written nor printed, but woven, has lately been published by lioux, a bookseller at Lyons. Ills made of silk, nnd wna" published In twenty-live parts at ten francs each. Ilnch part consists of two leaves, so that the entire volume contains only llftv leaves, Inscribed with tho service of the mass and several prayers, lloth the letters and tho border aro woven In black silk on n white ground. |