LIFE AND LETTERS OF JOSEPH HARDY NEESIMA

30/372

14 EARLY LIFE. Every house was decorated by some complicated fan­tastic ornaments called Shime. At the day dawn, just before the ornaments were removed from the house, a male babe was introduced into the family. On account of the Shime, a good omen, I was doubtless named after it, and was called Shimeta, a man of the Shime. But a story went round among our neighbors that I was named after my grandfather's exclamation Shimeta I when I was born. It may have a double meaning. At any rate I was called Shimeta, and it was written after the family name Neesima, accord­ing to our usage. Of course I have no knowledge of the events that happened in my home during my babyhood. But, so far as I recollect, I was a pet child of the family, especially of my grandfather. I was chiefly brought up on his lap. I have, also, some faint recollection of being carried occasionally by my grandmother. I was often taken out of doors on my sisters' backs, when my mother busied herself at home with sewings and mendings. "At my fourth year my brother was born. I can well remember how happy I was with that occa­sion. I also remember what a tiny babe he was, and I thought how nice it would be when he grew a little larger and I might spin a top or fly a kite for him. " At my fifth year I was taken to the temple of a god,l who was supposed to be my life guardian, to mant until 1872. Prior to this time the civil year was a lunar year of 12 months of 29 and 30 days alternately, a mode of reckoning intro­duced from China in 602 A. D., and requiring, at definite periods, the interjection of an intercalary month of varying length in order to har­monize the lunar and solar periods. 1 Every Japanese child is placed by his parents at an early age under the protection of some Shinto deity, whose foster-child he be-

※このページを正しく表示するにはFlashPlayer10.2以上が必要です