For it is very cheap to live when you are dead.”
Thank you, Mr. Editor, I am going to be Christian on Dec. 25, so as to get back them 25c which Hon. Rev. Chillworthy has took. But I am going to eat like heathen, think like heathen, act like heathen, so that everything about me shall remain in good-healthy condition for 4th of July, when it is unnecessary to be a Christian, thank you. Hoping you get for Christmas present what is coming to you,
Yours truly,
Hashimura Togo.
XXXIX
THE ANNUAL NEW YEAR
San Francisco, December 28th.
To celebrated newspaper printers, New York City, etc.
Dearest Sirs—We are about to put away this 1908th year, thank you, because it is considerably used up. How many kind thoughts of neighbours, young ladies, labouring unions, sickness, food & drunk, poems of Hon. Mr. Byron, etc., come to this Japanese Schoolboy for sentimental intelligence to celebrate! O my, so soon this year have went! So short of time for 365 days, so full of everything what has happened to people! How can I speak for tears of voice? O happy date of Jan. 1st! Persons which are sorry for what they done on Christmas can now forget it by turning over and over: Give ring-off to old, give ring-on to new!
During this so happy annual that is past many National Events has happened to me. Brick-bat wound sent by labouring union has swole up, thank you, enjoying some agony; Miss Furioki which married cousin Nogi loves me so little; C. W. Kurashuke, Japanese dentistry, operate on my toothache which I shall never pay for; Arthur Kickahajama, missionary boy, ruin the beauty of my derby hat by wearing it; I must suicide myself to hari-kiri on account of O-Fido who create expense & only wag about it; I have acquired a feetwet by searching for employment which brings me the result of great influenza and sneezing in hon. nose. All these blessings make Japanese Boy forgiving to turn over new leap-year.