Although the piano-organ has not yet reached Japan, the small boys have their popular songs, just the same as in England. So popular, indeed, have these songs become—especially since the war—that " learned professor has collected and published a small volume of popular songs, with words in Japanese and English, and music in tonic sol-fa.
The following is a specimen modern comic song in Japan Walking out at night I saw, much to wny surprise, Lying on the tram-car track purse of wondrous Joyfally 1 picked it up, but fonnd it was a sham—
Nothing but " lifeless frog, flattened by a tram, The above is one of the comparatively few Japanese compositions which allow of translation without losing all trace of the freshness and conciseness of the original. The only specimen of patriotic tragic verse is not so gond Resting in his comrade's arms a fallen soldier lay, Low his friend bent' down his head to hear what he might say Siniling bravely through the tear that glistened in his eye, Whispered he, with failing breath, but one short word, " Banzai.'
From the style of the foregoing tragic verse it would seem that the gentleman who put the Japanese professor's English into shape has a good working:
instance with English music-hall sentimental ditties.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.