Dairen, Nov. 14.
The recent, birthday anniversary of Emperor Meiji, founder of modern Sepan. was wholesale marriage and hhouse: moving day for the Japanese. More responsible for the coincidental food of weddings was the signs the zodiac.
stony Japanese still believe in the divine power of the constellations. feast, they are. superstitious enough to-read mystic meanings in the zodlesins which said. that day) was ianbeday" and. the day of the Sth stun, bott of which ave considered omens portending supreme happiness. Grroualtion, it was the day of the Taian, a lucky day according to the "The Japanese traditionally have associated happiness. with marriage find. with the idea of a new home. When the eviestat agencies, predisi much happiness bundled together fand'on the very day their greatest emperor was' born, It was Inevitable {hat conjugal incentives should be "Booking" Karly to Marry 'At the municipally sponsored alton 'Shinto 'Shrine stone. fifteen wedding ceremonies were performed, Aihe tate of one every halt hour {from sunrise to sunset. Other shrines and temples in' the city similarly Wore overwhelmed, what with the Qveritow from: the' munielpel shrine find. their own young of the flock. An early estimate placed the number Of couples married at 30, a now all-time record for Dairen, ily are. places of wor tually. converted into early and given feels" indicating the hour "they were to appear, betrothed couples and Their witnesses, all eoremontously attired, arrived' long before their turns." So many desired 10. be mar Hed that a minute's delay in answering the rolleall- meant. default, and default. on such an auspicious day meant lifelong anguish. 'To be sure that they could marry, everyone Dorted easly, many' provided with rinks and food pleasantly to A the waiting period. twas like a. grand plenies' R°merry din. was. Rept With many a chatierbox' elreulating about exclaiming, "On, so" youre letting, married, to!"
"The priests were never busier, but business way good and the end of the Gay found them. well satis ied. with the rewards of the happy day heaped high in the collection boxes.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.