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244 HONDA THE SAMURAI. government. The chrysanthemum is taller and more beautiful than the asarum ; so I should like to see our imperial flower flourishing above all else, on our flags, on our soldiers' helmets, on our banners, our ships' colors, and on all that belongs to government." " Your idea is a good one, teacher," said Mr. Rai. " Centuries ago, when the great ancestor of the Tokugawa family made a certain village his residence, he was presented by the people with round cakes on each of which three leaves of the asarum plant were laid, and this has ever since been the family crest; but the Son of Heaven in Kyoto has a double coat-of-arms, the single round chrysanthemum and the triple heart-shaped leaves and fragrant blue blossoms of the kiri tree " " Which foreigners call the Paullownia imperialist interposed the doctor. " A Russian botanist, admir- ing the blossoms, named it after the imperial princess." " Well certainly, our country is weak because divided up into too many feudal factions ruled by petty barons. We have a rich garden of crests and coats-of-arms, but no national emblem. I hear that the Americans at Yokohama hoisted a striped boat- flag used only by the custom-house, and actually saluted that with salvos of artillery as the national flag of Japan." All three roared in hearty laughter at this, and then, in a solemn tone, and with a strange light in his eye as he seemed to be looking into the future, Mr. Koba said :
THE CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 245 " Friends, this coming of Perry and the foreigners will change the whole face of our garden-land, long ' ago named the luxuriant field of reedy moors ' ; the asarum trefoil will be rooted out of the center and be put in the shady corner, while the chrysanthemum will be planted on the sunny banks and fill all the garden with its gold, silver, and purple glory, while on all the slopes and hills will flourish the kiri-tree in a perpetual fourth month of bloom. Beside the great world our country is a tiny flower-pot. In it a skillful gardener may raise a plum, pine, and bam- boo together; but a sheep-sorrel and a chrysanthemum can not grow together when foreigners enter our land. The one must overshadow the other, and that one is the golden flower." " Master," said Rai Goro with a troubled look, " we feel with you, even if we can not see so far, but you will not say such things outside our circle. Remember the spies are everywhere, and the big Yedo ear hears every whisper in the empire." " I shall be discreet, friend Rai ; but let me tell you that before twenty years go by that flower " point- ing to the golden bloom on the veranda "shall shine on the frontlets of the helmets and on the banners of a national army, and on the pennants of a national navy, and be stamped on the edicts, docu- ments, and laws promulgated from one capital. We must have national unity, of which the doctor's peer- less single-stemmed flower is the symbol." "I love to hear you predict, for you are a true prophet, teacher ; but do not get excited," said Rai.
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244 HONDA THE SAMURAI.<br />
government. The chrysanthemum is taller and more<br />
beautiful than the asarum ; so I should like to see<br />
our imperial flower flourishing above all else, on our<br />
flags, on our soldiers' helmets, on our banners, our<br />
ships' colors, and on all that belongs to government."<br />
" Your idea is a good one, teacher," said Mr. Rai.<br />
" Centuries ago, when the great ancestor of the<br />
Tokugawa family made a certain village his residence,<br />
he was presented by the people with round<br />
cakes on each of which three leaves of the asarum<br />
plant were laid, and this has ever since been the<br />
family crest; but the Son of Heaven in Kyoto has<br />
a double coat-of-arms, the single round chrysanthemum<br />
and the triple heart-shaped leaves and fragrant<br />
blue blossoms of the kiri tree "<br />
" Which foreigners call the Paullownia imperialist<br />
interposed the doctor.<br />
" A Russian botanist, admir-<br />
ing the blossoms, named it after the imperial princess."<br />
" Well certainly, our country is weak because<br />
divided up into too many feudal factions ruled by<br />
petty barons. We have a rich garden of crests and<br />
coats-of-arms, but no national emblem. I hear that<br />
the Americans at Yokohama hoisted a striped boat-<br />
flag used only by the custom-house, and actually<br />
saluted that with salvos of artillery as the national<br />
flag of Japan."<br />
All three roared in hearty laughter at this, and<br />
then, in a solemn tone, and with a strange light in<br />
his eye as he seemed to be looking into the future,<br />
Mr. Koba said :
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