H THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



was just looking for some sort of shelter when he caught sight of 

 a little, half-ruined hut. Drawing nearer, he found that it was a 

 sort of watch-house, such as the peasants build near the rice-fields 

 in order to protect the growing grain. Overjoyed at having 

 found even this poor shelter, the postman entered the little hut, 

 and, throwing himself on a heap of dried grass, was soon fast 

 asleep. Perfect silence reigned over the sterile plain ; only now 

 and again the far-off hoot of an owl or the mournful cry of some 

 night bird broke the stillness of the night. 



Several hours had passed, when the sleeper was suddenly awak- 

 ened by the deep, sonorous note of a bell. The sound seemed to 

 come from the western portion of the field, and all at once the 

 startled sleeper heard a tramping as of many feet, and a confused 

 murmur of Buddhist chants and prayers. Nearer and nearer 

 came the crowd of people, to the listener's great astonishment. 

 " There are no houses in the field," thought he, " and anyhow no 

 one would think of going at midnight to such a deserted and ill- 

 omened spot." The stars were shining brightly, but no moon 

 illumined the scene, so that the trembling postman could only see 

 objects very near him. Nevertheless he peeped cautiously out of 

 his hiding place and saw, to his unbounded surprise, a long pro- 

 cession of men bearing torches and lanterns. In front of all 

 marched a tall priest, reciting the Buddhist invocation, Namu 

 Amida Butsu, in a clear, loud voice. " It is a funeral procession ! " 

 thought the frightened listener, and crept farther back into the 

 shadows of the hut. 



As soon as the mournful procession had reached the little hut 

 .a halt was made, and the coffin-bearers stepped forward. Scarcely 

 five paces from the hut the grave was dug, and the coffin placed 

 in it. The priest then threw the earth back into the grave and 

 built a little mound above it, and finally placed a few sticks cov- 

 ered with Buddhist characters in one end of the mound. With- 

 out further word the somber procession turned back, and moved 

 slowly away in the same solemn and impressive manner, leaving 

 the postman in a most pitiable frame of mind. It was quite bad 

 enough to be compelled to spend the night in such an uncanny 

 and grewsome spot ; but the late hour, mysterious burial, and the 

 proximity of the freshly dug grave were enough to frighten the 

 bravest heart. 



As if chained to the spot by some evil spell, the postman kept 

 staring at the little mound before him. Suddenly, while he was 

 gazing fixedly at the grave, it began to rock slowly from side to 

 side. Quicker and quicker became the rocking, while the invol- 

 untary spectator underwent an agony of terror. Faster and faster 

 still rocked the mound, until it fell over with a great shock, and 

 a naked, horrid thing jumped from the grave and ran toward the 



