Yamagata Trumpeter

A righteous and an upright man is Mr. Hideo Takahashi of Yamagata. Eight years ago he returned from the U. S. to the city of his birth with enough money to keep him in frugal comfort for the rest of his life. But Hideo Takahashi was not satisfied. Lacking great funds for great philanthropy, he yet wished to do something in his remaining years to express his thanks for the good things life had brought him, something to make life pleasanter for the citizens of Yamagata. He started on a campaign that soon won him the affectionate nickname of Nose Wiper, a campaign which, spreading to Tokyo, recently brought him an interview with a Tokyo reporter, Mr. S. Okuyama.

Crusader Takahashi is a bachelor. He lives in an empty barnlike structure which has not been troubled by scrubwomen for months. Reporter Okuyama found him propped up in bed reading a book. Other furniture of the bedroom was a desk, a reed organ or harmonium, a bucket, a pile of books.

"For 20 years I lived in the United States," said Mr. Takahashi. amiably waving his interviewer to a seat at the organ. "I returned to this country in 1922. My strongest impression of my native land was that the children did not use handkerchiefs. In one morning I saw 65 schoolchildren giving ample evidence of this. On the following day I visited a primary school and found that 200 of the thousand pupils had colds but no handkerchiefs. So I started my campaign. . . . But I've got to be going, it's time for my morning round. Haven't missed it in eight years."

Agile for his 53 years, nose-wiping Mr. Takahashi sprang from bed, dressed hastily in a rusty black European suit. With a few deft snips of a pair of shears he transformed the morning paper into a pile of paper handkerchiefs which he stuffed into one pocket, also pocketing a large hand mirror. Round his neck he hung a placard of a Japanese schoolboy with running nose. In brilliant ideographs down the side ran the legend: THIS PICTURE SHOULD NOT BE A SIGNBOARD FOR JAPAN. BLOW YOUR NOSE. OTHERWISE YOU WILL BE LAUGHED AT BY FOREIGNERS. Humbly Reporter Okuyama followed the nose crusader.

In a nearby park they stalked a group of wet-nosed children at play. Advancing cautiously from the rear Mr. Takahashi suddenly held his mirror before the chief sniveller's startled face. The boy turned, discovered Crusader Takahashi smiling benignly over his tabard, holding out a paper handkerchief. Hypnotized, the sniveller accepted it, trumpeted dutifully.

Reporter Okuyama returned to Tokyo filled with enthusiasm, started a campaign fund for Crusader Takahashi. First week's contribution:

S.W.P. 0.03

N.W.E. .005

B.C. .02

S.O. .01

Fellow Sufferer .04

Anonymous .01

Total: .115 yen (5 1/2 cents).

Reports Treasurer Okuyama:

"The extemporaneous committee which has been formed to handle the contributions also reports receipt of two handkerchiefs (used). One bore the initials F. H. H. on a corner."

U. S. contributors should address: Mr. S. Okuyama, % Japan Advertiser, 6 Nishi 6-Chome, Ginza Kyobashi, Tokyo, Japan.

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