A BLIND STREET MUSICIAN.  Corresponding with the blind organ grinder in European cities, Japan has her blind street samisen player.  With a samisen in one hand and a cane in the other, the poor blind woman, whose very appearance moves our heart is seen stopping in front of the house, giving a musical performance for which she is sometimes liberally compensated. Some very expert musicians are frequently found in this class of people.  The fact of their possessing such an accomplishment shows that at least some of them were of respectable birth, with whom fate had dealt so harshily that they descended to this humble situation.		THE “DAI-KAGURA”.  On New Year's days and other fete occasions, a man wearing a hideous looking lion's mask over his head is seen stopping from house to house, dancing to a music consisting of drum and fife.  He is often followed by jugglers who display some marvellous tricks.  As the native mythology has it, soon after the creation of this earth, there prevailed darkness in heaven and earth as the Sun-goddess hid herself in a cave.  The gods assembled and put their heads together to devise some means to excite her curiosity and entice her out.  The result was the getting up of the Kagura, which, as they hoped, succeeded in tempting the heavenly lady to peep out of the cave, thus putting an end to darkness.
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