Buddhist ceremony of making offerings to the dead. The queer
cursive text, looking like shorthand written perpendicularly,
yielded to translation only lines like these:--

"In the First Ward of Nichi-Hommachi, in far-famed Osaka--
_O the sorrow of this tale of shinju!_

"Tamayone, aged nineteen,--to see her was to love her, for
Takejiro, the young workman.

"For the time of two lives they exchange mutual vows--
_O the sorrow of loving a courtesan!_

"On their arms they tattoo a Raindragon, and the character
'Bamboo'--thinking never of the troubles of life....

"But he cannot pay the fifty-five yen for her freedom--
_O the anguish of Takejiro's heart!_

"Both then vow to pass away together, since never in this world
can they become husband and wife....

"Trusting to her comrades for incense and for flowers--
_O the pity of their passing like the dew!_

"Tamayone takes the wine-cup filled with water only, in which
those about to die pledge each other....

"_O the tumult of the lovers' suicide!--O the pity of their lives
thrown away!_"