Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1878-05-01

Win his clownlsnly cut clOtneS, an
who seemed to be O sort of bench
man or feudal retainer. They wer
soon in raptures over the big iroI
gates, the complicated locks, th,
solid plates of the walls, ceiling
and flooring, the symmetrical row
of dollar bags, and the genera
appearance of security and strength
, None more so than the slim retain
err, who was even ultra Japanese II
his curiousty, for he inspected locks
and bolts, thumped and stamped
on iron plates, and inquired in
cessantly into the dimensions ant
thickness OF the walls, required
minute explanations about the
foundations-and all with the mos
artless air imaginable. /, as show
man, allowed them to inspect every.
thing to their hearts content, care.
fully, however, inserting myself
between them and the dollar-bags
for had little faith in the immacu-
late character even of the high
bred, rustic Japanese, especially
when I called to mind the late
great robbery. They must have
remained long half-hour before
l suggested that they should come
to the "Junior Hong;" and, as /
locked the treasury doors behind
them, l think / recollect a twinkle
in the eyes Of the old comprador
as he prepared to take himself of
to his opium-pipe. However, I
said good-by in the most affection
ate manner. Then l started for
a spin on the running-path, as our
annual athletic sports we're coming
off, and l was in hard training.
1t was pretty dark as l came
back. Yokohama in those days
could not boast of solitary stree.
oil-lamp, much less a gas-jet, and
we had literally to feel our way
with the uncertain aid of lanterns
from house to house. Still, it was
not so dark but that I could distin-
guish three figures on the pathway
opposite, in front Of large bunga-
low, which had been to let for some
month pasta large house, with a
prolific garden in front, in the midst
of which was a huge azalea-bush,
another of the sights of Yokohama.
The three figures were close togeth-
er; / could distinguish two men
and one woman; and, unless my
eyes played me wofully false, they
were my rustic friends of the after
noon. However, / thought no more
about it, and turned in to dinner.
In another day or two we heard
that the bungalow opposite had
been let to a highly respectable
firm of Japanese merchants, who
intended to live there in European
style. Workmen were to be seen
day and night repairing, repainting,
and generally doing up the place ;
brand-new furniture was discharg-
ed at the doors in van-loads the
garden, which had become neglect
ed and overgrown with weeds, was
replanted and trimmed up; and in
very short time the moldy old
residence had assumed a spick-and-
span appearance, which made it q
prominent feature on the road.
Matters went on in the usually
somewhat monotonous fashion of
Yokohama at this season of the
year. No more big robberies had
been reported; nevertheless, / still
kept the double guard on the bank
premises, and never lost sight of
the idea, that relaxation Of vigil
snce might lure daring schemers to
make attempt on our dollar bags
one of these dark autumn even
ings.
One evening ! was returning
from my usual spin on the running
path, and was passing the gate OF
the bungalow in front of our bank,
when something struck me as pc
culiar in the aspect of the place.
On nearer examination, / found
that the giant azalea-bus had dis
appeared. At Eve o'clock, when I
left the bank, / could swear it was
there, but as I now peered through
the bars Of the gate, there was Ger.
tainly nothing to be seen. This
was very extraordinary, for the
Japanese are such intense lovers Of
all that is striking, or picturesque
or beautiful in nature, that the re-
moval Of an object such as this 81
gantic azalea, merely for the SAX,
Of convenience, would be in theil
/ \