Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-10-06
Jir0 and the Snake.

once knew little boy who was not
at all like the little boys whom you are
accustomed to see every day. He did
not have blue eyes and curly brown hair,
nor did he wear gray trousers and short
jackets.
No; his eyes and hair were Jet black,
he was troubled with no other cloth
ing than aloose, wrapper-like garment,
which he bound about his waist with a
long sash. using its wide sleeves for
pockets. Perhaps, from the description
OF his dress, you will think that he
looked like a girl; but he was a real
boy, and would have felt indignant If
you had taken him for anything else.
In fact, Jiro-for that was the young
gentleman's name-was an inhabitant
of that country somewhere down under
our feet known as Japan, and some
times called the "Children's Paradise"
Now. Jiro was very proud of his cout-
try, and believed. as did all his country.
men, that the inhabitants had descended
from the gods. Although he was. only
eight years old, because his father was
one of those terrible fellows called sd
mural, or retainers (who would lop
your head off in minute and think
nothing of it), little Jiro was allowed to
carry in his belt a real sword. He was
not ignorant of its use, either, as he took
lessons in fencing twice a week.
Jiro's elder sister, Miss Koto, was
learning to handle the lance and spear
AN accomplishment of Japanese ladies
of position, which is considered as nec-
essary as learning to sew, or read, or
paint; and Jiro longed for the time to
come when his own hands would be
strong enough to lift these heavier
weapons. One day, as our little friend
was returning from fencing-school, he
thought that, instead of making his way
homeward through the crowded streets,
he would take a shorter cut he knew
OF, across the fields, where he would be
able to find some tall lotus-Gowers for
his sisters deft fingers to arrange in
the parlor flower-vases.
On reaching the pond where the lotus
grew, he found that several children
were already there, some busily engaged
in collecting the sweet lotus-roOts for
eating, and others, who were more fond
of play than of work, strutting about,
holding up the great lotus-leaves for
parasols, or wearing them as jaunty
sun-hats. Jiro did not care for the
roots Gas his mother frequently bought
them of the vegetable-man), and, as he
felt too busy to play, he set manfully to
work and cut down some of the most
beautiful buds growing high above his
head. When he had cut enough he
started for home, sturdily trudging
along with his arms full of the rosy
flowers and their great, wide leaves.
He had not gone very far. however,
before one of those long snakes which.
in japan, inhabit trees or low shrubs.
lifted up its ugly head right in Jiro's
path, and made him drop his fragment
bundle and grasp the hilt of his little
sword. The serpent looked very ugly.
seeming to say: mo! no! Mister Jiro,
you can't pass here until / have bite
of your and rather suspect that Jiro's
first impulse was to run away. But, re-
Numbering that his father was the re.
tainer of great Prince, and that some
day he would be retainer, too. Jiro
felt Drawer, and as the snake continued
to rear its head right in his path, Jiro
cut at it with his sharp little sword and
Topped its head right off; giving it an
other cut to make quite sure it was
dead, the lad picked up his flowers and
went on, feeling very proud of his
triumph. st Nicholas.