Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1883-05-19
My Feast in Toxic.


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HOW AN AMERICAN PARTooK OF A
JAPANESE DELICACY.
"Would you like to join me in g
feast of boiled eels ?" asked my Japan
ese friend. "It is said that this month
the unagi is fit morsel for the gods.
"Unagi?" / replied, with some
what dubious shake Of the head; II
never was very fond of those marine
snakes"
probably you have never tasted
them prepared by my countrymen," I" he
slyly returned. II remember once eat
ing some at Delmonico's (shuddering).
They were soft, flavorless morsels, in
closed in a quivering jelly. Come
along with me and partake of a dish
the taste of which will be pleasantly
remembered long after you return to
America. You, who are half Japan
ese, ought not any longer to remain
ignorant Of one of our chief deli
cacies."
Summoning a jim riki sha, we
squeezed into it in the economical
fashion, and after brief ride turned
into the Okiyo-koye machi (street) and
alighted at the entrance to Maroki's
Establishments two-storied building,
the lower apartment of which was
furnished with grated, prison-like win
dows. In the entrance were the pro-
prietor and his wife, who, as we paid
our jin-riki-sha man, prostrated them
selves, bowed their heads on the boards
and murmured: Thousand welcomes
to our humble place. then, rising,
awaited our pleasure.
We slipped off our clogs and fol-
lowed our hostess up broad ladder to
the floor above, which was divided by
sliding screens of paper into number
of apartments. Here we were greeted
by a score of chubby-faced, cherry
Tipped. neatly-dressed attendants, who
knelt and welcomed us with profound
bows. We entered neat little matted
room, about ten feet by twelve, the
sole adornment of which were two
hanging pictures representing Ebisu
and Dai-koku-gods of luck. Placing
cushions on the floor, she invited us to
seat ourselves upon them, prostrated
herself, bowed gravely and retired. In
a few moments black-eyed waitress
with her hair polished like ebony, and
decorated with single gold pin, en-
tered with a box containing live char
coal for the pipe, and after depositing
the apparatus on the floor between us.
knelt, bowed. sat upon her heels,
glanced modestly downward and await
ed our order. My friend, who was
what we term rather "airy," being
small official in the foreign Office,
glanced patronizingly at the girl and
said: Bring us some trifles with which
to amuse ourselves; then serve the
broiled eels as fast as we require them.
Mind, we don't want fish that have
been cooked an hour. My guest is
gentleman who appreciates hot food.
What wine have you on tapp'
The waitress, in spite of her droop-
ing lashes and humble pose, was slyly
watching me out of the corners of her
eyes and laughing to herself at his af-
fectation of Importance. She knelt |
near us. and. filling two tiny cups with |
the wine, proffered them to us, mur-
muring, "The wine is served" As 1 |
slipped the liquor glanced at the pref
ty waitress, who was sitting on her
heels, holding the bottle in her hand |
ready to replenish our cups. When
we had emptied them the waitress re-
moved them. and quickly returned
with some trays containing square,
black lacquered boxes, bearing the
signs Of the house and a number.
Placing one before each of us, she re-
moved the tightly-6tting lids and re-
vealed the contents. which were sec
lions of nicely Drowned, broiled, split
cells. skewered together, that gave out
a most appeti.ang odor.
The girl smiled as she watched my
looks. and replenishing my saucer with
shoyu placed it near me, murmuring,
u think you will find the unagi very
pleasing to your taste" took my
shqnRtisks in my tight hand. inserted