Morning journal and courier., 1883-12-13
Price Three Cents

be Niagara hackmen. But it was all in vain,
 and reluctantly hurled the money into their
 teeth and left that den of thieves. The most
 aggravating part of it was that the ''saiona-
 ras' of the party were as sweet and hosplta-
 ble as if they had experienced no trouble On the way back to the alleged depot I
 stopped and bought few pears at one sen
 apiece. I would not advise anyone to buy Japanese pears. I gave those l bought to
 the odious interpreter. It was the only re- venge I could think of.
 For nay ticket to Utsonomia, or Otsonomis, or Wutsunumia, or whatever it is Git is quite immaterial to me what you call it), I gave the sum of two yen and ninety sen. have dim but terrible suspicion that was cheat ed. I know that ought to have been paid princely sum myself for taking such ride as that which followed but apart from that consideration, the sum was not at all com-
 mensurate with that which paid for the rec
 maining link between Utsonomia and Nikko. 1 The ticket purchased, it was my next care to find lodgings for the night For once the obnoxious interpreter proved himself use- full by escorting me to Japanese hotel ! near by. It was evidently 6 tony hotel 1 for native patrons, but am not anxious I to renew it's acquaintance. Sitting down on the highly polished floor, with my feet still resting on the dirt court always found { in the front part of public and private | houses alike, removed my shoes and wear | ry process for accommodations. had no idea before of the immensity of the task of communicating the simplest idea when the I tongue is dumb. My tongue was absolutely dumb, for did not know six words of the | Japanese language. At length by experi- \ menting I hit upon the sum of fifty zen, ! which extracted an eager affirmative nod [ from my native host, who was still rubbing the floor with his nose in token of abject hospitality. Then ''moosnis" (Jspsnese I girl led the way up a polished step-ladder | into the second story. Like most upper \ and enclosed on three sides simply by tenn porary screens plentifully supplied with pa- per windows about eight inches square that failed to communicate any light to the apart ment On one side was chart covered with Chinese characters, which served to worry my curiosity during my whole stay.
 The customary tobacco bon and tea were promptly served. Then the landlord appeared and after long series of genuhections, con veyed to my mind the idea that he wanted to inspect my passport. An, this was the modus operandi of registering at Japanese hotel. He was absent short time copying the document and then returned it intact. Then another moosmie appeared with my sapper-eggs, rice tea and some unsavory- smelling soups, served on a pretty lacquered tray. had eaten heartily at the yadoya, and did not care for the things, but could not for time give the puzzled moosmie to understand why declined them. Finally I made the simplest possible gesture to indi- cate an already distended stomach, and she metaphorically tumbled. Laughing immod- er8tely, she descended to the room below and related the affair to all the other moosmies there, who in turn set up such chorus of good natured laughter as made my teeth chatter.
 fyou long for notoriety take passage for
 Japan and then pRtronize native hotel. I
 was an object of the greatest interest to those
 in the house from the very first. Japanese
 etiquette is hardly identical with that of
 America and these blooming moosmies could
 not satisfy their curiosity to see me. Time
 and again they drew aside the screen, ,oourte-
 sled with the usual remark ''Ohaio," and
 then feasted their eyes upon my form. And
 I, Apollo-like, suffered them, believing that
 their admiration was justified.
 So popular did 1 become as piece of hotel
 furniture that a Japanese woman who was
 making her toilet in the rear part of the es-
 tablishment came out upon the bridge con
 meeting the front and the rear and
 gazed and gazed the while she ef-
 fected a complete change of out
 fit. Across the hall was bathroom, of &
 rude, primitive character, which seemed to
 be literally patronized, but which was un-
 provided with screens. My chGnaber did nos
 contain picture, mirror or single article of
 furniture until about seven o'clock, when the
 andon was brought in. The andon is Jap
 anese institution in the way of an ilIumina-
 tor. It consists of @ wooden framework
 about eight inches square and three feet high, in the centre of the papered top of which is a saucer of grease. A tiny wick leads up out
 of this oil, and this affords the national il- lumination. Coal oil lamps are being exten- sively introduced in the coast districts and gas is found in most of the treaty ports. The Japanese always have an andor burning be- side them all night. EMILE.