Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1888-09-22

Japanese Kotci B,li.
Japanese Letter To st. Louis Globe
Democrat: Before we left Mara we had
a scene with our landlord, who proved
himself 10 be anything but Arcadian; but
in the after moments it has furnished us
more amusement and more cause for
laughter than anything else hat has hap
penrd to as. Ii took four hou S for them
TO bring the bill after we called for it,
and when the old banto, rr manager,
came he had a roll Of paper in his hand
that he unrolicd like lie Buddhist scrip
lures. We had often remarked upon The
foxy twinkle in the spcctaclcs Of tn, old
sinner, and compared him t0an o.dspider
rs be sal behind the low writing table in
the great room of the inn. Wchad made
Il Oh ii plain. hard and fast bargain That
We felt sure that there uld be 10 O
sense or any Of the common IL house
scenes when we left, but woe 10 him hat
bOasteth and hear how pride had its
fail.
The old banto came in and unrolled
the bill, a strip of paper SIX inches vide
and just a yard and a quarter long. Ii
amused US. When we read of the sum
total il electrified US. There WAS Il half
hour Of useless p|r,test and argument, The
old banto talking 10 us in the most lordly
manner, and shaking his folded spectaCles
in our faces TO emphasize some Uf his
points. We saw that we stood no chance
because we were foreigners. and, more
over, women, whom the Japanese do not
seriously recognize as of any consequence
ore capability, and We despatched for
two friends who had that day arrived at
the inn. One Of them was "A japanese
noblemen Of the highest rank, and at
sight of the kuge the defiant banto got
down on the mats and remained with
his head to the floor until the
tilted parsonage spoke 10 him.
"Who are your" asked our friend
u ann the banto," said the once lordly
being, groveling on the floor before this
seyenty-third inheritor in direct line OF
one of the Oldest titles in Japan.
"Go and get your MASTER was the
word of command 10 the whitening worm,
and the master, whom The ban o said had
gonc to Osaka, WAS down in Nara, was
III. was sound asleep etc, soon appeared
and put his head on the mats in the atji-
trde Of humility. There was no back
talk from landlord or banto when the
kuge began reading the bin and heating
the two abashed robbers between the
items; and the transformation scene in
their line of action made this candle liChi
scene another theatrical affair. The
whole tea house s'aif, maids and small
boys came and looked on. prepared
original y to act as an explanatory G eek
chorus aud give COerCiyc shouts ana icrrs
If affairs had not taken such an %untoward
turn. The offer Of ono-half the whole
sum was accepted with resignation, The
money passed over and the landlord bid
den TO 20 and write his receipt.
We waited half an hour and then con
Guiding that we were only delaying our
companions uselessly, closed this stance
The receipt did not come that night, but
at q o'cluck the next morning the impu-
pcnt old banjo appeared with "a roll Of
paper IN his hand and crOlly drew up a
foreign chair and sit down at the table
vi h us and discuss the matter. cur
training III The dramatic scloulo # hat a
house furnished us with the appropriate
gcslure and tones To 20 with The com
maud for him 10 re down to his proper
place ON the floor lie brought the 0rigi-
nal bill reduced by 40 cents add the mas
ter was seat for and the whole ground gone
over again. The kuge'e servant looked
IN and saw the. ban o tiOu'rishibg the
| great sash ribbon Of u bill and ran over
10 his masters house. There was y siam
ming OF screens, a clatt r Of clogs aud
in two minutes the kuge himself appeared
TO the utter out and discontinue of the
two robbers, who again we're TRANSFORMED
from boldly threa cn,ng and pictorial
beings 10 the most AFFECT, humble and
profoundly civil people that ever touched
their heads to mats. The bid was re-
crip'ed and stamped and the c%ourtly
landlord even wished 10 tie our shoes for
us when we were ready to leave The
two small boys who were torn between
duty and friendship, master and penny
dispensing guests, and whose heels were
twiichipg with JOY over the dollar they
had to divide between them, followed us
OUT To the ~iinrickishas i was appar
emily not safe to make any display Of
feeling in the presence Of the discount cd
landlord, so the young imp whom he
called shawl boy "A" gave me the most
significant, expressive, embracing wink
as we parted