St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1894-02-03

pcnucntly OF the other, suggest That they
know al awful lot about the mystery Of
the sea. They have formed q basis on
which have constructed several marine
animals suitable for q mermaid and sea-
nymphs to ride and play with.
MANDOLIN NAN.
Little Nan rested her brown curly head
against her beloved old mandolin and
wept piteously. "iIush, heart" she said
as she placed one tired hand on her beat
ing heart, and closed her lips tightly SO
that the bad words she wanted very
much to say might not escape. "Poor
little outcast," what a picture of despair
she made seated on an old rough custa-
way goods box and eagerly scanning
each face that came in view. But though
the city's multitude passed her by, nc
one gave the pathetic little figure more
than q slight glance. Even the boot
black who had gone yelling away up the
street Instantly forgot her. They had
been the cause Of the tear stained cheeks,
and by their haunting words had de-
privcd her OF ali courage to attempt to
play. When they cspicd poor little Nan
how they did yell. shouting so that every
one within a block could have heard;
"What mandolin, '"W hat manlolin.'
where did ye pick EN- up, outten the
gutter" Poor little street waif, it
seemed to her she had not friend. The
harsh words of Aunt NilIy rang in her
ears as she sat there crying alone. Little
Nan could not remember her prrcnts,
both having died when she was very
small So in some way she had fallen in
the hands of an Old woman, whom she
called Aunt Milly and who was most
unkind to her. And one morning in a
fit of passion she had said, "Takc your
fathers old bapj 10 and 90 out and earn
your own living. I'm tired keeping Il
young'un whut'lI nivcr do me a cents
worth OF good" and this was how she
had come to try to play upon the streets.
But the rude boys had banished what
little courage she possessed. GrleVously
disappointed, she laid down the battered
old mandolin and-Wcll. Is the sun was
sinking a lovely lady bent over Il little
sleeping form, and Nan does not rcmcm-
Der how it all happened, but she knows
she is happy in cheerful home, sur
rounded by fragrant rose gardens, and as
she plays on a beautiful instrument her
new mamma sings delightful happy
songs, and the bootbIacks never saw
"Mandolin Man, again Detroit Free
Press.
GOING TO SCHOOL. IN JAPAN.
AS marked as is the disSlmilaritv Of
the japanese child to our own wee one,
perhaps there arc no lights in which the
former is shown that set oil this dissm-
ilitude like the quaint rays Of the edu-
cational sun which illumincs his path.
Behold him, then, approaching the frail,
one story, half paper and half wood
school house he attends epuiring there
to as one of picturesque group of three,
four, or five happy Youngsters, armed
with copy book, serobau (of which more
anon), huge paper umbrella, and rec
jar, the last swinging from a round little
arm in gay ly brocadcd bag-the avenue
he is on and the school house and sur
all envelopcd IN an atmosphere
and hue Of naive and antique quaintncss.
In due time he is inside the tidy little
school-room, with its snowy mating, its
bright futOns "a square of wadded silk
or crepe upon which to rest the knees,
chairs being unknown luxurics to the
I'M EurOpeaniZed Japanese) cast upon
the floor at regular intervals, one for
each aE2HuuullA ian and one for the teacher,
and with it's many odd little chests Of
drawers, miniature chitlonniers, in which
are kept the books, scrobans, India ink,
and brushes not in use. The prevailing
politeness in this proverbially we'll
hammered archipelago goes methodicaIly
along hand in hand with all concerns;
in fact, the very gates of the day swing
asunder upon hinges of etiquette, the
first school-room rule demanding that
the scholars should all be assembled
when their teacher arrives, in order to
bid him good-morning in body.
Familiar with the peculiar clash of his
wooden clog, the scholars range them
selves in straight line at the first an
Of his approach, and, at the
first glimpse caught of him, draw in
their breath with the long Kissing sound
that has been described in previous
chapter as expressing awed regard. This
over, the dwarfsh tutor is
saluted with absurdly low bows and a
general CHEEKY chatter of words. in which
will nearly always be distinguishable the
ordinations of "Ohyo" GOOD dayy
'Irrashaiw please deign to enter y and
"Oide nasal" BE pleased to make your
honorable cntranccY
Every act and word of the above
greeting the recipient tom9:d:.o as An
evidence Of rcspee uUI affection, ami he
never fails to say %, nor to express the
sincere hope that all lis little iJuTT55- TT
we'll.
This pretty prelude over, the school
master, squatting upon his iutpn-al !
he students Immediately obeying his |
example by dropping noiselessI y upon
the long days work by |
Ealing aloud the number of its lesson il. !
'eading.
The art of serving tea at that most |
;ercmonious Of all social usagcs, the Tea |
ceremony, is, among the upper classes
throughout the country, considered to be
n indispensable frilI on the educational
garment of young girl This stiIted
fair simply bristlcs with cyacting
odes. There are dcspotic rules as to
ea-bowls, which, upon this occasion
nly, must be used instead Of tcapots;
ules as to the tea itself, which must be
powdered, and of one certain excellent
uality; rules as to bamboo whiSks,
which are brought forward at fixed
and with which the fragrant
leverage is beaten until it foams rules
8 to the peculiar variety and amount of
be charcoal over which the water for
be making of the tea is boiled; rules as
0 all the utensils used, which must not
My be antique, but ri@idty chastc and
lain in STYLE: and rules rs to the ccrc-