The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-10-25
DISCONTINUED.


:alled Shinagawa, there lived poor san
dal Ynekor. He was very poor and be-
lsnge0 ~ the prescribed tribe cf ftas,
race which, yrcyious 10 The present era or
refinement and enlightenment lived by
themselves, tie sPurnod and despised OF
men, able only 10 follow certain trades Of
a menial character, such as the flaysng OF
eIinlals, the execution OF criminals and
tho making Of sandals and clogs, to which
the frceborn citizeps would not stoop.
Poverty and misery pr~ycd upon the mind
of the poor sandal maker SO much that
one night he said TO his wife, 20 Taxi, /
wish could be great lord for few
days, to do nothing, To eat and drink OF
the best and never To b. obliged to think
about spending tempo"
Don't be stupid, Denkichi," replied
his wife. "You would never do to be
lord. You might jus; as well Try TO sval'
low Full" (the great Inonntssln). But the
god Inari, who was proYvling about, as
was his wont, heard this aud resolved
that ne would teach the poor man lesson
of contentment. Sc when the sandal max
or was asleep between bis filthy quilts he
appeared to him and said; You want to
be lord. Very well. you shall try it for
q week"
The sandal maker rubbed his eyes and
awoke. He was in beautiful room, the
walls Of which were hung with curiously
painted scrolls. The mats were of tho
finest and whitest straw, his quilts were
of the softcst silk, and his pillow was of
camphor wood, with a roll OF the best
bamboo paper tied upon 1t.
AS he awoke n servant approached him,
kneeling, with tray OF sweetmeats Den
kichi took a handful and swallowed them,
smacked his lips and cleared the dish. The
servant FRUSTRATED himself to tho mats and
retired as be came, kneelipg. WELL"
said Deakichi, "this il LUX suppose I'd
better dress His old garments were
gone, and In their place was suit of
splendidly embroidered silk, fitted with
stiff cardboard wings and adorned with
high white crcsts Of oak leaves.
A parsonage who seemed to be sort of
major domo appeared and informed him
that the sutors were waiting In tho ante
room. "But where's o Taki'" asked
Denkichi. The man, shook his head.
"Well, MS I'm a. regular lord" thought
Denkichi, II may as well see what it's
like, but I should have liked o Taxi to
have seen me. And these clothes are con-
foundedly hot. and heavy. But never
mind Hcre Toesl" So he went into the
antcroom, where there must have been at
least a hundred people assem- bled, who all
made obsisaDce as no appeared. The ma
jor donso showed him to sort of raised
dars, on which hewas to seat himself,
and for three long hours he was Obliged to
remain motionless, listening to claims and
petitions and remonstrances and beggings
of favors and details of estates and OF rev.
enue and of hundred other things about
which no knew nothing. Several times he
felt rs IL ne would have liked to jump up
and stretch his legs and hitched himself
uneasily, but the eye of the major domo
spoke silent remonstranoe.
When at length the business was con-
cluded, Denkiohi WAS about to ding of his
robes and lio down. as was his wont, half
naked, with his pipe between his lips and
bowl Of wine beside him, when the ma
jor domo informed him that the hour of
the midday meal had arrived. At this re-
past he was introduced to the ladies of his
rctinue, who were magnificently arrayNd,
but SO staid and solemn Of demeanor, so
unable TO appreciate the jokes by which
he had won for himself tho pamo of the
'Shinagawa wit" that he would much
rather have had bis plain, homely o Taxi
by his side. The meat was splendid, hut
Denkichi would have preferred dish Of
stewed cells, bowl of Yakidofu and q
measure OF Three Virtue wine to all tho
delicate dishes presented to him, so smoth-
cred in sauces and condiments ms not to
preserve an atom Of their natural flavor.
1t was long affair, too, and when it was
over he exclaimed, with sigh of relief,
We'll, at any rate, now they'll let me
havc half an hours peace" But the ma
jor domo approached and reminded him
that the fencing master was waiting. SO
poor Denkichi was Obliged to incase him
self In n heavy suit Of chain armor, and
for more than an hour attack and defend,
repeat, parry, cut lunge and dance about
until he was nigh dropping with fatigue.
After the fencing came the master of Chi.
nese, and after the master of Chinese the
music Instructor. A few cups of ten
spoiled, so thought Dcnkichi, by the infu-
sion OF cherry iower--somewhat refreshed
him, and for the first timo during the day
he was enabled to get a few minutes OF
such rest rs his stiff rainent would allow
him, brrt the business of the day was by
no means over A council of tho heads of
the ward was held at which Denkichi
presided, and again he had to sit listening
to dry arguments on questions of law,
petty differences of opinion, long speeches
anu sthteIuents ABOUT matters In which he
did not feel the slightest interest. This
was followed by the evening meal, an en-
tertainment just as formal and twice as
lengthy as that at midday. He was al
most asleep With wearinoss and fatigue
and would have crept into his sunptuous
bedchamber, but the major domo--how
he hated that major domo--told him that
q new tbeater had been opened IA the quar-
ter, and that the people would be offended
IL the lord were not to honor the first
night with his presence. A fresh suit Of
clothes, IL possible heavier and stiffer than
the first, was necessary for this perform
ance. and not until the small hours OF
the next morning could poor Denkichi at
last throw himself down between tire
quilts, only TO be aroused in short time
10 meet the assembly of suitors
For week this continued, with but lit
tlc variation. On the evening of the sixth
day lnari appeared. Well" he said,
how do you like it'' Denkichi fell on
his knees. LET me go back this minute!''
he cried, "and never more shall you hear