The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-19

he would bring us nothing that could fail
to please, and that we could trust our
selves wholly TO his educated judgment.
Our convictions clearly conceded with his
own on this point, and he departed for the
kitchen beaming with dissatisfaction. In
his absence one of the spectators seated
himself among us. while the others clus-
tered around, nearly filling the spacious
room. He gravely informed us in English
that this was a kind hotel" and appeal
ing In the vernacular TO the others, TO bear
him out in that statement, which all did
with fervent CALCULATIONS, he took his
leave, his stock of English seemingly ex-
hausted. The official crowd also melted
away then. as though it had thereby re-
heved itself of a public duty and might
now return with easy minds to its individ-
ual concerns Breakfast of boiled eggs.
fried fish. fruit sailed and picked. a box
of sponge cake and unstinted tea and rice,
all daintily served as the night before,
equipped us for a start into the mountains.
Asked for his bill. the inkeeper brought out
a document in labored telegraph, which
appeared to detail every item of the service
for which we had called and which, in
cabalistic addition. figured up a total of
something less than 4 yen for the entire
entertainment of five persons, or about 81
American gold. We passed over 6 yen, to
show that we were not uniformed on
chadai etiquette, and met his protests with
such insistence as to induce a ceremony
OF abdominal bowling which would have
been less trying before breakfast. had not
the delight Of feeling quite i'm touch with
the social code outweighed all physical
considerations.
1t had been arranged to go to the hills
on mountain ponies, and animals were
brought up to the inn for four of us. The
younger woman of the party, having de-
veloped Unexpectedly a Job-like aff1iction
which forbade a saddle, elected to ride in
a kago, a basket swung from a pole which
coolies carry on their shoulders. The inn
sent bettos (srooms) to trot along with
the ponies. One of them. not to be thought
unsympathetic by the sufferer, and real
izing that his duties might keep him away
from her when his charge should forge
ahead, approached the kago as it's occupant
snuggled herself within it to inquire how
she felt. He knew no language intelligi-
BILE to her except of signs, but screwing
his face into an expression of panied in
quiry. he stroked so tenderly on his w
person the seat Of the trouble that even
the ponies must have caught his meaning.
The sufferer clearly had no difficulty In un-
derstanding him.. If anybody in Maebashi
failed to learn from him opportunity to
become informed was yet more distinctly
furnished by the earnest admonitions Of
the wife of the innkeeper. hat the coolies
be especially gentle with the kago, for rea-
sons q fYoNffnO tie onn,Do~< --LfoL 4 <,,rI..
detailed both by speech and sign; the
townspeople In general. who had been de-
MED admittance to the earlier official re-
ception In the private rooms, standing by
and drinking in every syllable and motion.
AS we took our mounts the entire house.
hold lined up to speed our journey, and the
innkeeper pressed upon US fans, towels
and packages of anne. a toothsome paste
of millet honey. a souvenir for each, and
we moved off with a gay exchange of say
onaras. FRED RICK w. EDDY.