Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-09-28

benches, they were tiny low tabies.
about like doll table, before which
they squatted on their heels. Now my
muscles are not timber enough to sit
long or comfortably in that position.
Even the babies of that land are
taught to sit on their heels, instead
of putting their feet out in front of
them, as our babies do, so their mus
cles are trained to 1t. But went
little to one side and sat down on the
grass with my American walking
shoes sticking their toes out in front
of me and enjoyed the scene.
Japanese people are very polite and
kindly. and as watched the darling
children in scarlet, yellow and lavep
der chattering and catching at their
odd toys of paper and feathers, one
solemn little girl. looking like bit
of rainbow. came tlmidly toward m.
with cup of tea and some sweet
meats.
| quickly went down into the poke,
of my memory for some of my best
Japanese. and came up with enough
of it to say, THANK you; come and
sit by me-" and she squatted besids
me. Everyone is gay and ready for
fun when the cherry trees bloom. SO
] was soon surrounded by crowd
of curious little people, all looking
wonderingly at the strange foreigner
who seemed SO unusual there, and
yet could talk with them, and ws
were soon quite well acquainted. Z
drank the tea and ate the sweet.
meats, which were round balls madl
of rice, and they showed me their
toys. Japanese children have no poe.
kets in their quaint, long gowns, but
the sleeves, wide and reaching to the
knees, made an excellent substitute,
and out of them came tops and balls,
little toys made Of, paper and rice
straw to initiate figures and boats.
and we had plenty to talk about for
awhile. Then the gay little butter
flies fitted off to chase each other
down the long aisles Of the tree
trunks. All but one, a maid whose
name. as she told me, was Dune,
which means Honorable Flower-of-the
Plum. In that country they name
little girls after flowers and graceful
things, the O meaning honorable, q
title of respect. There are many such
names as Ear-of- Ycung-Rice, Bamboo.
Chrysanthemum, Spring-time. Dune,
with her kimono of yellow crepe en-
broidcrcd in pale green leaves, sat
beside me. as eager to hear about
American girls as you are to hear
about her. So l told her of one and
another: of Margaret. who lived in a
great city and took long rides on
street cars to our own parks; of Eliz-
abeth. who lived on farm and fed
the chickens. cared for the baby tur-
keys and learned TO make butter.
We talked so long that the shadows
deepened. and the sunset turned the
clouds of cherry blossom golden rose.
like real clouds, and over the brow
| of the hill came the japanese man.
ma to take her little daughter home.
After a few moments conversation l
found that DUNES home was near
mine, so begged her company in my
jinriksha, for she was a little mite,
and am not large, SO we could easily
ride together.
Hand in hand we walked down the
avenues of trees to the granitesgate-
way. where the sturdy runner sat
with group Of others. Climbing in,
we snuggled close together and join.
ed the gay colored, chattering crowd
homeward.
Over the curved bridges and past
the lotus lake we rolled. the funny
wash & lssssaed hat ~of the runner
bobbing up and down in front of us.
AT one side of the road in the dis
lance was the sea. and now and then
under the glow of the sunset flashed
the running of the surf. AT the other
side was sea of green reaching to
the far.off mountains. vast sea Of
rice fields, ripping into waves when
the breeze blew across it.. Beyond
was Fujiyama, shadowy in the twi
light, and as we came into the village
with its houses in their matched caps
Flights were twinkling far out on the
horizon line from the fishing boats
riding at anchor. and nearer lights
cleaned from the open houses.
\ Then Dune slid a little brown
hand into mine, with soft Sayonara
goodbye. as the runner stopped. and
] went In to my supper OF rice. fish
and tea, served by quiet maid with
hair as black as the night that-wa
about US.