The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-21

NElT was the fox terrier that made
home imperative. We were
4 scarcely off the tender when he
lSSB2i had his first fight and whipped.
For twelve days on board ship
he had no foe except the butchers apron,
which he quickly vanquished. few steps
further on the Bund he had another en-
counter. This. too, ended satisfactorily TO
himself. and us. for. il he would fight,
we preferred that he should whip.
Conquerer as he was, both the Grand Ho-
tel and the Club Hotel refused to enter
tain him, and the hostess of the leading
boarding house on the Bluff said:
"Oh, cawn't ave a dog in the Ouse."
At length a minor hotel consented to shell
Ger Us IL we would make our stay brief. We
had straightway to get US a home. The
Concession Is the area allotted by treaty in
which foreigners may live. The residential
pert is the bluff overlooking the business
district and the harbor. Here the mer-
chants live in pleasant and imposing homes,
with the glorious panorama of Fujiyama
and the bay spread out before them
But it is scarcely worth while to go to
japan and live among foreigners who cling
with desperation to the customs of their
native lands. We determined 20 live in
q japanese quarter, and among the natives.
This announcement was variously received
lit was a clever thing to do and nobody
would receive US II we did. In doubt. con-
suit your inclinations. These were all for
Japan and the japanese.
The most direct method of finding place
seemed to point to an advertisement in the
japan Mail. II proved to be even more
direct than we fancied for the obliging
agent knew of a landlord with houses to
rent. He gave a letter of introduction,
which proved to be addressed to Miss Mu-
gira Sheide- 1t seemed like a passport to
the heart of japan, and We passed out
gaily. A ''pushy and a pully''-a man in
the shafts and a man behind-conveyed
each rickshsw up the bluff past the quaint
whom We afterwards came to know so we'll.
The Concession terminates with the sum-
NIT of the bluffs. Nests OF Japanese houses
cluster on the rear slope. Through devious
paths we reached pretty little bungalow.
whose entrance, with Japanese ideas of
privacy. was remote from the street.
LOOKING AT A HOUSE.
A coolie said "Kouchi wa" for us; that
IS TO say. Good day. outside of the house,
which is the equivalent of ringing a door
bell. A dainty maid appeared and ushered
into living room, whose commingling
OF things, japanese and foreign, was be-
w;ldering and attractive. 1t was in keeping
that Mugira Sheide should enter smiling.
not with the Japanese tOddle, but with a
good imitation of foreign carriage.
Gut morning. You welcome, very She
had reached her conversational limit. Look
ing at the letter curiously. she addressed
the maid, and presently, scramblng up the
grassy slope a young German entered. 1t
came upon US gradually that had come
upon one OF those international house
holds OF which Americans hear so much.
AS he welcomed and read the letter.
Miss Sheide clapped her hands and gave an
order, which was speedily followed by the
fashion errand was explained. Miss
Sheide, as we talked, sat smilingly by,
chiefly intent on keeping her kimona closed
about her feet. for the foreigners chair
does not accommodate itself easily to the
narrow gown of the Japanese.
while wait for the landlord, Mr.
Mort. let me show you my place." said the
German. 81 am just arranging a garden"
II was Japan in miniature, place of
crags and valleys, precipice of emerald
set with tiny trees. grassy floor with
stones arranged after some of the many
schools for placing stones, which are es-
sential 10 every garden. A little plum tree
was in bloom. a nightingale swung on a
bough, a peacock spread his glowing train
before an aviary of bright-hued birds. Yet
the space scarcely occupied the area of a
good-sized room. It's owner accepted with
pardonable pride our pleasure in his home,
which no foreign woman had ever entered
II give TO my girl" indicating Miss Mu-
gira Sheide, fifty yen month. She pays
the ahmah and provides the food was
his only explanation OF this life of calm
attractive and inexpensive dOmesticity.
Meanwhile. Mr. Mort. little man in a
this interesting menage TO look for our flu
ture home. We found 1t farther on In
another nest of japanese houses. not 100
yards form the main road of the Conces-
sion, on q hedge-bordered laEe overlooking
a smiling. highly-cultivated valley. We took
81 on the spot at a rental of ten yen' fifty;
that Is TO say. SIS month gold.
IN THE SERVANTS NAME
But the affair was not so easily settled.
BY Japanese law we could not be house
holders out of the Concession. The way
out was TO find a servant and take the
house in her name. Another obliging friend
undertook the maid. He sent for his own
cook. a little. dried-up old woman, and thus
addressed her:
Two piece lady want ktchie ahmah.
Can ketchie kitchie. ahmah? Not party like
No T. Only two piece lady
At each statement she bowed low with
her hands fiat against her knees. and
sucked I'm her breath respectfully. The
next day she appeared with a rat, smiling.
rock-marked maid. answering TO the name
OF Yen, who was dispatched, giggling.
20 go through the formalities OF becoming
householder. a dignity WHICH she n4u
never hoped 10 attain.
Nor did this conclude our enterprise.
Even the guests of our maid. IL seemed
we could not live outside the Concession ex-
cept for two rsasons-ill health or scien-
tihc purposes Japan would not be cruel
10 the invalid or check the investigating
mind.
II seemed easier on our part 10 adopt a
disease, and we We're recommended TO Dr.
Ito, who would certify 10 ailment for
q consideration. Bronchitis suggested itself
IA something suitable and not too exacting.
Dr. Ito's office the foot of the
biuff. II had foreign pretensions and lacked
novelty. He was a why little man. speak
ing adequate English We went through
our parts with becoming gravity. The sim
pie statement that bronchitis seemed 10
render IL necessary TO live out OF the Con-
cession, one with the disease. the other to
look after the invalid, he accepted without
question. adding:
1T is necessary that you live high. see. -
Then he proceeded with his brush and ink
block to adorn a long strip of paper with
Characters. This he gave TO us, while we
returned one OF those beautiful. bright sill
yer coins known a yen.
But No were not through yet. We had