The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-11

ways feel grateful to him for the kind
ness.
The women folks of my family have
always been noted for being truthful;
I think women generally are more
truthful than men. When 1 tell a
good story and dress it up a little my
daughter viii break in with correc-
tons: if I claim we caught ninety fish
in an hour in the Yellowstone, and
that sometimes we caught three on one
line, she will say we didn't catch over
fifty, and that we caught three on one
line only once. If passengers on the
ship describe the beauties of the tenn
pie a NikkO my daughter says-un-
necessarily, I think-that we didn't
so there.
Therefore I was much amused over
an incident that happened last evening
During the day the story became cur
rent that it was Matters birthday; l
think it was started as a Joke by
the other young girl on board. ANY
way, the chief steward heard about
it, and at dinner, a waiter brought in
an enormous cake, with Matters name
in candy on top; also a card Which
read siberia to Mattel, with cOmpH-
ments." The youngster didn't know
what to do; ] don't know when her
birthday is but it isn't in December.
People began to congratulate her, and
her EN- barra ssment- increased, but she
pieces around the dining room. Cap
tam Smith graciously accepted a slice,
which Moon, his personal Chinese ser
want carried to him. Later at o clock,
a concert was given in the dining room
in honor of the birthday" and the
girl received several presents; includ-
ing a bottle of champagne which was
presented by a Mrs. Williamson.
didn't attend, for L go 10 ped at
O'Clock, but 1 was consulted this morn
ing by the young laGV, and asked what
she had better do. She fears she will
never be forgiven for the dGplicity, al
though she had nothing to do with it.
I am rather enjoying her confusion,
and when she asks me the best way
out of it, I recommend that she try
prayer.
There is a good deal of talk about
the beauty of the Japanese gardens.
They are attractive because of their
oddly; the finest gardens have ever
seen have been American gardens. ami
much finer flowers may be seen in
Many books have been written about
Japanese literature, but it does not
amount to much; judge that 1t
doesn't amount to much because it is
not translated into English as are
French, German, Italian and Spanish
books. Japanese art is queer, but it
is not great. except in some lines O4
curios in which, also. the Chinese ex-
ing great patience and cheap labor. I
was told in Kyoto, in going through
the porcelain works there that some of
the artists employed do not receive
more than sixty cents a day. It you
want to buy Japanese or Chinese
goods, buy them in the American
cities; it is very troublesome to buy
tF-s1 here. carry thers about. al GET
hem home. y rule I made before
starting was that no presents should
be bought: I don't want to be bothered
with them. And I remembered the
incident of some friends once buying
a lot of genuine Irish" lace in Ire
land, which turned out to be Ameri-
can machine lace.
When the Chinese once learn a
thing they seem to know II Tor good
The first morning on the ship, while
still in bed, I called for a cup of hot
water Every morning since, at ex-
actly the same hour, my man has ap-
peared with a cup of hot water The
first morning out. 1 appeared in the
bath room at O'Clock; every morning
since, at exactly o'clock. there has
been a rap on my door, and a Chinese
voice saying: bath ready. Every
time [ appear at my table in the dining
room, I find a piece of brown bread
and several olives on my side plate,
the waiter having noticed that I ate
them the first time L appeared
They say that at Hong Kong I must
night gowns. In the hot countries to
which I am going, the men undress on
deck put on pajamas. send their cloth
ing to tn cir rooms and sleep out under
the stars, owing to the heat. I must
ask the barber about this, as I do not
like pajamas; 1 have received them as
Christmas presents. and given them
away. The story goes that a wall of
canvas is built around the ladies for
privacy, but the men sleep wherever
/ the breeze is most favOra Bile. Each
sleeper is provided with light mat to
lie on.
When was a boy I hated to go to
I bed at night for fear something Won
/ derful would go on, and I would miss
/ it. I have been looking for wonderful
I things all my life, without finding
/ them; I have come to believe there
/ are no wonderful things. I say with all
F seriousness that I would rather be at
/ hcme at work than on a trip around
I the world. I see many unusual things
+ but I have always had my best times
I in AtchisOn.
/ I never see a strange thing that it
! does not seem familiar; have seen a
/ picture of it, or read about it. There
are few things, however. that can not
! be described, or pictured: one is the
4 Grand Canyon of the Colorado, and an
/ other is the walled city of Shanghai.
The number CT fishing boats I have
seen today is astonishing, and the
fishing fleets appear on all the coasts.
: Fish here tax the Mace 0f cattle and