Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-07-03

Tie embassy are Quly ana SraVely pre-
sented to him, while he yawns apatheti-
cally and accepts extravagant atten-
tons as his rightful due. He is cordial
to Viscount Aoki alone, and even with
him is discreetly nonchalant till he
is sure the Establishments of the AM
bassador have deserved recognition
Peter has the further distinction Of
having travelled more widely than most
people, certainly more than any other
cat, as he was brought over with the
Viscountess Aoh from Japan. Incident
ally, he got very seasick coming over,
which may account to some extent for
his disdainful ennui
The quarters of the Japanese en-
bassy are in every respect character
istic of the country itself They are
situated at 1910 N street. and are the
same used by Minister Takahira, the
predecessor in Washington of Wis
count Aoki. The inside furnishings
are triumphs Of Japanese arts and
crafts. The furniture is red teak-wood,
the mantel is adorned with lofty
cloisonne vases, and the walls with
Japanese prints in softest tones. They
hold all the atmosphere of the little
island, and invest even a red-brick
American house with their subtle sug-
gestion.
But the little viscount refuses to be
conciliated with even the enticements
OF the home-like cloisonne, when he
1 gets homesick, and he often does, for
his own estate in Japan.
Il wish | knew some farmers in
America he walled the other morn
ing, when he and Peter were being
interviewed.
When | was at home | was a
farmer myself. That isl he smiled
Il believe you call them agriculturists. y
lie was assured that all good Ameri
cans called them just farmers "That
think, is what they call themselves, >
he went on. II like the class very
much, and I have regretted, since ]
came to Aemrica, that I could not
find any around me here"
There was no question but that the
American ambassador was very home
sick that morning, and was glad of an
| opportunity to talk over his former oc
equations, and even Peter seemed to
sniff the general somberness of his
tone, and pulled himself comfortably
around his legs.
! Yes: l do like farmers he contin
ued. When | am in Japan l teach
my countrymen the arts of agriculture
and of forestry. They are the two
things love most of all, SO 1 teach
them to love fine, healthy trees. with
unstunted shapes and to keep theil
own game preserves in-in-telligently
t hot bn No
with the strange word.
yes, that's right" was the answer
Aren't you glad you don't have tc
spell it,"
i Surely you would not claim that
i cannot spell 'intelligently' said Wis
count Aoki, quickly, with the funny lit
; tie smile, which told that even puns
were not unknown in oriental humor
But about this farming" he was
asked, do you really do that in ia
PAM"
There isn't very much time fo
farming when one works for one'
country" he replied, and about the ex
tent Of my farming is to keep my es
tate, four hours journey from Tokyo
in good condition for game preserve
When I can get some time for my owl
I take my guns and go out to my farm
and shoot.
: Il cannot raise wheat and corn OF
my place, or rather do not care to, SO
have covered it with all kinds o
trees that grow very straight and tall
in spite of the fact that people who d,
not know Japan think they are al
: twisted little fellows like they are il
the pictures.
81 keep in my preserves stag, pleas
ant, and wild duck. Sometimes durin
the season when they are left to b,eeG
and are not frightened by shots, tn
animals grow very tame, SO that whe
my wife and ! go there, although W
T are many miles from any neighbors
: we have some company.
II have built a hunting lodgeSin th
center OF my estate, and it is fine t
go out there when one is tired of tn
: city. 1t is very small, having onl
D four rooms in it, and Of course it is ia