Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-04-02


several months, and do believe I'M,
about the only Englishman here.~Per-
NIT me to introduce myself" and
here he produced card, bearing the
name. "Stapleton Neville. Travellers
Club. London"
my countrymen." replied Hardy,
offering his own card, have way Of
taking America with them wherever
they go. They travel to the ends Of
the earth to get out Of their own
land and then they SO thoroughly
Americanize their favorite foreign re-
sorts, that they might quite as well
nave stayed at home"
They went out on the veranda after
dinner to smoke their cigars, and
there Hardy was better satisfied.
True, the Japanese band was working
away with great enthusiasm and perfect
confidence alta Sousa march, but they
played 1t execrably, and so could be
forgiven. They made Hardy feel that
this, at any rate, was not the land Of
Sousa marches and cotillions. Across
the street. leaning against the fence,
were several Japanese girls, in their
dainty picturesque costume, listening
to the music. They were pretty-very
pretty-and they laughed frequently
IN shy coquettish way. One felt that
they We're Joking each other about
their Acknowledged lovers. Deeper in
the shadow, where another girl was
standing, cigarette glowed and fad
ed at intervals, like the light Of fire.
fly.
when do you 1eave?" asked
Neville.
THE day after tomorrow" replied
Hardy. II am on my way to Russia en-
business, and am supposed to get
there with as little delay as possible. /"
But there is no boat starting for
a week. You can't very well leave
for Vladivostok day after tomorrow"
Hardy smiled.
You forget our American enter.
PRISE" he replied. IT have learned
that small boat leaves Hakodate in
three days, crossing the Japan Sea,
and that by taking the train north
ward through the island, shall ar
rive at Aomori, near the northern end
Of Nippon, in time to connect with
this boat. have already had the
agent here telegraph for passage for
me. I shall thus save weeks time,
and shall be able to see, from car
window, the interior Of Japan,-that
portion of the country which our
friends in the dining groom there get
little idea off,
BY Jove! Do you know that would
jolly we'll fit in with my plans, if you
wouldn't object to travelling COM
panion and there should be room for
me-, also?"
I'D be delighted" replied Hardy;
charmed, assure you, to have you
come along. Travelling alone is a bore
Shall you be going through TO
Aomori?"
Farther than that. I, too, am go
Ing to Russia, through to Moscow,
and from there back to England"
why, then" exclaimed Hardy, II
shall have you as far as my destina-
ton, Stryetensk!"
the town SO soon, what do you say
to our prowling about tomorrow, tc
give you an idea of the bally place
and to taking 1t in the evening in q
ljinrikisha? It's very picturesque, both
by night and by day, and you'll not
find me poor guide as have knock.
ed around considerably since I nave
been here"
The American fell in with this plan
gratefully, and thought himself in
good luck that he was about to have
for guide an Anglo-Saxon who knew
the principal places of interest and
possessed slight command of the
languages, Neville, he learned, had
been in the country something over
three months.
They were out early the next morn
ing and spent the entire day tramping
about the fascinating streets of the
Japanese city.
"Did you bring your camera with
.you?" Neville asked Hardy, as the
latter appeared on the veranda Of the
hotel, where he found his new-made
friend waiting. There's q deal to
photograph and these people are Ger
tainly picturesque, even il they. are
Int much else'
Twill they allow one to, take pho
tographs?" asked Hardy.
ooh, certainly. There are no re
strictions, whatever. Their civiliza
tion is initiative, you know copied
mostly after the English and Ameri
can. They allow perfect freedom in
such matters, simply because the An.
glo-Saxons do, They are nation OF
monkeys"
Hardy went back after his kodak
Neville seems to hate the Jap
anese," he unused, and the thought
Jared because he himself was most
favorably impressed with the color
the apparent lightness and gaiety
the exquisite courtesy, the daintiness
the strangenesss of this land whicl
furnished him that new world anG
those new scenes that he SO much
needed.
IF one wants new, a differen,
4 view" he sighed, Japan is the place
to get it. wish could stay here
But then, beggars can't be choosers
I suppoae Siberia will be as great 2
change from America as this place
isl
The two men, as they walked away
from the front steps Of the Crane
Hotel, presented, in their physica
i M o1&o