The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1908-04-10
THE BABY AND THE JINRIKISHA

Of course, the American baby is a
wonderfully important little person.
We all know that, and if he or she
wants anything that thing has to ap-
pear at once or there may be trouble.
One of the things most American
babies have is pretty little car
riage. 1t so happened that there was
an American baby born in Japan,
where, as you know, the babies ride
on their mothers and sisters backs,
and where such things as carriages
were then unknown.
Maybe, you think the baby should
have known better than to be born
in such a country, but I'll tell you
how 1t happened, and, remember, it
Is a true story.
1t was long ago when our Govern
ment was just beginning to send min
listers and consuls to Japan. The
people there Travelled about in big
chairs, which men carried on their
shoulders. The only vehicle on
wheels was funny sort of car
drawn by a white OK and only the
Mikado could ride in that.
So, when a dear little girl baby
came to the family of one of the con-
suls mother, father and friends Won
dered where they were to find a car
riage for the tiny lady. Il believe
there is not one in all JAPAN" said
the father, and all the others agreed
with him.
He looked everywhere and inquired
of everybody he met, but could find
nothing like the thing he wanted.
At last, just as he was about to
give up in despair, he happened to
notice a light pair of iron wheels
thrown with some rubbish in the cor
ner of a blacksmith shop. The cap
tain of a trading vessel had given
them to the blacksmith and the black
smith, having no use for them, was
glad enough to sell them.
"Now we shall have a carriage"
the consul thought as he carried his
wheels home.
With the help of carpenter the
small carriage was soon furnished.
Everybody was much interested in
it, of course, and the commander OF
the battleship Wyoming, which was
in port at the time, had it brought on
board his ship, where the sailors
painted and decorated it with an
American eagle and other emblems.
After this the baby took daily
airings in the odd little carriage, and
you may be sure the natives wondered
greatly.
When the consul left Japan he
gave the carriage to the carpenter
who had helped to make it, and what
do you suppose that smart man did?
He set to work and with few
changes fashioned the jinrikisha, the
odd little carriage used in Japan to-
day. The new vehicle was so well
liked that the carpenter was kept
busy making others like it, and soon
became a rich man.
So, you see, the jinrikisha really
owes it's origin to an American baby.
-Washingto Star.
THE BOTHERSOME PEARL.
There was an oyster once, and
he lived in bed-an oyster bed.
And it was a funny bed, without any
sheets or blankets or pillow cases.
or even a mattress. So l don't see
why they called it bed, but they
do. His shape was all ups and downs,
and his disposition was mild, and he
in, 1oft nd
of his upper shell on the inside. The
oyster grew on little stone, and it
grew on hard and tight and fast, so
it never could move around and see
the world This was wild oyster,
so it grew just as it pleased. II 1t
had been a tame oyster it would have
had to grow on little twigs put in
the water on purpose, and afterWard
it would have been moved to other
places to fatten, and it would have
seen something of the world. But
it was a mild wild oyster, and it lived
by itself on a little stone and never
went anywhere or said anything, and
that's what people mean when they
say other people are as mum as an
oyster And at last one day 1t had
a toothache. Now, when you live
inside of your mouth a toothache is
something awful. And the poor mild
oyster couldn't go to the dentist be-
cause it was growing hard and fast
on that little round stone, so it asked
a little fish to go for DR.. Lobster as
fast as it could swim. And it was in
a dreadful state of mind until it saw
a large green lobster walking over
the bottom of the sea. And it said,
"Oh, please, DR.. Lobster, I've got a
most extremely large toothache.'
Very well,' said DR.. Lobster,
"open your mouth. Oh, I see what
the trouble is!" And he pulled out
the pearl with his pinchers. He
threw 1t away on the sand where 1t