The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-11-14

l&
 NH M and we d mt
 | MA want our names E. ANI a in the papers,"
 AoNeI They went rap.
 idly through the
 ONLY A MISTAKE. close ranks that had been watching with the decorous, inquisitive silence so typically oriental
 'I suppose you're right" said Phi sulkily. 'I-I beg your pardon. Ishi. da."
 The Japanese bowed gravely.
 ..Only a. mistake" he said, which honorable sir make"
 The three storied front of the cherry moon tea house when Daunt's party arrived was glowing with tiers of large round lanterns of oiled paper bearing a conventionalized moon and cherry blossoms. At the door sat rows of little velvet lined sandals. Here shoes were discarded, and servants drew on the guests feet loose slippers of cotton cloth. soft and yielding One other guest was awaiting the party at the entrance This was Captain Wis count Sakai of the general staff, spruce, fine featured and in immaculate Eu- ropean evening dress. He had clear narrow. Japanese eye, might have been a Spaniard.
 The small second story shokudo in which they dined was foored in soft tatame edged with black and laid in close fitting geometrical pattern. Save 1 for plain aIcove at one end. holding l a dwarf pine and a single inanten branch with clusters of bright red ber- ries. it was empty. There was no drapery The walls were sliding screens of gold leaf on which were finely drawn etchings of pine trees covered with snow. the effect suggest ed rather than finished. 1t was bril- liant with electric light.
 Tiny square tables of black lacquer were disposed along three sides of the room, one for each guest They were , but four inches high. and on the floor behind each lay thin, Hat zabuton or cushion of brocade- The lowing l geishas in wonderful rainbow kimonos | E l ped from the temple stage at Muko- jipa. These poirted to the tables with l. inviting smiles:
 ~Plee shoe down! they said in uni son. e
 Il never could -shee down grace fully when any one is lookingP' com l plained Patricia as she tucked her small feet under her on the kneeling cushion.
 sBanzair' commented voynich. set I ting his monocle. "You have prac- tfced before mirror!" He collapsed beside her with a groan. 'T shall be reincarnated ah accordionr' 1 Count" said Patricia plaintively, 1 mo bouquets. please. know when you are stringing me"
 He looked blank. and the Japanese officer hastily produced lavender notebook and a gold pencil. 'That is new one," he said. T must-what is it? An. yes! 1 must nail it. Ex- I cuse me. write it in my swear al- bum."
 ..The viscount is learning American slang" Patricia informed Barbara '.One of these days you must tell him some of the very latest"
 l He looked across with gravely twin kling eyes. "I shall be-ah-tickle to l diep' he said '.It is my speciality. Mex year become professor in slang Literature at the Imperial university" The meal began merrily. Barbara sat on Daunt's left, with one of the at- | foo Do sSc off was on Daunt's other hand Barbara I remembered 1t afterward as meal of elfish daintiness-of warm, pungent. I winelike liquor in blue porcelain bot ties, Of food of strange look and cioy- ing taste. highly colored and seasoned, in hundred tiny red and black lac quer dishes that carried her back to her doll. days, with covers patterned in gold, served by prostra ting geishas let Fujis. winged dragons and marvel ous exotic blossoms.
 Daunt pointed to disk which had just been set before her. You must try the Instrumentation" he said That's cooked lotus root. It's nearly as good as it looks"
 "How do you ever remember the names?'
 "Oh. it's quite easy to talk Japanese" he replied recklessly. .'There are only fifty syllabies in the language. and any way you string them together it means something or other. 1t doesn't matter whether it's the right thing or not if you just bow and smile There are seventeen ways of draw wing in your breath which are lot more important than what you say"
 What disgraceful nonsense! What is that pink thing?"
 Raw bonito. the refuge of dyspep- tics. Voynich there eats nothing else at home. they say The variegated compound is kuchitori. It's made of sugared chestnuts. leeks and pickled fish May compliment you on the way you handle your chopsticksf At my first Japanese dinner bit one in tsyo. Isn't Baroness Strolof stunning, by the way?"
 The latter was deep in discussion with Patricia, moving her hands in quick. vivacious gestures which clus- ters of opals made into flashes of blue