Year: 1877

The following account OF the trials of n
Japanese shopkeeper indicates that there Is
deal OF human nature in the Japanese IL
is translated from native paper, the iedo
Hanjoki


In dry goods store in Yedo may be seen
piled up one on the other, rows OF red SILK
| Grape, black satin, striped cotton cloth, ana
| variety of other goods. For the accomo-
dation of customers seats are arranged anu
two banto or clerks sit down. with their
writing materials and dbdci in close proxim-
ity TO their persons waiting for customers to
make their appearance.


At length guest enters the shop. The
banto bows low, and the stranger says =
'lIave you such an article Ill your shop as
yechi- go-tsu- -mugiY'


.'Oh, yos indeed we not only have that
article but also shok-kono-nishiki, yokokuaya
and n number of other articles too numerous
to mention"


The banto then makes signal to one OF
the shop boys TO bring ten different kinds OF
the cloth asked for by the customer. The
latter pulls the pieces about, rolls them over,
examines them very minutely, condemns
this as very common, that as exceedingly
coarse in its pattern, and winds up by ask
ing the banto if he has not some Every thick



which interrogatories the banto replies the
specimens he has exhibited are the very best
in the shop and suggests that scarlet is
much better than white = that this is a
much superior kind of cloth TO that" But
the customer is not to be thus coaNed into
making purchase, and lntlinates tina. he
must seek elsewhere what he cannot find IN
that shop. And SO he goes away to another
shop to repeat the programme he performed
in the first. The banto casts a look of In
dignation after the retreating figure, and
then busies himself to replace the articles he
has taken from their customary places for
the'inspection of the stranger. Such per-
son is known among the shopping fraternity
as "hiyakashi, or one who amuses himself
by visiting tho shops and inspecting the
goods without any intention OF making a
purchase.


An old rustic, clad in n rude kind of gar
ment and carrying bundle of straw, enters
the shop. This time the banto is not so
obsequious in his manner, because the GUS
toner is evidently very poor.


Have you any oji-no-hitoyemono"
very rude kind of cloth used by country
people for summer clothing);


'Yes, We have"


"What is the price =


'One yen and twenty-five sen.


That is very dear, excaims the old man
1.-THE price is far TO much for the quality OF
the article think you had better come
down fifty per cent"


Dent joke says the banto. Look at
that tablet and you will find it says, No
credit and only one price Buy that article;
it is much cheaper than you can get i'll other
shops"


II do not agree with you on that point.
And if | were 10 buy that article and take it
back TO my old wife she would scold me
severely. Therefore l cannot buy unless
you come down in your price.


VERY well if you cannot give tho price l
ask for it, | am not able to sell it for less.
Don't you know that ours is one of the four
celebrated shops in Toxic and not second
hand store ? Although we sell an article
for 1000 yen We never come down a
cent, which is n practice We have observed
from ancient times. and ii you don't believe
this, you had better 60 and enquire else
where as to the truth of it.


For q moment the old man bows his head
us if in deep meditation, and then agrees to
purchase the article !; and putting his hand
into dirty little money bag which he carries
with him. extracts one bu one shu and some
cash, from which is emitted a very strong



in the bag very long time. Such an old
fellow as this is known as ''yamadashi"-a
rustic who visits the capital for the first time
in his life.


A clownish fellow with towel over his
shoulder enters the shop and inquiries for a
certain article and on its being produced
by the banto gives an order for four dresses
to be made up by noon on the following day
and gives explicit instruction that the gar
ments must not be behind time. The banto
having taken the measure of his customer,
the latter is about TO take his departure,
when the former arrests his steps by catch
ing hold of the sleeve of his kimono and de-
mands some bargain money" The customer
opens his eyes. elevates his shoulders, turns
up his sleeves, and Indignantly replies;


Don't you know that belong TO the cele-
brated company whose name is thundered
all over the city. and we would not tell n lie
to save our lives. You ought to be ashamed
of yourself to make such an impertinent de-
manj. But if your are in want OF q little
money, follow me to my house and you can
have five or ten dollars"


The banto spologetically remarks 81 did
not wish TO offend you and should not have
made the request had it not been an ordinary
custom. However, never mind come to-
morrow at noon and your clothes shall be
ready Tor you without fail"


Before noon the following day the clothes
are ready and the shopman awaits the arrival
OF his customer. Twelve O'Clock comes, but
no customer every hour in the afternoon
passes away, but still no customer. The
next day and the day after pass by with
similar result, and, in fact, the banto never
claps his eyes on him again. Such a charac
ter as this is known under the appellation OF
''sho-ben-butsu."