The evening world. Newspaper, September 18, 1922, Page 20

THE CHARACTERS IN THE s7Ory. |THE HONORABLE GEOFFREY BARRINGTON, son of Lord Brandan, a Captain in the British Army, resigns his commission when he weds ASAKO FUJINAMI, heiress, daughter of Japanese parents who are dead, brought up and educated in French convent schools and introduced to |. London society by p LADY EVERINGTON, a brilliant matchmaker, who did not foresee the result | of the bringing together of the two. At the reception toasts are drunk to the closer union of Britain and Japan, but both British and Japanese diplomats in the distinguished company evade the suggestion that the couple visit Japan as appears to be their desire. Some of the reception guests frankly question the wisdom of the marriage and doubt the possibility of a happy life for the pair. Lady Everington, in her anxiety for the young Captain, who has been her special protege, interviews 2 : COUNT SAITO, the Japanese Ambassador, who tells her the Fujinamis beion; to the nouveaux riches of Japan, but gives little information of their origin or the source of their wealth. A visit to his wife’s guardians, the Muratas, a Japanese family living iz Paris, and a sojourn among the cosmopolitans of Dauville, sha: the desire to see Japan. Aboard the ship they meet ‘VISCOUNT KAMIMURA, retuming home to wed a bride chosen by his family, whom he has never seen. A stop at Nagasaki is the first sight of real Japan. A part of the revelation is the Chonkina, or Geisha dance, seen by Barrington in company with two English acquaintances. Barrington ix shocked by the performance. He is disturbed to learn from the talk of Americans and Englishmen that marriages with Japanese women are not favorably regarded. TANAKA, a nondescript Japanese, attaches himself to the Barringtons, follows | them everywhere and accompanies them to Tokyo, where Geoffrey meets REGGIE FORSYTH, Attache of the British Embassy, musical and romantic, shaking off old attachments in Paris for a new one in Japan, the novelty (being YAE SMITH, daughter of a Japanese mother and an English father. Bar- rington meets Miss Smith, who smokes and languishes in Forsyth’s apart- ments 2t tne Emi . Barrington, from a talk with .ADY CYNTHIA CAIRNS, wife of the British Ambassador, learns of Yae's many—some tatal—love affairs and of the Embassy’s disapproval of For- » i sytt 'y engagement to the young woman. 3. ITO, lawyer for the Fujinami estate, who has made regular remittances to Mrs. Barrington, arranges for her and her husband to meet the Fu- jinamis of Tokyo. The entertainments fail to impress Barrington. vase. Their dresses were all shader, black, blue, purple, gray and mauve, ‘The corner of the skirt folded buck above the instep revealed a glimpse of gaudy underwear provoking to men’s eyes and displaying the intricate sten- ciled flower patterns, which in the case of the younger women seemed to be catching hold of tho long sleeves and straying upward. Little dancing giris, thirteen and fourteen years old the so-called hangyoku, of half jew- els—accompanied their elder sisters of the profession. They wore very bright dresses fust like the dolls; and their massive colffure was bedizened with silver spangles and elaborate artificial flowers. “Oh! gasped the admiring Asako, CHAPTER XI. Continued.) A Geisha Dinner. D HE Barringtons, posed that since a lady was the chief guest of honor, therefore all the Fuji- nami ladies ought to be invited to with Ito, led the meet her, To Mr. Fujinami’s strict Procession; and Conservative mind such an idea was the mutes closed @nathema. What! Wives at a ban- in behind them. quet! In a public restaurant! With Down endless isha present! Absurd—and dis- polished corri- Susting! O empora! © mores! dors they passed Then, argued the lawyer, Asako with noiseless ™ust not be invited. But Asako was steps over the the clow of the evening; and besides spotless boards. “2 English gentleman would be in- ‘The only sound Suited if his wife were not invited, was the rustling {2° And, as Mr. Ito went on to urge, of silk gar- "PY woman, Japanese or foreign, ments. To shut Would be ill at ease in a company i} eyes they might C°™Posed entirely of men. Besides have seemed S#dako could speak English so well; like the arrival {t Wa8 80 convenient that she could of a company of dowagers. The wom- ©°™* and under her mother’s care ‘m, who had first received them, were De? morals would not be contaminated still fluttering around them like hum- by the propinquity of geisha, So ‘ningbirtis escorting a flight of crows. Mr. Fujinam! gave in so far as con- To one of them Geoffrey owed his erRed his own wife and daughter. sreservation. He would have struck’ ,, — Ban, as befitted a ma- ais forehead against a low doorway in piock ki ba eaitt bye ‘nil (antl tel bo henge po ope of pale mauve color, with a bronze then sash tled in au enormous bow. H. her tiny hand on Barrington’s tall aa hair was parted on one side shoulder, laughing and saying in in- nd roe fantile English: caught up in a bun behi: the latest ni : haikara fashion and a tribute to the ‘English danna san very high!" foreign guests. Hers was a graceful ‘They came to a sudden opening be- pgure; but her expression was spoiled tween paper walls. In a iittle room by the blue-tinted spectacles which behind a table stood a middle-aged completely hid her features. Japanese couple as stiff as waxworks. “Miss Sadako Fujinami, daughter For an instant Geoffrey thought they of Mr. Fujinam! Gentaro,” said Ito. must be the cloakroom attendants. “She has been’ university under (When, to his surprise, Ito announced: graduate and she speaks English | "Mr. and Mrs, Fujinam! Gentaro, quite well. ‘he head of the Fujinamt family. Mi Sadako bowed three times, Please walk in and shake hands.” | Then she said, “How do you do?” in Geoffrey and his wife did as they 2 high, unnatural voice. ‘Were directed. Three mutual bowings The room was filling up with the ook place in absolute silence, fol- ttle humming-bird women who had fowed by a handshake. Then Ito said: been present at the entrance. They "Mr. and Mrs. Fujinami Gentare Were handing cigarettes and tea cups wish to say they are very pleased you to the guests. Thcy looked bright both come to-night. It is very poor 8d pleasant; and they interested food and very poor feast, they say, Geoffrey. Japanese food is very simple sort of |. “Are these ladies relatives of the thing. But they ask you please ex- Fusinam! family?” he asked Ito. ‘use them, for what they have done “Oh, no, not at all," the + lawyer they have done from a good heart.” Sasped; “you made great “Geoffrey was mumbling incoherent- stake, Mr. Barrington. Japanese fy. und wondering whether he was ex- Madies all left at home, never go to pocte!'to reply to this oration, when restaurant. These girls are no ladles, Gy aguin-cxelaimed, ‘Please step this they're geisha girls. Geisha girls very eo famous to foreign persons.” They passed into a large room like ,,Ceetirey knew @ concert ball with a stage at one end. vi There were several men squatting on nig w the floor round hitachi smoking and drinking beer. They looked like black sheep browsing. that he had made Tto, “please step we go upstairs to the feast room.” The dining room seemed larger still ‘These were Joined by the mutes Who sige of it were cee DONE each followed the Barringtons. All of these yeq jacquer tab Pago plied people were “dressed exactly alle. gightecn inches Benue es They wore white socks, a dark kimono inches squure. Alysterious” Hetle almost hidden by the black cloak upon dishes were placed on each side of whieh the family crest--a wreath of these tables; the most conspicuous wistaria (fugi) foliage—shonc with a large star on sleeves and neck, and by the eye, artistica hy ved ina rollicking fiuted yellowish skirt of heavy rustling attitude, which in itself was an in- silk, ‘This dress, though gloomy and yitation to ext. @acerdotal, was dignified and becom- The Englisii yuesis were escorted ing: but the similarity was absurd. It to two Ss at the extreme end of looked like & studied effect at a fancy the room, wheve two tables were jaid @rens ball. It was particularly exas- in iso y. They were to sit erating to the guests of honor who there like King and Que were anxious to distinguish their rela- rows of their subjects tives and to know them apart; but Ito to the right and to the » with two g aisles gione, with his European clothes and The seats were cushi mei his purple tie, was conspicuous and but those placed for Geotirey ‘unmistakable. Asako were raised on low hassocks. He is {ike Mrs. Jariey,”" thought After them the files of the Fujinami Geottrey, “he explains the wax- ‘treame nm and too! p ap ‘works. 1 positions alons t s of In the middle of the room was ” They wer ed by the ttle group of chairs of the weary selshy, vic ying a little Beast of burden type, which are 1 te ina le shaped 1 a quisitioned for public meetings. Two Vegetable ma and a tiny cup of them were dignified by cushions of the bath which hygtenic old Grimson.plush. These were ‘or maids provide for the Geoffgey and Asako. japanese sake,” said ko Amfong’the black shecp there was ‘er cousin, “you do not like mo thovément beyond the steady “Oh. yes, I do,” replied Asako, who Staridg of some thirty pairs of eyes. was intent on enjoying everythin; Whed the’ Barringtons had been en- But on this occasion she had chosen Phromkd, the host and hostess ap- the wrong answer: for rea! ladies tn Proaghed them with silent dragging Japan are not supposed to drink rhe @tepsi and downcast faces. They warm rice wine Might have been the bearers of vil elisha certainly looked mo = Aidings. A tl) girl followed behind charming as they slowly udvancw © parents. 4 kind of ritualistic procession, ‘Ti Mrg. Wujinami Shidzuye and her feet like little white mice, the dray- @ausdier, Sadako, were the only ging skirts of their spotiess kimon This was a com- their exaggerated care and precision, “Women present. a pene's and « consideration for and their stiff conventional attitude ‘* feelings. Mr. Ito had pro- presented « picture from « Seteums ry nya: “I must get one of those geisha girls to show me how to wear my kimonos. properly; they do look smart."* “I do not think,’* answered Sadako. “These are vulgar women, bad sty I will teach you the noble way."* But ull the geisbu had a grave avd dignified look, quite different from the sprightly butterflies of musical come ly frdém whom Groffry had accepted his knowledge of Jupan. ‘They knelt down before the guests and poured a little of the snke into the shallow saucer held out for thelr ministrations, Then they folded their hands in their laps and appeared to slumber, A sucking sound ran around the room the first cup was drained. Then a complete silenee fell, broken only by the shuffle of the girls’ feet on the matting as they went to fetch more bottles, Mr. Fujinami Gentaro spoke to the guests assembled, bidding them com- mence their meal, and not to stand upon ceremony. Tt is like the, one—two—threc go! ata * thought Geoftrey. An ere. manipulating their choy cotfrey raised his own pai ye two slender rods wood we unparted at one end to show that they had never been used. It was therefore necessary to pull them in two. As he did #o a tiny splinter of w 1 like a matel ‘cll trom between them. Asako laughed ‘That is t otupick,” Cousin &: dako explained - sticks komoct th baby, beeause thi chopstick, Very funny, ‘There were two kinds excellent; there was cooked fish and vaw fish in red and white chastely served with ice; th vegetables known and unknown, such as #weet potatoes, French beans, otus stems and batnboo shoots. These ad to be eaten with the of the chopsticks @Meult task when it came to cutting up the wing of a chicken or balancing a soft poached eRe The guests did eat with gusto, toyed with the food, sipping all the ti sinoking cigarettes and picking their teoth Geoffrey, according to his own de scription, was just getting his eye in, when Mr, Fujinami Gentaro rose from his humble place at the far end of the room, In uw speech full of poetical quotations, which must have cost his tame stants consideseble trouble in the compeuition, he wecomed Asako Barrington, who, he suid, had been restored to Japan like a family Jewel which has been lost and is found. He compared her visit to the sudden flow- ering of an ancient tree. This did not é COPYRIGHT, swem very complimentary; however, it referred not to the lady’s age but to the elder branch of the family which she represented. After many apologies for the tastelessness of the food and the stupidity of the entertainment, he proposed the health of Mr. and Mrs. Barrington, which was drunk by the whole company standing. Ito produced from his translation of this oration “Now please say a few words reply,"’ he directed. Geoffrey, feeling acutely ridiculous, serambled to bis feet and thanked everybody for giving his wife and himself such a jolly good time. Ito translated. “Now please command to drink pocket a in health of the Fujinami family the lawyer, consulting his agen: the health of Mr. and Mrs. Pujinami Gentaro was drunk with relish by everyboily, including the lady and gen- tleman honored. “In this country “one gets the speéchmaking over be- fore the dinner. Not « bad idea, It saves that nervous feeling which spoil the appetite." An old gentleman, with a jaw, tottered to his feet proached Geoffrey's table thought Geolfray und ap He 1 twice before him, and held out a claw- like hand “Mr, Fujinami Gennosuke, the father of Mr. Fujinami Genta in- nounced Ito, ‘He bas retired from life. He wishes to drink wine with you. Please wash your cup and give it to him. There w a kind of finger bow) standing in front of Geoffrey, which he had imagined might be a spittoon He was directed to rinse his cup in this vessel and to hand {t to the old gentleman. Mr. Fujinami Gennosuke received it in both hands as if tt had ie sacrament eiaha poured cut a little of the g ish liquid, wt wus drunk v much hissing and sucking, Then tol lowed another obeisance; the cup was returned and the old gentieman tired, He was succeeded t Mr. | vn Gentaro himself, with i ceremony of the repeated th by passed talking t Ito announce These name th were vaguely to am man wit) under ple nis Mame and ¢ seemed all alike rnd as vtrey ex that he faces uw been introduc 4 terribl ni alt ooking me at him more than the There were several nmen’ tonaries, but the max ‘ ness men, Geoffrey could tinguish for certain his s host's fathe “They look 4) tures,” he thought was Mr. I Ta ken on of the | and t hope of the family, a livid ye with a thin mustache and thy marks on his face til the geisha kept bringing me and more food in a desultory way quite unlike our regular courses. ing Geoffrey to yatem of fixed and iM Ito kept press while at the same By John Paris. Illustrated By Will. B. Jonnstone.. \is22e. BY BONI time apologizing for the quality of the food with exasperating repetition. Geoffrey had fallen into the error of thinking that the fish and its accom- panying dishes which had been laid before hh t first comprised the whole of the repast. He had polished them off with gusto; and had then discovered to his alarm that they were merely hors d'oeuvres. Nor did he observe until too late how little the other guests were eating. There was no discourtesy apparently in leaving the whole of a dish untasted or in merely picking at it from time to time. Rudeness consisted in re- fusing any dish. Plates of broiled meat and sand- wiches arrived, bowls of soup, grilled eols on skewers—that most famous of Tokyo delicacies; finally the inevi- table rice with whose adiesive sub- stance the Japanese epicure fills up the final crannies in his well-lined stomach. It made its appearance in « round, drum-like tub of clean, Wood as big as a bandbox and bound round with shining brass. The girls ser the sticky ains into the china rice-bowl with a flat wooden ladle, Japanese people always take two bowls of rice at least,’ observed Ito. “One bow! very unluc at the funeral we only eat one bowl This to Geoffrey was the coup de re, He had only managed to stuft down his bowl through a desperate of duty. If I do have a second,”’ he gasped, “it will be my own funeral.” Hut this joke did not run in the well-worn lines of Japanese humor. Mr. Ito merely thought that the big Englishman, having drunk much suke, was talking nonsense. All the guests we beginning to cireulate now; the quadrille was be- coming more and more elaborate v y were each ng on each other und taking wine, The talk was be- coming more anime i A few bold spirits began to laugh and joke with the geisha, Some ad laid aside their cloaks; and some, even had loosened their kimonos at the neck. The stit symmetry of t dinner party was « broken up. The fuests were ered like rooks, bobbi seratch- sbout pli yellow y the geisha began to dance t the far end of the room, Ten of the little girls did thoir steps, a slow dance full of posturing » colored indkerehiefs. Three of the elder isha in plain gray kimonc a behind the dancers, strur on their samisens, But Kittle amusie either in or in the melody. ring'’s twang rattle of t bone pleetrum 1 the sy ness of the note result n kind of dry clatter cack! ingenious, but not pleasing Reggie Forsyth used to say t c is no melody in Japanese music; put that the rhythy marvellous. It 1 kind of elaborate ragtime without any tune to it ‘ uests did pay any atten tion to the perform: nor did the vpplaud when it) wa Mr. Ito was consulting his agenda paper and his gold watch “You will now drink with these gentlemen,” he said. Geoffrey must have demurred “lt we dapanese custom @e ¢on- AND LIVERIGHT, Seta tt ne atten a i ¥ Beat we tinued; “please I will guide you," Poor Geoffrey! It was his turn now to do the visiting figure, but his head was buzzing with some thirty cups of sake which h@ had swallowed out of politeness, and with the unreality of the whole scene. “Can't do it," too much already “In Japan we say, ‘When friends meet the sake sellers Jaugh!’* quoted the lawyer. “It is Japaneso custom to drink together, and to be happy. To be drunk in good company, it is no shame. Many of these gentlemen will presently be drunk. But if you do not wish to drink more, then just pretend to drink. You take the cup, step this way; he protested; “drunk “WHY DO ALL GEISHA LOVE PROFESSIONAL WRESTLERS?” see; you lift {t to your mouth, throw away the sake into the basin when you wash the cup. That is geisha’s trick when the boys try to make her drunk, but she is too wise!’* Armed with this advice Geoffrey started on his round of visits, first to his host and then to his host's father. The face of old Mr. Fujinam! Gen nosuke was as red as beet-root and his jaw was chewing more vigorously than ever. Nothing, however, could have been more perfect than his de- portment in exchanging the cup with his guest. But no sooner had Geof- frey turned away to pay apother visit than he became aware of a slight commotion. He glanced round and saw Mr. Fujinami, senior, in a state of absolute collapse, being conducted out of th& room by two members of the family and a cluster of geisha. “What has happened?’’ he asked in some alarm. “It is nothing,"’ said Ito; “old gen- tleman tipsy very quick. Everybody now seemed to be smil- ing and happy. Geoffrey felt the curse of his speechlessness. He was brimming over with good humor, and was most anxious to please. The Japanese no longer appeared so gro- but tesque as they had on bis arrival. He was sure that he would have nfich in common with many of these men, who talked so good naturedly am: selves, until the chill of his approach fell upon them, Resides Io and Sadako Fnjinami the only person present could talk English at all fluently was that blotchy faced individual, Mr. Fojin hi. ‘The young n sit y hilarious state,-and | t ‘ ound him a bevy ith whom 8 cracking jokes don’t think they like me aid “I'm too big said the Japanese 1. Japanese me od atvall, Why Recuus me ni tty girl, [ don't question knoy ted, and hid he lis joke Japanese sinl Wriggled with emt ment, and finally seut All ame uch tering Geoffrey was becoming harassed by this badinage; but he hated to ap- pear a prude, and said: “T have got a wife, you know, Mr. nami; she is keeping an eye on Yo matter, no matter,’ the young man answered, waving his hand to and fro; ‘we all have wife; wife no matter in Japan." At last Geoffrey got back to his throne at Asako's side, He was wondering what would be the next ‘ame when, to his relief Ito, after a glance at move in the and surp' his watch, said suddenly: It is now time to go home. Please y goodby to Mr. and Mrs, Fujinami."”" A sudden dismissal, less welcome. The inner circle of the Fujinami had gathered round. They and the geisha escorted their guests to the rickshaws and helped them on with their cloaks and boots. There was no pressing to remain; and as Geoffrey passed the clock in the entrance hall noticed that it was just ten o'clock. dently the entertainment was run with strict adherence to the time- table. Some of the guests were too deep in sake and flirtation to be aware of the break-up; and the last vision granted to Geoffrey of the M. P.—the fat man with the wen—was of a kind of Turkey Trot going on in a corner of the room, and the thick arms of the legislator disappearing up the lady's kimono sleeve. . CHAPTER XII. Fallen Cherry-Blo: Iro wa nioedo Chirinuru wo-- Woga yo tore co Tsune naran? Ui no okupama Kyo koete, Asaki yume miji Ei mo sexu The colours are bright, but * The petals fall! In this world of ours who Shall remain forever? To-day crossing The high mountains of muta- bility. We shall see no fleeting dreams, Being inebriate no longer. “0 hayo gazaimas!"? (Respectfully early!) WITTERINGS of maid-ser- vants salute the lady of the house with the conventional morning greeting. Mrs. Fu- jinami Shidzuye replies in the high, fluty, unnatural voice which is con- sidered refined in her social set. The servants glide into the room which she has just left, moving noiselessly so as not to wake the master, Who is still sleeping. They remove from his side the thick warm mattresses upon which his wife has been lying, the hard wooden pillow like the block of history, the white sheets and the heavy padded cover- but none the let with sleeves like an enormous kimono. They roll up all these yagu (night implements), fold them and put them away into an unsuspected cupboard in the architecture of the veranda. Mr, Fujinami Gentaro still snores. After a while his wife returns. Sho is dressed for the morning in a plain gray silk kimono with a broad olive- n obi (sash). Her halr is ar- ranged in a formidable helmet-like coiffure—all Japanese matrons with their hair done properly bear a re- mote resemblance to Pallas Athene and Britannia. This will need the at- dresser $0 as to Wax few hairs left way- ward by the night in spite of that severe wooden pillow, whose hard, high discomfort was invented by fe- inale vanity to preserve from disarray the rigid order of their locke. Her feet are encased in little white tabi like gloves, for the big toe has a com- partment all to itself. She walks with her toes turned in, and with the heels hardly touching the ground. ' Mrs. Fujinami carries a red lacquer tray. On the tray area tiny teapot and a tiny.cup anda tiny dish, tn which tention of the ha into obedience a are three little salted damsons, with a toothpick fixed in one of them. It is the petit dejeuner of her lord. She puts down the tray beside the head of the pillow, and inakes a low obeis- ance, touching the floor with her fore- head. “O aayo gazaimas!”* stirs, gapes, stretches, lean fist in his hollow s at the rude incursion He takes no notice of esence. She pours out him with studied pose of y nd wrists, conventional and sraceiml, She’ respectfully requests liin to condeseend to partake. Then M Vujinami yawns once more, fter which he co sends. He sucks own the th with a whis- noise. t toothpick w the to eat tone ouch. He man, Diessed ono of Night blue silk, hen he rises t ay n his ry small ight ki he passes along the veranda In the a on of the morning ablutions. s the rending se of throat jearing shew that he has begun his " T maids appear as by the vacated roo: The bed te the matting swept, *s morning clothes are his return, busband him on niu! assists her gar t mi to slip into valet. Mr, Fujinami does not spealc to ler, When his belt has been ad- justed and a watch with a gold fob thrust into its interstice, down from the veranda, feet into a palr of ge into the garden, Mr. Fujinami's garden is a famous one, It {s a temple garden many cen- turles old; and the eyes of the ini- tiated may read in the miriature land scape, in the grouping of shrubs and rocks, in the sudden glimpses of water and whole system of philosophic and reli gious thought worked out by the pa tient priests of the Ashikaga period just as the Gothic masons wrote thetr version of the Bible history in the ar- chitecture of their cathedrals. The bungalow mansion of the fam- ily es on @ knoll overlooking the lake and the garden valley, a rambling construction of brown wood with gray scale-like tiles, resembling a domesti- cated dragon stretching itself in the sun. Indeed, it is not one house but many, linked together by a number of corridors and spare rooms. For Mr and Mrs. Fujinam! live in one wing, their son and his wife in another, and also Mr. Ito, the lawyer, who is @ distant relative and a partner in the Fujinami business. Then, on the fur- ther side of the house, near the pebble drive and the great gate, are the swarming quarters of the servants, the rickshaw men, and Mr. Fujinami's secretaries. Various poor relatives xist unobserved In unfrequented cor- ners; and there is the following of university students and professional swashbucklers which every important Japanese is bound to keep, as an ad- vertisement of his generosity, and to do his dirty work for him. Japa- nese family mansion ts very like a hive—of drones. Nor ts this the entire population of the Fufinami yashiki. Across the garden and beyond the bamboo grove is the little house of Mr. Fujinami's stepbrother and his wife; and in the opposite corner, below the cherry or- chard, is the inkyo, the dower house, where old Mr. Fujtnamt Gennosuke, the retired Lord—who is the present Mr. Fujinami’s father by adoption only—watches the progress of the family fortunes with the vigilance of Charles the Fifth in the cloister of Juste. Mr. Fujinami Gentaro shuffled his way toward a little roont like a kind of summer house, detached from the main building and overlooking the lake and gardén from the most favor able point of vantage. This {s Mr. Fujinami's study—Iike all Japanese rooms, a square box with wooden framework, wooden ceiling. sliding paper shaji, pale golden tatami and double alcove. All Jap- anese rooms are just the same, from the Emperor's to the rickshaw man’s: only in the quality of the wood, In the workmanship of the fittings, in the newness and freshness of paper and matting, and by the ornaments placed in the alcove, may the pros- perity of the house be known. In Mr, Fujinamt's study, one niche of the alcove was fitted up as a book- case; and that bookcase was made of a wonderful honey colored satinwood brought from the interland of Ching ‘The lock and the handles were inlaid with dainty designs in gold wrought by a celebrated Kyoto artist. In the open alcove the hanging scroll of Lae Tze's paradise had cost many hun- dreds of pounds, as had also the Sung dish below it, an intricacy of lotus leaves carved out of a single ame- thyst. On a table in the middle of this chaste apartment lay a pair of gold- rimmed spectacies and a yellow book. The room was open to the early morn- ing sunlight; the paper walls were pushed back. Mr. Fujinami moved a square silk cushion to the edge of the matting near the outside veranda There he could fest his back against a post in the framework of the build ing—for even Japanese get wearled by the interminable squatting which life on the floor level entails—and acquire that condition of bodily repose which is essential for meditation. Mr. Fujinami was in the habit of meditating for one hour every morn ing. It was a tradition of his house: his father and his grandfather had done so before him. The guide of his meditations was the yellow book, the Rongo (Maxims) of Confucius, that Bible of the Far East which has moulded Oriental morality to the shape of the Three Obediences, the obedi- ence of the child to his parents, the wife to her husband, and of the servant to his lord. Mr. Fujinami's meditations were avep and grave, Soon he put down he : ‘eps slides nis ‘a and strolls out the book. The spectacles glided aloni his nose. His chest rose and fel quickly under the weight of his rest ing chin. To the ignorant observe: Mr. Fujinami would have appeared to be asleep. However, when his wife appeared shout an hour and a half afterward bringing her Lord's breakfast on an other red lacquer table, she besough him kindly to condeseend to eat, and arded that he must be very tired afte: so much study, To this Mr. Fujinami replied by passing his hand over bis forehead and saying, ‘Domo! So des ne! (Indeed, it fs so!) T have ttred myself with toil.’ This little farce repeated itself every morning. All the household knew that the master’s hour of med ation was merely an excuse for after sleep. But it w: tradition in the family that the muster snould stndy thus; and Mr, Fujinami’s grandfather had been a great schola) fn hin generation, To maintain the tradition Mr. Fujinami had heed a starveling journalist to write a series of random ays of a sentimental nature, which he had published under his own name, with the title, Fallen Cherry-Blossoms."" (Continued To-morrow.) in the bare pebbly beaches, a°