Untitled

HOW THE JAPANESE MAKE CHINESE INK. 95
At the side of the building they saw some masons at work
tombstones and other monuments.
"
making
Sallie.
f
Why is that slab marked Hono (presented to) ? " asked
That is ready for any person's name," said Oto.
" Do
look at that beautiful stone lantern; is it not charmingly pro-
"
?
portioned
'"
Yes it is not a badly-made toro" said Fitz. "See the
ishi-ya (stone-cutter) putting the finishing
touches to that
granite fox. I it suppose is for some shrine."
The workman paused in his occupation, and, turning to the
boy, bowed and said:
"
This, O bos-an, is for exportation. We make lots of
such things to send to America. I hear your honorable people
have begun to worship the god-fox."
"Then you know more than we do," said Sallie. "My
countrymen only regard them as curiosities."
" Do you hear that, Sachi ?" said the stone-cutter, addressing
his mate.
The man bowed, and looking up at Fitz, inquired:
"Honorable young master-boy, do you want to buy a tomb-
stone?"
"Do I look as I though did?" was the laughing response.
"
It is
rf You may soon require one," was the grim retort.
a good thing to purchase such a thing when you are young."
"Will you not trim the sides of that stone and round off the
top?" said Johnnie.
" No. Such tablets are no longer fashionable," said the
man.
" A few years ago we used to cut them as you describe,
now it is considered more proper to have them irregular, just
as they did in the olden times."
"I understand," said the merry boy. "You have a fashion
in tombstones as well as in everything else."