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98
THE WONDERFUL CITY OF TOKIO.
"I understand the hidden joke," said Sallie. "It means,
that under ordinary circumstances, one does not joyfully go to
the temple,
pleasure."
but on this occasion the visit is one of real
They quitted the place, and on arriving at the main gate,
were surrounded by old women and poor priests peddling the
hama-cha and na flowers.
"Won't you take some home for your honorable mother?"
said a bozu, who squinted horribly, pushing himself before
*
Fitz. This hama-cha is very good for diseases of the eye."
He was so importunate that the boy turned to him an4
said,
tf
If your hama-cha is what you say, why do you not use
some of it? "
His rebuff caused the bozu to grimace, and made the other
vendors shout derisively.
" Here are our jin-riki-sha" said Oto; "are you not tired of
walking? I am. Where would you like to go now, shall we
take a ride in the suburbs before visiting Mukojima?"
" We are willing," answered the Jewetts.
They
entered their vehicles and were soon far from the
lumber merchants.
temple, in a district occupied by
"Oh! do look at that ko-bi-ki" (sawyer), said Fitz, waving
them to stop.
The man referred to was kneeling on a piece of old matting
sawing a log of timber into planks. He pulled the instrument
toward him and labored so hard, that Johnnie said,
"Why don't you buy an American saw? It would go
through that timber like a hot knife through butter."
The man paused in his work, took up his pipe-case and
tobacco-pouch that were lying near, and, stirring the ashes in a
fire-bowl, lighted his pipe, puffed the smoke through his
nostrils, and said:-