Untitled

128 THE WONDERFUL CITY OF TOKIO.
are very old, and cost quite a large sum. Is it not calm and
beautiful?"
"Delightful," replied Sallie. "I think it is the prettiest I
have ever seen; the rustic bridge is quite too charming."
After his guests had refreshed themselves, he begged they
would follow him, and, pushing back a door, led the way into
the manufactory.
The building very much resembled the one occupied by the
makers of round fans, and the people worked in the same man-
ner, that is, squatted on the floor behind low benches of wood.
t? We do not split the bamboo for our fan-ribs," said Kimura,
taking up a bundle of the articles; "they are cut for us by
people who make a special business of it. You will also notice
there is a hole drilled in the rounded end of each stick. Hav-
ing determined upon the size of our fan, we proceed to work."
(Illustrating his speech as he spoke.) "If the O-josan is agree-
able, I will make her an ogi containing twenty-four ribs."
:f "Thank you," said Sallie, with a smile. We shall be
the fan as a souvenir."
delighted to watch you, and I will keep
Kimura took two flat sticks of polished bamboo and twentyfour
ribs, which he placed between the outer pieces, then bade
a workman rivet them together.
The latter pushed a small piece of brass tubing through the
hole in the bottom of the fan-frame, laid it on a stone anvil,
placed a ring of wire on each end of the tube, and tapped it
with a hammer until the metal on both sides overlapped the
washers; thus forming a very neat, hollow rivet, through which
a silken cord could be passed. The host received the frame
from the man, and squatting behind one of the benches, said to
his visitors:
" On my right I have a pile of fan papers
cut to the exact
size of the ogi I am going to make. I put one of them face