Untitled

AT A FAN-MAKER S. T 33
Fitz looked at Sallie, and in spite of her frowning, said, " I
do not think I can take that contract. Captain Bullyman
has never been known to pay any one. When his creditors
worry him, he blazes away at them with a shot-gun, and pretends
to be killing cats."
The bewildered fan-maker regarded him for several seconds,
then said, w Has he not been executed ? "
ft
No,
he is one of the selectmen and is on the school-com-
mittee," returned the unabashed
boy.
" I think you had better
give up all idea of collecting
that amount."
"
Please
Fitz," said
do
his
not joke so,
"
sister. Mr.
Kimura does not understand
you."
" Pardon me, O-josan, I
comprehend," returned their
host.
"
Still I am puzzled at
your American ways. What a THE CLAM'S BREATH, POPULAR JAPANESE
IDEA OF THE CAUSES OF A MIRAGE.
strange country yours must be,
when you shoot people who respectfully ask payment of their
accounts."
" Americans do not," said the indignant young lady, taking
up a fan and opening it.
:?
Will you please tell me the mean-
ing of this picture?"
Kimura smiled, and, bowing, replied, "The natives of
every land have their fancies. You will notice that painting
represents a clam giving out a sort of vapor,
in which the
towers of a palace and the tops of the buildings surrounding it,
are depicted as we see them in a fog. That is called shin-
kiro, (visions of the palace of the god of the bottom of the sea) .