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AMONG THE PORCELAIN-MAKERS. 157
CHAPTER VI.
AMONG THE PORCELAIN-MAKERS.
" The potter moulds the clay upon the wheel, and behold a jar valued at a few
sen (cents).
"The artist takes his brush and decorates the ware, and lo, the piece is worth the
ransom of a great warrior."
"/^\H, Sallie! " cried Fitz, early one morning in June; " don't
\J you hear the drums beating. The Sui-jin matsuri
(festival of the god of water) occurs to-day and the Tokians
are wild with delight. Several dashi (cars containing historical
figures) have already been seen on the streets, and
you ought to be up and stirring. If Kin, the curio man,
were announced with an old vase, you would jump like a
rabbit."
"
I have been up for more than an hour, Fitz," said the
smiling girl, as she entered the room and saluted him.
" Cho
and I were down at the lower gate of the yashiki and saw a
dashi go by. It was a very gay affair, and on the top was a
warrior in full armor standing beneath a pine-tree. Cho says,
in the old times, they often had a thousand dashi on the streets
during a festival. It is good fun to hear the people shout as
they draw the cars along."
As she ceased speaking Cho came into the room and
said, " O Sallie San, the honorable Dr. Nambo is at the gate."
"All right, Cho," answered the girl. "Where is Johnnie
San ? "
" Here I am," said her brother, coming into the room with
Oto. "What do you want, sissy?"