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A CONCERT AT THE COLLEGE OF MUSIC. 203
straw stove-pipe, two yen, fifty sen; lowest, fifty sen. Derby
hats are about one yen, fifty sen."
? You call those wash-bowls Derbys, do you?" said John-
"
nie. I am sure I did not recognize them."
" Then you do not want any of these ? " inquired the dealer.
"
If you will tell me where you live, I will bring you some
elegant Yankee hats. My partner has them of all prices, from
ten yen down to two yen, fifty sen. We have kept them for a
number of years, and he is anxious to get his money back."
The Jewett boys said they did not think the antique articles
would suit them; then continued their walk until they came to
a ura-naisha (fortune-teller) revealing the future to an inno-
cent-looking countryman who stood before him like a soldier
at attention.
"Watch that fellow," said Oto, "he is an old rascal."
On the right of the ura-naisha was a bamboo vase con-
taining fifty little rods called zei-chiku, and before him, six
pieces of black wood, like long dominoes, called sangi, which
were divided by two red streaks. He was very mysterious
and deliberate in his manner, and was not at all disconcerted
by the presence of the foreign spectators.
r You say you want to know whether you are going 'to have
large crops?"
The countryman nodded.
:t
Very good, very good,"
said the fortune-teller. "Give
me five tempo to begin with."
" Here is the money," said a Tokio boy, who accompanied
the rustic and carried his purse.
" My cousin wants to know
three things."
The fortune-teller took the coins and said, "You
stand back and do not breathe in my ear. If you do
you will spoil your relative's luck."