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A JAPANESE DRY GOODS STORE. 255
slang," answered the
"
man. For instance, if our customers
want speckled cloth, we call for hoar frost."
thing,"
:? The waiters in some American restaurants do the same
said Fitz.
w I once went into one and ordered fish-
balls, when the man called for two sleeve-buttons. I was
some time before I understood what he meant."
While they were waiting for their package the boys no-
ticed a kuda-mono uri (fruit-seller), on the other side of the
street.
The stall consisted of a board laid on half a barrel, and the
fruit was decorated with pine branches, each kind being
ticketed according to its value, one sen, two sen, three sen,
etc.
By the side of the stall was a bucket of water and a dipper,
which the fruit-seller, from time to time, used to moisten his
commodities.
" Nearly all of that man's stock is unripe," said Oto.
" The
pear yonder boy is eating is as hard as a turnip. The peach
the dealer is paring is as green as grass, and those long melons
are totally unfit for consumption."
"
I never found green apples disagree with me," said Fitz,
"
smiling significantly. Have you, Sallie? "
"I am sure you never eat such dangerous things, did you?"
inquired Oto.
The young lady bit her lips and looked reproachfully at her
brother, but did not reply.
"Why do your people not allow the fruit to ripen?" said
the unabashed Fitz.
Oto, who was laughing to himself, said, " Our country folks
are afraid of the thieves, so they gather their peaches, etcetera,
as soon as they show a tinge of color."
" Yes," cried Johnnie, " only the other day I saw Cho eat-