Untitled

76
THE WONDERFUL CITY OF TOKIO.
" Sallie," said Oto, as they neared the Kaga-yashiki, " I
must say good morning, I have to go to the Ginko (bank).
"Cannot we accompany you?" she asked.
" Certainly," he replied, " but you must be tired. I think
it is nearly luncheon time, so vote we postpone our visit until
two o'clock."
When they reached home they found Gosuke, Johnnie's
jin-riki-sha man, sweeping the lawn. low and said:
Seeing them he bowed
"
Very soon the young grass will be up,
and I will cut it so
that you can play your ball game (lawn-tennis). No one in
the yashiki has such a beautiful grass-plot as this. Do you
know the reason?"
"No," answered Sallie, who delighted to listen to his
" "
stories. What is the cause?
Gosuke grinned and said:
" I go every morning and make an offering at the shrine of
the god Fox that is why the grass grows so nicely."
They all smiled, and Sallie remarked:
" I do not think the god Fox has very much to do with it.
I should say that you deserve all the credit for keeping the
place in such good order."
The man bowed, smiled until he showed all his upper
answered :
teeth, and, regarding her through his half-closed eyes,
"Of course I do my best, honorable O jo-san (Miss), but,
if I did not look after the god Fox, the grass would be as full
of dandelions as your neighbor's."
" What a curious superstition," said Johnnie, as they en-
tered the house. "I really think Gosuke believes what he
says. You must own, Oto, that your poor people are very
credulous."
The young doctor laughed and shrugged his shoulders
significantly.