3 182202465 1721 s$J%*mf- m^W Jfe*'^^*^ *'* WWW;: -'W - Library

1G8
HONDA THE SAMUttAt.
he was especially fond of Hoshi, Mr. Asai's daughter.
In accordance with the social proprieties of the country
the boys and girls were kept apart in play or
company after the age of eight years.
Then Mr. Asai moved his family to his other house
in Osaka, where he had a branch of his rice warehouse.
Here his daughter Hoshi was educated.
Though tenderly reared, she was also trained in useful
accomplishments. She even occasionally watched
at her father's store and returned the flag-signals
from the roof of the large house in which the ricemerchants
had their guild or exchange, and from
which the rise and fall of prices were telegraphed by
a sort of signal service of flags.
When, eight years after, Mr. Asai returned to
Fukui with his daughter Hoshi, she was a beautiful
maiden of graceful figure and winsome manner.
Rather taller than the average of her countrywomen
of the same age, neither too slender nor
too fully rounded, and with that exquisite taste in
dress for which the daughters of Japan are noted,
she might have graced a prince's castle. As a matter
of fact, more than one of the wealthy men of rank
had opened negotiations with her father, hoping that
the fair face might beautify their harem. Mr. Asai
had, however, determined that his daughter should
never leave the paternal roof except legally betrothed
and pledged to be a wife. As their purpose
was not honorable marriage, their offers were politely
declined. Hoshi grew up as pure in person as the
flower which she called " the face of the morning,"