is in
readiness. The fire is burning brightly, the fortune teller is at her
post, the kettle is steaming and the refreshments are spread on table
cloths laid on the grass. Then the tea is made and each man enjoys a
dainty but toothsome repast.

After tea the baskets and equipments are replaced in the wagon and the
grounds cleared. The remainder of the evening may be spent in dancing,
fortune telling and the like.

CHAPTER VII.

A JAPANESE TEA. 1.

In Japan the hostess serves the tea from the table. There is a charcoal
burner over which the water is kept lukewarm, not hot. The tea is
powdered very fine. It is in the teapot or cups as the hostess chooses.
The water is poured over it and off quickly for the tea in the cup is
very weak and only straw-colored, not dark as we make it. It is drunk
without cream or sugar. With it are served tiny wafer-like sweet cakes
and dishes of bonbons are on the table, no nuts, just bonbons. Nothing
is on the table save the tea equipment, tiny cups and saucers and dishes
of sweets. As the water is only lukewarm one can easily have the five
o'clock teakettle on the table (though that is not Japanese). As fast as
the water boils pour into a pitcher and keep the kettle replenished,
pouring into the cups from the pitcher. Or have the maids bring the
water from the kitchen. In Japan the geisha girls are employed in the
public teahouses to entertain men visitors so "maids" will be a better
term by which to call the young girls who help you. If one wishes to
make their room Japanese, fill the vases with imitation peach or cherry
blossoms, hang Japanese lanterns in doorways and Japanese banners, which
can be made from paper napkins and bright red paper for a background.
The incense sticks are very inexpensive and any large department store
which deals in Japanese goods including the five and ten cent stores,
keep them.

Serve date sandwiches cut in shape of dominoes and dotted with currants,
or nut or any sandwiches desired cut in this shape and so decorated,
chocolate with whipped cream, strawberries arranged around a mound of
powdered sugar, a spray of strawberry leaves and blossoms laid on the
plate, or any fresh berries. Serve small cakes domino shape covered with
white icing, dotted with tiny chocolate candies representing the domino
spots. Or if one wishes to serve ice cream with the berries have it
moulded in a two quart can, then turned out on a round platter, making a
colu