a Japanese friend, and we stopped in front of a
little stall full of very dainty toys. There were thousands of
toys--miniature kitchen utensils exquisitely carved in wood, small pots
and pans and dishes, all bound with lacquer and beautifully finished,
such as would delight the heart of every housewife of my acquaintance. I
asked the stall-holder, a little stolid old man, through the
interpretation of my friend, how much he would sell his entire stock
for. His excitement was intense, and my friend told me that my simple
question had had the effect of an avalanche upon this stolid little
toy-seller, and that he was quite unable to grasp my meaning, so
startling and gigantic did the transaction seem to him. After a great
deal of gesticulation, and much flicking of the beads on his counting
machine, the little man came to the conclusion that his entire stock
would be worth two yen thirty sen. This ridiculous price quite took my
breath away, and I immediately said that I would buy the lot. Then
there was another commotion: the little man was thoroughly upset, and
could not understand what I meant. In the end I made him carry away his
stall bodily and follow me with it to my hotel. I paid him the money,
and he quickly disappeared. "You won't see that little gentleman in
theatre street again in a hurry," my friend said: "he will be living in
luxury now for a week or more on that two dollar thirty sen, and he
certainly won't dream of doing any more work until he has spent the
lot." Sure enough, I never saw the stolid toy-seller again during the
whole of my stay in Kioto, which stretched over more than a month. But
although the coolie and the workman in Japan live on next to nothing,
the rich man spends very lavishly. If he entertains you, he gives you a
dinner which, although you seldom appreciate its splendid qualities (for
it does not appeal to the Western palate), is, from the Japanese
standpoint, truly regal. There will be four or five different kinds of
fish, some of which will be specimens of great value; and a dinner given
at a Japanese tea-house by a merchant to a European friend would cost
more than the most expensive dinner it is possible to procure at the
Carlton or at the Savoy.

[Illustration: BRONZE-WORKERS]

My men flourished on the heads and tails of fish, and did splendid
service. Day by day the decorations for my house grew, as one worker
after another was added to the little band. One man recommended anothe