scarlet…covered　thongs　of　the　finely　lacquered　clogs；　which　she
  puts　on　when　she　stands　on　the　stone　steps　to　receive　her　guests；
  to　pass　between　it　and　the　smaller　toes。　　All　the　other　little
  ladies　were　dressed　in　the　same　style；　and　all　looked　like　ill…
  executed　dolls。　　She　met　them　with　very　formal　but　graceful　bows。
  When　they　were　all　assembled；　she　and　her　very　graceful　mother；
  squatting　before　each；　presented　tea　and　sweetmeats　on　lacquer
  trays；　and　then　they　played　at　very　quiet　and　polite　games　till
  dusk。　　They　addressed　each　other　by　their　names　with　the　honorific
  prefix　O；　only　used　in　the　case　of　women；　and　the　respectful　affix
  San；　thus　Haru　becomes　O…Haru…San；　which　is　equivalent　to　〃Miss。〃
  A　mistress　of　a　house　is　addressed　as　O…Kami…San；　and　O…Kusuma
  something　like　〃my　lady〃is　used　to　married　ladies。　　Women　have　no
  surnames；　thus　you　do　not　speak　of　Mrs。　Saguchi；　but　of　the　wife　of
  Saguchi　San；　and　you　would　address　her　as　O…Kusuma。　　Among　the
  children's　names　were　Haru；　Spring；　Yuki；　Snow；　Hana；　Blossom；
  Kiku；　Chrysanthemum；　Gin；　Silver。
  One　of　their　games　was　most　amusing；　and　was　played　with　some
  spirit　and　much　dignity。　　It　consisted　in　one　child　feigning
  sickness　and　another　playing　the　doctor；　and　the　pompousness　and
  gravity　of　the　latter；　and　the　distress　and　weakness　of　the　former；
  were　most　successfully　imitated。　　Unfortunately　the　doctor　killed
  his　patient；　who　counterfeited　the　death…sleep　very　effectively
  with　her　whitened　face；　and　then　followed　the　funeral　and　the
  mourning。　　They　dramatise　thus　weddings；　dinner…parties；　and　many
  other　of　the　events　of　life。　　The　dignity　and　self…possession　of
  these　children　are　wonderful。　　The　fact　is　that　their　initiation
  into　all　that　is　required　by　the　rules　of　Japanese　etiquette　begins
  as　soon　as　they　can　speak；　so　that　by　the　time　they　are　ten　years
  old　they　know　exactly　what　to　do　and　avoid　under　all　possible
  circumstances。　　Before　they　went　away　tea　and　sweetmeats　were　again
  handed　round；　and；　as　it　is　neither　etiquette　to　refuse　them　or　to
  leave　anything　behind　that　you　have　once　taken；　several　of　the
  small　ladies　slipped　the　residue　into　their　capacious　sleeves。　　On
  departing　the　same　formal　courtesies　were　used　as　on　arriving。
  Yuki；　Haru's　mother；　speaks；　acts；　and　moves　with　a　charming
  gracefulness。　　Except　at　night；　and　when　friends　drop　in　to
  afternoon　tea；　as　they　often　do；　she　is　always　either　at　domestic
  avocations；　such　as　cleaning；　sewing；　or　cooking；　or　planting
  vegetables；　or　weeding　them。　　All　Japanese　girls　learn　to　sew　and
  to　make　their　own　clothes；　but　there　are　none　of　the　mysteries　and
  difficulties　which　make　the　sewing　lesson　a　thing　of　dread　with　us。
  The　kimono；　haori；　and　girdle；　and　even　the　long　hanging　sleeves；
  have　only　parallel　seams；　and　these　are　only　tacked　or　basted；　as
  the　garments；　when　washed；　are　taken　to　pieces；　and　each　piece；
  after　being　very　slightly　stiffened；　is　stretched　upon　a　board　to
  dry。　　There　is　no　underclothing；　with　its　bands；　frills；　gussets；
  and　button…holes；　the　poorer　women　wear　none；　and　those　above　them
  wear；　like　Yuki；　an　under…dress　of　a　frothy…looking　silk　crepe；　as
  simply　made　as　the　upper　one。　　There　are　circulating　libraries
  here；　as　in　most　villages；　and　in　the　evening　both　Yuki　and　Haru
  read　love　stories；　or　accounts　of　ancient　heroes　and　heroines；
  dressed　up　to　suit　the　popular　taste；　written　in　the　easiest
  possible　style。　　Ito　has　about　ten　volumes　of　novels　in　his　room；
  and　spends　half　the　night　in　reading　them。
  Yuki's　son；　a　lad　of　thirteen；　often　comes　to　my　room　to　display
  his　skill　in　writing　the　Chinese　character。　　He　is　a　very　bright
  boy；　and　shows　considerable　talent　for　drawing。　　Indeed；　it　is　only
  a　short　step　from　writing　to　drawing。　　Giotto's　O　hardly　involved
  more　breadth　and　vigour　of　touch　than　some　of　these　characters。
  They　are　written　with　a　camel's…hair　brush　dipped　in　Indian　ink；
  instead　of　a　pen；　and　this　boy；　with　two　or　three　vigorous　touches；
  produces　characters　a　foot　long；　such　as　are　mounted　and　hung　as
  tablets　outside　the　different　shops。　　Yuki　plays　the　samisen；　which
  may　be　regarded　as　the　national　female　instrument；　and　Haru　goes　to
  a　teacher　daily　for　lessons　on　the　same。
  The　art　of　arranging　flowers　is　taught　in　manuals；　the　study　of
  which　forms　part　of　a　girl's　education；　and　there　is　scarcely　a　day
  in　which　my　room　is　not　newly　decorated。　　It　is　an　education　to　me；
  I　am　beginning　to　appreciate　the　extreme　beauty　of　solitude　in
  decoration。　　In　the　alcove　hangs　a　kakemono　of　exquisite　beauty；　a
  single　blossoming　branch　of　the　cherry。　　On　one　panel　of　a　folding
  screen　there　is　a　single　iris。　　The　vases　which　hang　so　gracefully
  on　the　polished　posts　contain　each　a　single　peony；　a　single　iris；　a
  single　azalea；　stalk；　leaves；　and　corollaall　displayed　in　their
  full　beauty。　　Can　anything　be　more　grotesque　and　barbarous　than　our
  〃florists'　bouquets；〃　a　series　of　concentric　rings　of　flowers　of
  divers　colours；　bordered　by　maidenhair　and　a　piece　of　stiff　lace
  paper；　in　which　stems；　leaves；　and　even　petals　are　brutally
  crushed；　and　the　grace　and　individuality　of　each　flower
  systematically　destroyed？
  Kanaya　is　the　chief　man　in　this　village；　besides　being　the　leader
  of　the　dissonant　squeaks　and　discords　which　represent　music　at　the
  Shinto　festivals；　and　in　some　mysterious　back　region　he　compounds
  and　sells　drugs。　　Since　I　have　been　here　the　beautification　of　his
  garden　has　been　his　chief　object；　and　he　has　made　a　very
  respectable　waterfall；　a　rushing　stream；　a　small　lake；　a　rustic
  bamboo　bridge；　and　several　grass　banks；　and　has　transplanted
  several　large　trees。　　He　kindly　goes　out　with　me　a　good　deal；　and；
  as　he　is　very　intelligent；　and　Ito　is　proving　an　excellent；　and；　I
  think；　a　faithful　interpreter；　I　find　it　very　pleasant　to　be　here。
  They　rise　at　daylight；　fold　up　the　wadded　quilts　or　futons　on　and
  under　which　they　have　slept；　and　put　them　and　the　wooden　pillows；
  much　like　stereoscopes　in　shape；　with　little　rolls　of　paper　or
  wadding　on　the　top；　into　a　press　with　a　sliding　door；　sweep　the
  mats　carefully；　dust　all　the　woodwork　and　the　verandahs；　open　the
  amadowooden　shutters　which；　by　sliding　in　a　groove　along　the　edge
  of　the　verandah；　box　in　the　whole　house　at　night；　and　retire　into
  an　ornamental　projection　in　the　dayand　throw　the　paper　windows
  back。　　Breakfast　follows；　then　domestic　avocations；　dinner　at　one；
  and　sewing；　gardening；　and　visiting　till　six；　when　they　take　the
  evening　meal。
  Visitors　usually　arrive　soon　afterwards；　and　stay　till　eleven　or
  twelve。　　Japanese　chess；　story…telling；　and　the　samisen　fill　up　the
  early　part　of　the　evening；　but　later；　an　agonising　performance；
  which　they　call　singing；　begins；　which　sounds　like　the　very　essence
  of　heathenishness；　and　consists　mainly　in　a　prolonged　vibrating
  〃No。〃　　As　soon　as　I　hear　it　I　feel　as　if　I　were　among　savages。
  Sake；　or　rice　beer；　is　always　passed　round　before　the　visitors
  leave；　in　little　cups　with　the　gods　of　luck　at　the　bottom　of　them。
  Sake；　when　heated；　mounts　readily　to　the　head；　and　a　single　small
  cup　excites　the　half…witted　man…servant　to　some　very　foolish
  musical　performances。　　I　am　sorry　to　write　it；　but　his　master　and
  mistress　take　great　pleasure　in　seeing　him　make　a　fool　of　himself；
  and　Ito；　who　is　from　policy　a　total　abstainer；　goes　into
  convulsions　of　laughter。
  One　evening　I　was　invited　to　join　the　family；　and　they　entertained
  me　by　showing　me　picture　and　guide　books。　　Most　Japanese　provinces
  have　their　guide…books；　illustrated　by　wood…cuts　of　the　most
  striking　objects；　and　giving　itineraries；　names　of　yadoyas；　and
  other　local　information。　　One　volume　of　pictures；　very　finely
  executed　on　silk；　was　more　than　a　century　old。　　Old　gold　lacquer
  and　china；　and　some　pieces　of　antique　embroidered　silk；　were　also
  produced　for　my　benefit；　and　some　musical　instruments　of　great
  beauty；　said　to　be　more　than　two　centuries　old。　　None　of　these
  treasures　are　kept　in　the　house；　but　in　the　kura；　or　fireproof
  storehouse；　close　by。　　The　rooms　are　not　encumbered　by　ornaments；　a
  single　kakemono；　or　fine　piece　of　lacquer　or　china；　appears　for　a
  few　days　and　then　makes　way　for　something　else；　so　they　have
  variety　as　well　as　simplicity；　and　each　object　is　enjoyed　in　its
  turn　without　distraction。
  Kanaya　and　his　sister　often　pay　me　an　evening　visit；　and；　with
  Brunton's　map　on　the　floor；　we　project　astonishing　routes　to
  Niigata；　which　are　usually　abruptly　abandoned　on　finding　a
  mountain…chain　in　the　way　with　never　a　road　over　it。　　The　life　of
  these　people　seems　to　pass　easily　enough；　but　Kanaya　deplores　the
  want　of　money；　he　would　like　to　be　rich；　and　intends　to　build　a
  hotel　for　foreigners。
  The　only　vestige　of　religion　in　his　house　is　the　kamidana；　or　god…
  shelf；　on　which　stands　a　wooden　shrine　like　a　Shinto　temple；　which
  contains　the　memorial　tablets　to　deceased　relations。　　Each　morning
  a　sprig　of　evergreen　and　a　little　rice　and　sake　are　placed　before
  it；　and　every　evening　a　lighted　lamp。
  LETTER　X（Continued）
  Darkness　visibleNikko　ShopsGirls　and　MatronsNight　and　Sleep
  Parental　LoveChildish　DocilityHair…dressingSkin　Diseases。
  I　don't　wonder　that　the　Japanese