CHAPTER XVI
A PROSPECTIVE SERVANT
Although Jack's escapade was the talk of the hour, the excitement itbrought died away in a day or two, while Jean's experiences continuedto be discussed for a longer time. Every now and then would crop upsomething funny or, at least, interesting, which she had to tell about.
"I found out why the people here make such a noise in that piggy waywhen they eat," she told her family. "It is to show appreciation ofyour food. It is particularly desirable to do it when you are diningout, the more succulent the sound the more polite."
"Oh, Jean," protested Mary Lee.
"It is a fact, really it is. Ko-yeda told me and I noticed it myself."
"Let's all do that way the next time we go over to Jo's," proposedJack. "She won't know what to make of it, but after a while we willtell her it is a custom we learned in Japan."
The girls laughed and agreed to try it. "Poor old Jo," said Jean. "Sheis out of it this time. I really miss her once in a while. She hasalways been around when we were having our good times."
"Don't you believe but that she would a thousand times rather be whereshe is." Nan spoke with conviction.
"I wonder if I shall feel like that ever," said Jack thoughtfully. "Ican't imagine myself so devoted to a husband as Jo is to Dr. Paul."
"I wouldn't trust you," returned Jean. "You will quite as likely outdoher in your abject devotion."
"I hope I shall at least not be abject," retorted Jack stiffly. "Thatis one thing I shall not care to learn from the Japanese."
"Is Mrs. Sannomiya abject?" inquired Eleanor.
"Well, she is a little bit, but I have seen American women with bigbullies of husbands quite as much so," Jean replied. "Not that Mr.Sannomiya is a bully, far from it, but I suppose it is the Japanesewoman's prerogative to be humble as it is the man's to be lordly.The girls are all trained from the beginning to be meek and gentle,to exercise self-control under all circumstances, to smile and beagreeable no matter how mad they feel inside."
"Humph!" ejaculated Jack. "I'd like to see me."
"You would have to if you were a Japanese," insisted Jean.
"I think we will leave Jack here for a year in a Japanese household,"remarked Mary Lee.
Jack made a face at her. "I'd run away," she said.
"Where?" said Mary Lee teasingly.
"Oh, I would throw myself upon the mercies of the American legation andget the chief to let me marry one of his nice attaches," returned Jack.
Mary Lee did not pursue the subject, but turned to Jean to ask, "DoesKo-yeda do anything about the house?"
"Oh, yes, though there isn't so very much to do; not near so much as inour homes. She always serves tea when there is extra company, and whenher father has a particular guest she waits on them, not because thereare no servants nor because they don't know how, but because it isconsidered the thing to serve the two, or three, or whatever number ofmen with their meal separately, and it is more hospitable and courteousto have it served by one of the ladies of the family."
"That is something the way they do in provincial districts at home,"remarked Nan.
"What do the maids do?" inquired Mary Lee.
"Oh, they roll up the beds and store them away for the day in theclosets, take down the mosquito nets, sweep and dust the rooms, washthe porches, and the dishes, maybe. The market people come with basketsto the door sometimes. Ko-yeda or her mother or grandmother used to goto the go-down and select what was to be the decoration for the day andone of them spent a long time arranging the flower vases. Then therealways seemed to be some kimonos or something to be ripped up or dyed,for they use them over and over while there is anything left of them,and whenever they are washed they must be taken apart."
"Again like the primitive methods of our grandmothers and our thriftyNew England women," said Nan.
"Just what class do the Sannomiyas belong to?" asked Mary Lee.
"I think that they must have been in the _daimio_ class," Jean toldher, "for they showed me some wonderful embroidered robes that had beenin the family for years. I asked Ko-yeda why she didn't wear them, andshe said that there was no class distinction nowadays, that the castleswere done away with, for Japan is quite democratic."
"What has that to do with the robes?" asked Jack.
"The handsome embroidered robes were worn only by nobility," Jean toldher. "The _daimios_ were proud as Lucifer and their establishments intheir castles must have been very much like those we read of in oldfeudal times. I believe there are still very exclusive households whokeep up many of the old traditions."
"And the _samurai_ class?" interrogated Nan.
"They were the military who had their special lords, and served themand the Shogun to the death. They were what we might call retainers,and they were the class between the upper nobility and the commonpeople."
"And what were the _ronin_? Don't you know we are always hearing thattale of the 'Forty-seven Ronin'?"
"They were the masterless _samurai_, who wandered about, owing nospecial allegiance to any master."
"Oh, I see. This is all very interesting," declared Nan. "You certainlyhave learned something from your stay with the Sannomiyas, Jean. Tellus some more. What about the classes below the _samurai_, the commonpeople, 'po' white trash' as it were?"
"So far as I could learn, the peasant class are called either _eta_or _heimin_, though it seems to me that the _eta_ is lower than the_heimin_, for they are the ones who are considered very unclean, asthey slaughter animals, tan skins, and are sometimes beggars."
"But tanners are quite respectable persons at home," put in Jack.
"They are not so here, for the having something to do with dead animalsputs them quite without the pale. The _samurai_ would be disgracedif he married into an _eta_ family and would be considered an _eta_himself, although they maintain that there is no such thing as anydifference in class nowadays. Mr. Sannomiya told me, through Ko-yedaas an interpreter, that the _samurai_ despised trade and all that. Themerchant class is considered, or used to be so, below the farmers; infact they were not up to the mechanics, and were very low down in thesocial scale. That partly explains why there is so much talk of thedishonesty of tradespeople in Japan; it is the lower class who carryon the shops and all that, or so it was. The _samurai_ try to keep tothe professions and such employments, for it was formerly thought verylow down indeed to barter in any way. All this is passing away, Mr.Sannomiya says, and many of the _samurai_ are going into mercantilelife, adopting Western standards and trying to establish a reputationfor honest dealing which the merchant class have not always had."
"Did you make any dreadful mistakes?" inquired Jack.
"No, I don't think so. I wasn't quite as bad as the lady who wantedonions for dinner and told the cook to serve up a Shinto priest. Thetwo words are almost the same, only one has a very different meaningfrom the other. The worst thing I did was to sit in front of thetokonoma when I went in. It was like planting yourself at the righthand of your host without being asked."
"How did you find out it was not the thing to do?" asked Mary Lee.
"I begged Ko-yeda to tell me if I had made any mistake. She wasovercome with confusion at the idea of saying anything to the discreditof a guest, but I just insisted and she told me that."
"It was like Nan's taking her seat on the sofa in Germany," remarkedJack.
"Just about the same thing," Jean answered. "I imagine that Americanfree and easy manners often shock the Japanese. Ko-yeda says that whenshe first came to Rayner Hall she was overwhelmed by the rudeness ofAmerican girls, and I can well believe it when you consider her pointof view. I think you can set it down as a safe rule that it is well toapologize to a Japanese for anything and everything, that is, if youare using their language."
"Dear me," Jack sighed, "I suppose I have said dreadful things when Ihave tried to speak the language."
"I haven't a doubt of it," Jean was ready to agree. "When you arespeaking of doing anything yourself you mus
t say 'I humbly do thusand so,' but when you speak of another's doing the same thing youmust say they do it honorably. If you give a present it is poor andinsignificant, but if you accept the same thing it at once becomesmagnificent."
"Well, I don't see how a foreigner ever learns," said Jack. "I shallnever become a missionary or a teacher or anything that leads me tostudy the language."
"They insisted upon my entering the bath first," Jean went on, "and Isoon saw that it would be very much out of place if I didn't. It may bethe family all used the same water; I didn't inquire; I only know thatit is the custom, the servants coming last, and they all do it in thefrankest way. At the Sannomiyas' they were quite as particular as wewould be, but I know it is not always so. The Sannomiyas are becomingquite Americanized. I am sure Ko-yeda has been teaching them ourmanners and morals. She thinks she may become a teacher; it was withthat idea they sent her to us to be educated, but I have a notion thatshe will marry, though she said she meant to keep on with her studieshere."
"Don't you wish she would have a wedding while we are here so we couldsee how it is done?" said Jack.
"I don't imagine it would be very different from our own ceremony,"Jean rejoined, "for you know they are a Christian family, and herfather says she shall marry none but a Christian. He is devoted toher and thinks we treat our women so well that she must have the sameconsideration."
"I am glad he thinks that," said Jack heartily.
This ended the conversation for the moment, for Nan, who had beenlooking up the attractions, announced that they must certainly see LakeBiwa. "It is the largest," she said, looking up from her guide-book,"and must be very beautiful."
"I heard some interesting things of Fuji," said Jean. "A beautifulgoddess is supposed to make her home there. She has such a pretty name,'The Princess who makes the Trees to Blossom.' I think a great manypeople think that the mythological stories are wicked because they arethose of a false religion, but I really don't think that they ought tobe frowned upon any more than those of the Greek heroes."
"I suppose," said Nan reflectively, "that the reason some personscondemn them is because the temples and the old rites are stillpresent, while the Greek ones are a thing of the past."
"Well, they certainly can't hurt us," declared Jack, "and I want tohear them all."
"If you were to do that you would spend most of your time listening,for their name is legion," Jean told her. "I think they are perfectlyfascinating, and so are the rites, and many things the people still do.I don't see why we shouldn't study all these things as curiosities, notas a religion."
The rest quite agreed with her and as Nan began to hurry them off, theywent to get ready for their trip to Lake Biwa.
This, however, was interrupted in a manner entirely unlooked for. Itwas decided to take _jinrikishas_, as the country through which theywould go was exceedingly lovely and they could enjoy the journey quiteas much as the final view of the great lake. Past palaces and temples,long rows of gray-roofed houses, gay shops, parks and gardens theywere carried to where the high hills arose above them on each side. Inthis warm weather and beyond the limits of the big city, little nakedbabies, and larger children scarcely clad, rolled about in play in thevillage streets through which they went. Jack and Nan were in thefirst _jinrikisha_, behind them came Jean and Miss Helen, while MaryLee and Eleanor occupied the third. Mrs. Corner had decided to stayat home being rather afraid of the heat. Generally when the runnersgave their call of "Hi! Hi!" the little ones scattered but there wasone little youngster who, if hearing, did not heed and was bowled overcompletely, directly in the path of the runners. These stopped shortnearly upsetting Jack and Nan who looked out to see what was the matter.
"What in the world are they jabbering about?" asked Jack looking out."We seem to have stirred up the community, for, see, the people arecoming running."
"We'd better get out," decided Nan, "and see what is wrong."
They suited the action to the word and presently found themselveson the edge of a group where there was much talk and gesticulatinggoing on. The two tall girls could easily see over the heads of thenearest bystanders and discovered that the centre of interest wasa small chubby little lad whose plump brown body bore evidences ofhaving been hurt in some way, for blood was streaming from his headand he was quite limp and helpless. A woman was kneeling on the groundholding him while the coolie who had been the unfortunate cause of theaccident was squatting near looking most unhappy.
"Oh, dear," cried Jack, "the poor little tot is hurt." She pushedthrough the crowd and reached the child. "What is the matter?" sheasked the runner who knew a few words of English. But his vocabularywas not equal to the occasion and Jack could learn but little. Howevershe made out that the child was hurt, and when the man took him in hisarms to carry him to the nearest little cottage, she followed with therest.
By this time the occupants of the other _jinrikishas_ had alighted and,as one of their runners knew more English than the rest, they were ableto get at facts. The little boy had been knocked down, had hit his headagainst a stone, was slightly stunned but was recovering.
"Where are his parents?" Jack inquired.
"He have none, honorable lady," replied the man addressed, who was therunner speaking English.
"Poor little rabbit!" exclaimed Jack compassionately. She stooped topick up the little fellow and to set him on her knee where he satlooking at her unblinkingly with his queer little slits of eyes.Whether it was surprise or fear which made him so still she could nottell. She smiled down at him, but not a quiver passed over the littleface. Jack took a coin from her purse and put it in his chubby fingersbut he only looked at it gravely and made no response.
"He is like a graven image," remarked Jean who stood by. "Did you everknow such immovable gravity?" Presently Mary Lee who wore some flowersin her belt drew them forth and held them out to the little fellow, andthen he smiled.
Jack gave him an ecstatic hug. "Isn't he the cunningest ever?" shecried. "I wish we could take him home. I would so love to have him."
"Oh, Jack, what an idea!" exclaimed Jean. "What in the world would youdo with him?"
"I'd train him to be a cracker-jack of a servant and when I am married,I would take him into the house and he could live with me always."
"I never heard such nonsense," returned Jean. "I think he is all right.We must go on or we will never get to the lake."
Jack was very unwilling to give up her little brown boy, but knew thatshe could not keep the entire party there any longer, so after seekingout his proper guardian, who proved to be an aunt by marriage, theygave her some money and went on their way. But all the beauties of thelake and the mountains were of small interest compared to the littlenaked child they had tumbled over on their way.
Jack talked of little else. She had a baby bee in her bonnet as Nanexpressed it and it was like her to become completely possessed withthe idea of taking him home, once she had decided that she wanted to."I am going to talk to mother about it," she declared, "and I am goingto hunt up Miss Gresham and get her to come out here again with me totalk to the aunt. No doubt they would be only too glad to get rid ofhim, for you see they are such a poor looking set of people. We upsethim and we ought to do something for him. Besides," she added afterusing all other arguments, "we could do some missionary work and make aChristian of him, so I am sure it would be worth while."
She was so in earnest that Nan did not laugh, but it was a habit ofJack's to make her duty wait upon her desires, and Nan knew that themissionary spirit was aroused for the occasion.
However, in some way or other Jack did get around her mother to adegree sufficient for her to give consent to a second visit to thevillage in Miss Gresham's company. Whether Jack had pictured thechild's condition as so pitiful as to arouse her mother's commiserationor just how she had managed no one could exactly tell, but sufficientto say that Jack and Miss Gresham did go a day or two after and tothe dismay of every one came back with the little lad, whose brownnakedness was c
overed by clothes fitted to his estate. These Jack hadbought, with Miss Gresham's help, and the two had very much enjoyedtheir mission.
Miss Gresham had a way with children and, knowing Japanese fairly well,could manage the conversation without difficulty. She found that thechild had no special claim upon any one. Both his parents were dead.His mother's sister had taken him but she, too, had died and those whonow cared for him were no blood relation, but were too charitable toturn him away.
"Miss Gresham says she can keep him at the school as well as not," Jackinformed her mother eagerly, "so we need not be bothered with him whilewe are traveling, and when we are ready to go she can find a way tosend or bring him to Nagasaki when we sail for home."
"You seem to have bewitched Miss Gresham completely," said Mrs. Corner.
"She is the nicest kind of missionary lady," returned Jack heartily."She is so different from my idea of such. Her brother is a medicalmissionary, and she has been out here ten years. She has been homebut once in all that time. She has told me the most interestingthings about her work. I shall always be interested in missions afterthis; I used rather to think them a bore, but after seeing the workin her school, and hearing what has been accomplished by the medicalmissionaries, I have changed my mind."
The small boy continued to remain under Miss Gresham's care, and wasthe loadstone which drew all the girls to the mission school morefrequently than any one of them could have prophesied. Little Tokuwas quite placid during this change, the only objection he made beingto clothes, which, in the state of the weather, seemed perfectlyreasonable to every one. He was serene, well cared for and happy.
"At all events," Jack said to Miss Gresham, "if I can't take him homewith me I shall see to it that he is provided for. Nan says she willhelp me, and I know you will see to it that he is brought up properly."
"I will certainly do that," Miss Gresham promised. "He is a dear,bright little fellow, and the girls all make a great fuss over him. Heis the youngest in the school, you see."
"I hope to persuade mother to let us have him," Jack went on, "but ifI can't I shall feel a stronger interest in Japan than ever."
And so the small Toku remained at the school while the Corners went onwith their sightseeing.
CHAPTER XVIIIN A TYPHOON]
The Four Corners in Japan Page 16
