" And when, a
few days later, Archie was initiated into some of the mysteries of
Japanese life by his experienced friend, he was willing to admit the
truth of all he had heard concerning the land of the chrysanthemum. He
found everything quite beyond his expectations. The people themselves
were more quaint in their dress and manners than he had expected to
find them, and the houses and the pagodas were much more picturesque
than he had imagined they would be. And the whole atmosphere of the
country seemed filled with romance and history, and it wasn't at all
hard to believe that the Japanese have longer family trees than any
other nation on earth.
They spent a few days travelling through the provincial districts of
the little kingdom, and then they reached Tokio, where Bill was
anxious to spend several days. "I know some folks here who can take us
around and show us everything that's worth seeing," he said, "and we
can spend our time to better advantage here than anywhere else I know
of." And sure enough, Bill did know some people in the capital city,
some pleasant English people, who had met the open-hearted Westerner
when he was in the city years before, and who had at once appreciated
the true nobility of his character. They were very kind to Archie,--
so kind that the lad thought he had never before met such pleasant
people. And they were thoroughly interested in all his adventures,
from the time he left home late in the preceding summer until now.
Pages:
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169