PREFACE
Japanese boys have not been introduced very much to their little American friends, and the purpose of this book is to provide an introduction by telling some of the experiences which are common to most Japanese boys of the present time, together with some account of the customs and manners belonging to their life. I can at least claim that the story is told as it could be only by one who had actually lived the life that is portrayed. I have endeavored to hold the interest of my young readers by bringing in more or less of amusement. The little girl companion is introduced to widen the interest and add somewhat more of the story element than would otherwise be present. The sketches composing the various chapters are necessarily disconnected, but they form a series of pictures, priceless at least to the author, which foreign eyes have seldom been allowed to see.
Sakae Shioya.
Yale University, 1905.
CONTENTS
| CHAPTER I.: My Infancy. | ||
| How I Looked—My Name—Walking—InTea Season—My Toys—“Kidnapped”—O-dango | [9] | |
| CHAPTER II.: At Home. | ||
| Introduction—Dinner—Rice—Turning toCows—A Bamboo Dragon-fly—A WatermelonLantern—On a Rainy Evening—TheStory of a Badger | [23] | |
| CHAPTER III.: The Village School. | ||
| A Mimic School—Preparations—The School—HowClasses Are Conducted—Out of Tune—AMoral Story—School Discipline—Playthings—“Knife Sense” | [35] | |
| CHAPTER IV.: In Tokyo. | ||
| Where We Settled—A Police Stand—Stores—“Broadway”—Illumination—TheForeign Settlement | [51] | |
| CHAPTER V.: My New School. | ||
| Tomo-chan—The Men with Wens—A CuriousPunishment—How I Experienced It—Kotoro-Kotoro | [62] | |
| CHAPTER VI.: Chinese Education. | ||
| My Chinese Teacher—How I Was Taught—Versification—MyUncle—Clam Fishing—AFlatfish | [76] | |
| CHAPTER VII.: An Evening Fête. | ||
| My Father—His Love for Potted Trees—ALocal Fête—Show Booths—Goldfish Booths—SingingInsects—How a Potted Tree WasBought | [91] | |
| CHAPTER VIII.: Summer Days. | ||
| A Swimming School—How I Was Taught toSwim—Diving—The Old Home Week—Returnof the Departed Souls—Visiting the AncestralGraves—The Memorable Night—AVillage Dance | [102] | |
| CHAPTER IX.: The English School. | ||
| A Night at the Dormitory—Beginning English—Grammar—Pronunciation—SchoolMoved—Mother’sLove | [114] | |
| CHAPTER X.: A Boy Astronomer. | ||
| What I Intended to Be—My Aun View—MyParents’ Approval—My Uncle’s Enthusiasm—TheTotal Eclipse of the Sun | [128] | |
| CHAPTER XI.: In the Suburbs. | ||
| A Novel Experiment—Removal—Our NewHouse—Angling—Tomo-chan’s Visit | [143] | |