Sunnovagun! They had lied. By'm-by, she fetched my supper. Although the
room was hot, the meal was a deal better than the kind I used to have in
my boarding house. While waiting on me, she questioned me where I was
from, and I said, "from Tokyo." Then she asked; "Isn't Tokyo a nice
place?" and I shot back, "Bet 'tis." About the time the maid had reached
the kitchen, loud laughs were heard. There was nothing doing, so I went
to bed, but could not sleep. Not only was it hot, but noisy,--about five
times noisier than my boarding house. While snoozing, I dreamed of Kiyo.
She was eating "sasa-ame" of Echigo province without taking off the
wrapper of bamboo leaves. I tried to stop her, saying bamboo leaves may
do her harm, but she replied, "O, no, these leaves are very helpful for
the health," and ate them with much relish. Astounded, I laughed "Ha,
ha, ha!"--and so awoke. The maid was opening the outside shutters. The
weather was just as clear as the previous day.
I had heard once before that when travelling, one should give "tea
money" to the hotel or inn where he stops; that unless this "tea
money" is given, the hostelry would accord him rather rough treatment.
It must have been on account of my being slow in the fork over of this
"tea money" that they had huddled me into such a narrow, dark room.
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