“Never mind, Uncle! I will buy a swell coat in New York. You have some more, haven’t you?” “It cost me forty yens at ’Hama. You really are a foolish girl, Asagao!” (Asagao is my humble name in Japanese.) Then I kissed his hand most pathetically—in fun for my part, of course. 22nd—My superstitious Mamma! She mailed me an o mikuji from the holy box of the Akiwa god. The number written on the slip was fifty-one. The divine will read as follows: “Faith in the Well-God will result fortunately.” Mamma bade me make my prayer long (not mixing it with any laughter whatever). I wondered whether there was any well around here. I explored. I came across one (such a doubtful well) by an apple tree. I hastened to my cottage to cut a paper flag. The poet gave me one cup of claret for the Well-God. I sat by the well. What did I pray? I pried into the well for the fin of a fish. Well without a funa fish isn’t holy to a Jap mind. 23rd—Uncle left the Heights for Frisco. I have encountered somewhere one picture, “Stolen Kiss,” symbolising sweetness. I dare say the sweetest thing in the world is to steal into a gentleman’s room and over-turn his things. The gentleman smell is provocative. My uncle? I can only say that he is more desirable than an old woman. Old woman is sad as a dry persimmon. I stole into his room. God will overlook my petty crime—how lovely to be scratched by guilt!—in consideration of the fact that a Jap girl never profanes. I turned his pillow. Pillow is a fascination for me ever since I have read of a poet who hid his diary under it. Look at the book, “A Random Note!” He was working to beat me with his journal, I derided. I sat on his bed, opening it. “How original!” I exclaimed. Uncle, you are a cynic, aren’t you? Let me pick a few pieces from his pen! * * * * * “Unfortunately! Japanese are accustomed from babyhood to depend on another’s back. The hereditary fashion of nursing the baby on the back has thoroughly taught them dependence. Independence is only a coat of arms to distinguish man from the beasts—that is all. I urge that Emerson’s essays be adopted in the Nippon schools. His ‘Self-reliance’ should be the first of all. “Most unhappily! I have observed the Japanese fad in America for years, and it has not yet reached its culmination. Each month the books on Japan are placed before the public. It is verily sad even to cut their edges. (The practical Americans prove themselves unpractical in leaving the leaves of books uncut.) I say that our Japan is entitled to regard for worthier things than geisha girls or a fashion in bowing. We should decline your love, Americans, if it is rooted merely in your fancy for our paper lanterns. I have frequently come to conclude that Americans are eminently the freakish nation. I feel not only occasionally that they lack the reasoning power. I do not assume the phenomena of the yellow journals as my proof.