you are too kind-hearted. I should be taking advantage of (your) good nature if I didn't. 7. No, please let me pay to-day: you can do so next B. Very well, then. Thank you very much for your kindness. Will you show me round town next Saturday and Sunday? T. With the greatest (of) pleasure! We will visit Ueno Park, Kudan Military Museum, and, in fact, all the chief places of interest. B. We shall want many Saturdays and Sundays to do that, shan't we? T. Yes, and I am glad of that, because by talking with you I can improve my conversing (knowledge of) English. B. I have heard heard much of the cherry blossom at Mukojima. Is it out yet? budding. T. Not yet. The trees are just in bud. two In a week or Iso they will be in) blossom. Then we will go to Mukojima to see them. III. ON THE WAY TO MUKOJIMA. (The Teacher and Tanaka are walking along the right bank of the Sumida towards Mukojima.) T. Yes; let's go into the Beer Garden. We must pay six sen (admission fee, gate money, and the gate-keeper will give us a ticket entitling us to a glass of beer (free of charge. (They take two tickets and enter.) B. (After drinking his glass of beer.) What first-rate beer! It's just like German lager-beer. Why don't you drink yours? (like beer. I'll take a glass T. I don't care for of lemonade. (To Waiter) bring me a bottle of lemonade. give Waiter! please (He drinks: Mr. B looks round the garden.) T. What do you think of the garden, sir? B. It's indeed beautiful: the finest Japanese garden I've seen as yet. T. Yes, it's very fine, though we have still many even more beautiful. It once belonged to a famous daimyo, named B. We must spend an afternoon here some in the near future. day soon. But let us go: I am anxious to see the boat races. IV. A REGATTA ON THE SUMIDA. T. What do you think of this avenue of cherry-trees? B. It's simply lovely. And how charming the little children look in their pretty dresses! T. Yes! Yes! They are so charming, the pretty little dears! B. What are those (slips of white strips tied to the branches and twigs? paper T. On each of them is written a little poem in praise of the cherry-blossom. Even the most ignorant peasant or labourer becomes a poet in the cherry-blossom season, and T. Do people write poems about the cherryblossom in England? B. Not the common people; but many poets have written about the beautiful cherry orchards in my native county. 7. What is your native county? B. It is Kent, in the south-east corner of England. But look, here they come! What a close race! Reds are winning! No! Blues are ahead! 7. Look! Whites have spurted and are passing the others. They are just at the winning post. They have passed it first. B. Yes, the judge has hoisted the white flag. Let's go to the starting post and see the start of the next race. V. A REGATTA ON THE SUMIDA. (Continued) T. Look, sir, the boats are leaving the boat-house, and taking up their positions at the starting post. B. What race is this? 7. It is the race for the school championship. B. Who are the present champions? T. Last year Whites won the championship, but this year Blues are (the) favourites. B. But who do you think will win? COX T. I think Reds will win, for my big brother Taro is stroke, and the very cool and clever. Icoxswain is B. Bang! goes the starter's pistol. Now they're off! What a good start! All got off together! 7. Ah! Whites have fouled Reds, and so are out of the race. ahead. Blues are two lengths |