IN JAPAN.

The fourth pet is Sono; she wonders if you were ever
carried on your brother’s back? In Japan, you might see a
boy coming towards you on the street and think he surely
had two heads! But as he passed you would see he was
taking his younger brother or sister for a walk ; or, perhaps
was playing with a baby tied to his back!

You would admire the splendid kites which are almost
always to be seen flying in the air, with wonderful shapes
and faces. Men make the kites and fly them with the
boys. And what is just as delightful, the women play with
dolls! They make clothes for them, and carry them out
on the streets, just as you little girls do in our parks.

Everybody in Japan has flowers and umbrellas.

They spend most of their time out of doors: they do
not teach the children very much; they play about almost
as idly as kittens, and are good-natured and gentle.

They have black hair, bright eyes and clear yellow skin.

You would not change your blue-eyed baby for Kiku’s
little sister!) And she would not have such an ugly black
umbrella as your mamma’s !

The umbrellas in Sono’s house are of bright colors, with
flowers and pictures on them. On the mantel are lovely
snakes and toads, in bronze and china, and over the doors
are horrid big heads with great round eyes and grinning
mouths and long red tongues.

You would want to run away from the sight?

But you would laugh at it if you had grown where these
Jap babies grew, in Japan. :

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