154 ALL ABOARD FOR SUNRISE LANDS.

A forward scholar is pulling by the tail a four-legged visitor.—In
Japan, a cat with a tail is considered a curiosity.— This amusement —
provokes a good deal of attention and also attracts the master’s
stout ruler. In an old-time school they would learn the Japanese
signs, and after a while would, with a brush and Chinese ink,
make words, finally trying their hand at sentences. Some idea of
drawing was acquired. The boys were taught to write Chinese
characters, and knew something of the Chinese classics. Among
other things, girls were required to be able to say a verse from
each one of a hundred poets. Nowadays, the children are perched on
benches before desks, and you will see them using slate and pencil,
and you may find some American school-books on geography and
other branches. The teacher chalks away at a blackboard; maps
hang on the walls, and modern ideas are fast establishing them-
selves. It was told me that there are between. five and six millions
in Japan of a school-age; and that one-half of these, probably, are
in school. Among the teachers there are many ladies at work. At
one time, I know, they numbered eight hundred, and probably there
are more now.”

“ That will fix woman’s position in Japan,” said Uncle Nat. “She
has been an inferior being here, kept under by the masculine will;
but where the teachers of a nation are mostly women, woman will
have her deserts, sooner or later.”

“Woman’s Rights!” whispered the doctor to the boys.

“Call it what you please,’ replied Uncle Nat, reddening good-
naturedly over a favorite subject. “It is only the fair thing for
woman that I demand; ‘equal rights,’ and nothing more.”

“That’s so,” said Rick, who was a very aged champion of the fair
sex. “Qh doctor, didn’t I hear you say that some of the scholars wore
swords to school once?”