tries, a representative of
neither.

Zura's conversation was mainly of her amusements and diversions.

"But how did you manage so many pleasures while you were attending
school?" I inquired.

"School?" she echoed. "Oh! that never bothered me. I had a system at
school; it worked fine. The days I felt like going, I crammed hard and
broke the average record. I also accumulated a beautiful headache. This
earned me a holiday and an excursion for my health."

It was hard for me to understand a girl who deliberately planned to miss
school, but I was taking a whole course in one afternoon. Carefully I
approached the object of my visit. "Well, of course you desire to
further pursue your studies in English, even though your home is to be
in Japan. I came this afternoon to ask--do you not think it would be
pleasant if you came to my house every day for a little study--just to
keep in practice?"

The girl's lips framed a red circle as she drew out a long "Oh-h-h! I
see! The mighty honorable Boss has been laying plans, has he? Well, I
think it would be perfectly grand--N-I-T--which in plain American spells
'I will not do it.'"

Imagine a young girl telling one of her elders right to her face, she
would not do it. I never heard of such a thing. For a moment I was torn
between a desire to administer a stern reproof and leave her, and a
great yearning to stand by and with love and sympathy to try to soften
the only fate which could be in store for such as she.

We took each other's measure and she, pretty and saucy as a gay young
robin, went on fearlessly:

"I'm an American to the backbone; I'm not going to be Japanese, or any
kin to them. As long as I have to stay I'm going to pursue the heavenly
scenery around here and put it on paper. Between pictures I'm going to
have a good time--all I want to. Thank you for your invitation, but I
have other engagements."

A wilful girl in a Japanese home! My disapproval fled. Soon enough life
would administer reproof and stretch out a rough hand to stay her
eagerness. I need add nothing.

A little depressed at losing her as a pupil and knowing that her
defiance could only bring sorrow, I asked her gently, "Do you love good
times?"

"Do I? Well, just wait till I get started. See if the slant eyes of the
inhabitants will not have another angle before I get through. They need
a few lessons on the rights of girls."

Neither Zura's home nor her parents seemed to have any part in her li