Page:Scented isles and coral gardens- Torres Straits, German New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies, by C.D. Mackellar, 1912.pdf/410

38 of naval men of all nations, and it was curious to come across here and there familiar names which brought back old memories. There was the Grand Duke Alexander Michaelovitch of Russia, with Prince Nicholas Poutiatine and other officers and old friends of the Russian corvette Rhynda— like a little friendly greeting looking out of those pages. There was the Prince of Wales [late King Edward] and two sons, Prince Edward and Prince George [King George V.], and far too many other names to mention. [During the Russo-Japanese war this little tea-house girl was able to give much information concerning the numerous Russian officers she had known.

I could not comfortably manage sitting on the floor, much to her amusement. She trotted out of the room and returned with a little stool with a cushion on top of it, so I thanked her, took from it her, and sat down on it, whereupon she and the two officers simply rolled about with laughter, the cause of which I could not guess; but feeling myself getting hotter and hotter, and smoke arising on either side, I suddenly discovered my seat was the little charcoal stove for tea, the teapot being meant to rest on the cushion on top!

As we sprawled on the ground this young person came and sat on me, and, like a child, began" examining my scarf-pin, etc. At last she said," Oh, you are married!"

" How do you know? "

"Because you are so quiet!"

Here was a revelation. Ladies may be consoled to think that when their husbands visit tea-houses in Japan they are nice and quiet. Because I was quiet she was sure I was married. When I informed her I was still a lone, lorn bachelor, she was undisturbed, and said she liked