This is very sad, and causes the rickshaw-boy to be looked upon as a
tradesman; he is not allowed the honour of being regarded as a servant and
the member of an honourable profession--one who puts his master's interests
before his own. But, as a rule, the foreigner who employs the same
rickshaw-boy comes to look upon him as a guide, philosopher, and friend. He
will tell you where to go and what to do; he knows all the sights, and can
tell you all about them. If you go shopping, he will come in and see that
you don't get cheated any more than you are bound to be. If you go on an
expedition, he will find out the best tea-house to stay at, he will cook
for you, wait on you, brush your clothes, put up the paper screens to form
your bedroom, take them down again, see that the bill is reasonable, pay
it, and fee the servants--in short, he will manage everything, and you have
only to admire what you have gone to see.
Wherever you stop on a jaunt, whether it is some famous temple or some
lovely park, there is sure to be a coolie's tea-house handy, and he takes
the opportunity of refreshing himself. He dives into the well under the
seat and fetches out his lacquer box full of rice. He whips the rice into
his mouth with chopsticks, and washes it down with the yellow, bitter
Japanese tea. Then he sits and smokes his tiny pipe until you are ready to
go on.
CHAPTER XVIII
IN THE COUNTRY
The Japanese farmer is one of the steadiest workers in the world; he tills
his patch of land, day in, day out, with untiring industry.
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