Commodore Perry's Minstrel Show by Richard Wiley Read Free Book Online Page A

put it in the box’s empty corner its solid calmness seemed to settle the remaining candies down.
    Tsune closed the box and turned it in the air, letting everyone see how well the thumbprint realigned. She placed it on her lap, sliding half of it under the folds of her kimono.
    They all stood then, as if the morning had suddenly grown too cold. The women left the room first, hopelessly followed by Manjiro. When Keiko stooped to pick up the baby, Masako said it was her turn and began pulling on his arms.
    â€œStop that,” said their grandfather. “Here, I will carry the little boy.”
    Argument often invaded the household when it came to other things, but when their grandfather spoke both girls still knew enough to obey.
    It was only then, after all this time, that Junichiro opened his mouth again. He had been sucking on the chocolate acorn, and, despite what the others thought, enjoying it well. He smiled at his grandfather and his grandfather swung him high, letting another line of thick brown drool come out of his mouth, to swing through the otherwise empty air like a vine.

5 .
Approach of the Outside World
    THE RECENTLY COMPLETED TREATY house sat on a gentle rise of land, at Kanagawa, a quarter of a mile back from the waters edge. It was a simple structure, closed on three sides but open where it faced the sea. Six thick beams supported its roof along the front, yet it had within it only a single large room with a single low table at its center. Unlike the banquet table on the American flagship, this one was not surrounded by chairs, but the walls were hung with scrolls, bold black ink on long white paper, poetry and slogans about casting the barbarians out.
    In order to find a good spot Einosuke had insisted that his family, minus his father but including his brother and sister-in-law, arrive earlier than anyone. The interests of most of the Shogun’s other guests were elsewhere, however, on the less formal aspects of the American arrival, and the girls were irritated to have to stand for so long. Over the last few hours sailors from the fleet’s cargo ships had come ashore to lay a mile of circular railroad track, and now, while people hurried over to watch the arrival of an actual one-quarter-scale railroad train, all the family could do was stand on tiptoe. It was ridiculous and Masako fumed, angry with her father and trying to pull away. Manjiro saw what was happening and offered to take her closer. “Come, my beautiful nieces,” he said. “Only comport yourselves well. That strange American beast eats children, I am told.”
    Masako held her uncle’s sleeve but Keiko moved only enough to place herself closer to her Aunt Tsune. She disdained being thought of as a child, even by her favorite uncle, and in any case did not want to appear to be rushing anywhere. The kimono she wore, of yellow silk with white cranes upon it, was too formal for speed, and made to be slowly admired.
    But in another moment it became apparent that they had missed their chance to get very near the train, so Manjiro briefly lifted Masako high. She could see a silver engine and a black coal car, a caboose and eight passenger carriages which, rumor had it, they would actually be allowed to ride upon later in the day. The engine, winking at her in the morning sun, had a steam whistle whose shrill voice horrified her and made her ask her uncle to put her back down.
    Because Commodore Perry had not yet arrived, the official Japanese contingent had not appeared yet either, but Einosuke nevertheless earnestly searched the crowd, hoping to find his father near the great Lord Abe, so he could point out both men to the girls. When the steam whistle blew again, however, in three measured notes accompanied by three puffs of pure white smoke, the strangely unbrassy sound of military music came to them from the far side of a stand of scrub pine. All could hear the music from wherever they stood, but no one could