The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-11-19


count, direct refusal.
In conclusion, beg to request that
you will express yourself to the Govern
ment to which you are accredited, in ac-
cordnnce with the contents of this de-
spatch. to the reading of which to the
Minister Of State for Foreign Affairs you
are duly empowered Accept, &C.,
BISMARCK.
To his Excellepcy --, Minister Of
the North German Confederation at the
Court of -.
SCENES IN JApAN.-A street called the
Tokedia, is the Broadway of Yeddo. 1t
is twenty miles long, and very much
crowded. But there is vast difference
in the appearance of the two thorough
fares. There are no vehicles in Japan,
and the pavemeuts extend from one side
of the street to the other. No provision is
made for the passage of carriages.
omnibusses or wagons, for there ar none
in existence, and persons on foot take
possession of the whole highway. The
entire metropolis is built of wood, and
one dwelling Is a representation of all.
Japanese house at the first glance
resembles childs toy house on large
scale. The floor il raised about two feet
porch in front, resting upon the bare
ground. After entering the porch, you
step up into the house, always leaving
your shoes behind you. It is considered
II very great breach Of propriety to enter
q dwelling without removing ones boots.
As they wear only sandals, covered with
q leathern thong. which they san shuttle
on or off in an instant, this custom is of
but little moment to the natives, but
foreigners find it very troublesome one.
The porch answers for depository for
shoes, and, in passing the house, the
number of visitors may be known by
counting the number of pairs of sandals
on the porch.
When the walls Of house are up, it
consists OF but one large room, which is
then cut by partitions, which are no.
thing more than sliding screens that
close up into each other in fashion
that admits of one apartment being
divided into a dozen ones instantly.
There are no chimneys attached to the
houses, and they contain no beds, chairs
or tables. The floors nre covered with a
series of clean bamboo mats or cushions,
each six feet by three, and nicely bonnd
with red or blue tape. They arc stuffed
with light wool or moss, and are rs soft
and yielding to pressure ns the heaviest
Brussels.
These mats fit in with each other as
regular as the squares on chess board,
and the whole floor is kept as clean and
is busted rs often ns the mahogany side
board in the house of Dutch burgher.
No speck Of dirt is ever allowed to rest
upon the polished surface of the mating,
and TO step upon it with n pair of boots
would be greater insult than to make
a foot-stool of $500 piano. The family
sit upon the mating ull day, with their
legs bent under them, in II shape that
would give any foreigner incurable
paralysis in fifteen minutes, and they
sleep upon il at night. A Japanese pill
low is curiosity in it's way. 1t is
nothing but rocker Of II cradle, broad
enough to stand alone, with semi -circu-
lar depression off the upper side. The
Japanese lie full length on the floor,
place not their head but their neck in
the crescent shaped hollow on the upper
side Of the pillow, and rock themselves
to sleep in few minutes.
GENTREL PoLrrrcAL PHRASES. Chi
cngo paper. referring to the "Another
Lie Nailed" catch phrase at about eleo-