The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-09-13
JAPANESE IN WASHINGTON.
Their Habits and Peculiarities--
Learning the English Language
Correspondence of the N. y. Post
WAsn1NnroN, sept. ., 1s7l.

WASHINGTON, Sept. Z, 1871.
: The one ripple upon the usually stag
pant surface OF Washington summer LII
il caused by the japanese. EYeryWher
we meet these languid. looking, almond
eyed Orientals; yet we do not become &c
customed to their presence, nor does oul
curiosity concerning them seem At all L
diminish, / was invited, few days ago
to meet two Of them at dinner, and, you
may be sure, aYaileG myself Of this oppor
tunity to gain fuller understanding o
their manners, ideas and style Of CONVEX
sation than can be gathered from meet
ing them on the street or In public places
These two are quite young; little more
than boys, They have sdppted the Amer.
lean style Of dress, and have had their hair
cut It is very black, coarse and stiff, and
stands erect, every hair asserting It's own
individuality. Ifany attempts at parting
1t are made, they are eminently unsuG-
cessful. le. /
Though there are so many OF them
here they do not attempt to keep together
but board singly, or in twos and thTees, in
private families where they must speak
English constantly. A lady In the family
where these two board has talked much
with them, and they have formed the
habit Of going to her with whatever diff.
culties they encounter in our language,
and now call her their "teacher." | said
to one OF them: HYou have good teach
err" "Ah haW said he "good teacher
and patting himself approVingly, good
boy" They acquire the language readi-
ly, aud most of their studies are prescott.
ed with the help of English books. In
speaking they use the personal pronoun
alter proper noun, as the French do.
Whether the structure Of the Japanese
language is in this particular the same as
the French, and this peculiarly Is only q
literal translation from their own Ian
guage, cannot tell. For instance, one
calling upon another inquiries; "Mr. Ia.
jana, Is he at homer Finding his friend
out, and desiring to leave book for him,
he says "Mr, Taiama, his book" As
this form Is used by them all, It seems
probable that 1t Is the result Of q peculiar
ity in the Japanese language. They are
quite enthusiastic about American ladies,
who, they say, are mice, much" They
cannot become accustomed to the idea Of
women being able to read and write.
This marvel, though constantly repeated,
seems ever fresh. "Mr. Tajama' Is going
extensively into the autograph business
among ladies. He keepsan album which
he carries with him whenever he Is like
ly 10 meet strangers, and presents 1t to
each lady of the company successfully,
with the remark "Mr. Tajama, his book
Write" This book he proposes TO carry
home for exhibition to his countrymen as
specimen of women's writes,
A family with whom two or three Of
them board describe their habits OF study.
They work hard for three or four hours In
the morning, spend the remainder of the
day out of doors, regardless Of weather,
and take up their studies again In the
evening, working late into the night
Their general reading Is good and some.
what extensive. History seems partiCu.
Iarly to interest them. The two whom
met were then engaged with Hallam's
Middle Ages" and Buckles History Of
Civilization" Besides a general educa.
lion, each one has o special subject of
study, usually some branch Of the civil
service. allotted to him, in which he is
expected as nearly as possible to peFfect
himself. They spend great deal Of time
in the public buildings, ask innumerable
questions, and exhibit q ready, intelligent
appreciation Of the spirit Of our institu.
lions. One Of the youngest among them,
a boy OF fourteen or fifteen, who has been
going to school in Washington. found
himself, carly in the summer, with a two
months vacation before him. Wishing to
keep up the practice of speaking En-.
ylish, and also, as he.sald, to under.
stand how the Americans do business,
he applied for place as cash-boy in a
Try goods store. "He Is worth a dozen
ordinary boys" said the proprietor; VI
wish | could keep him. He Is quiet and
steady, minds his business, and Is always
round when wanted" We asked If he
seemed bright about understanding bust.
ness matters. "Yes, bright as can be,
It's wonderful how he picks up things,
and you can't fool him about money"
The young gentleman walks up and down
The store with an, exceedingly dignifed
lir, which seems very much 70 impress
Inc other boys, who keep at respectful
distance. He has not been persuaded OF
he necessity or expediency Of sacrificing
his cue for the sake Of conformity 70
American fashions, and his thick, black
lalr--a genuine Japanese switch"-is
carefully braided and tucked inside his
They all exhibit the greatest
to speak OF their own country.
L questioned respecting It, they answer
IS briefly az possible, and Immediately
,h0nge the conversation.
ELIZABETH KnHAM