Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-06-14


The JAPANESE GIRLS AT WAsHINoToS.-I
was invited to the house of a friend the other
day to play croquet with three Of the Japan
ese girls who were sent to this country with
the japanese embassy to be educated, and
about whom so many newspaper paragraphs
have been written. They were introduced to
me on the lawn, and shook hands, bowed
and said, ''How are you?' in English, so
much like one of our own country-women,
that had it not been for their peculiar eyes
and their compilations, | could not have dis
covered any difference. Their ages are re-
spectively 10, II and Is years, and they ex-
| pect to stay here ten years before going
home. They are not princesses, as has been
repeatedly stated in the newspapers, but are
the daughters of the nobility Of Japan, and
of high rank, and are under the care of the
embassy, the chief of which, Mr.. Mori, had
to be summoned one day to make one of the
little girls behave. They were dressed like
our own girls Of the same age, and it is not
true, as has been stated, that they do not like
our costume and still wear their own. On
the contrary, they express great satisfaction
in it. 1t took them some time to understand
the mysterious complications Of our female
toilet. And at first they manifested ludic-
rous disposition to put things on wrong side
out and upside down, but now they can ar
ray themselves as elabOrately as a fashionable
finishing school demOisele Their faces are
quite pretty when not in repose, one, the
largest, in particular and their motions are
graceful in tho extreme They learn quick
ly, and are very studious. The young lady
who is their teacher says they never quarrel
E..A
tractable, and seem to fully appreciate DR..
Watts injunction that their "little hands
were never made to tear each others eyes,
setting very good example in department TO
our own young ladies'. They are very well
bred, and notice a want Of it in sJme people
here. One Of them, looking out Of the VIII
dow, saw little girl walking on stlts,
Boys walk on stills, said she, "nOt girls.
and she seemed very much shocked. The
vulgar American habit of staring is very dis
agreeable to them, and they dislike it when
people % merely out Of curiosity to see them.
They are very selfpossesscd in their manners
and impress strangers iavOrabiy by their lady
like ways and quick perception. The eldest
carries ON conversation in English very well,
always giving the surname last, however, IN
addressing young gentlemen. She thinks
there are great many Charles in this
country, and that we talk very fast. They
all think our language difficult, and their in
structrcss said it Is hard for them u under
stand words that sound alike. Of which there
are so many, such as birth, earth, fail, pail
etc. Ia japan the girls are always taught
at home, and learn only reading, writing.
music and some arithmetic. The dresses
they brought with them are Of very elegant
Canton crepe, richly embroidered, are very
narrow, and lined with silk. The sleeves
reach 70 the ll0r. and a wide sash Of bro
cade1 silk about four yards long extends a.
round the waist and is lo0ped at the back.
The stockings are made with separate
place for the great toe, after the style of oar
mi,tens, and the iastenings Of their shoes %
between the great toe and the Others. They
wear 10 head covering in Japan. except u
to carry parasol when they % ont They
think We keep our houses very warm, and
'me no cold. me warm, is their invariablc
reply when questioned on the subject The
family with whom tLey are staying have be
come quite attached u them and better
place could hardly have been selected a they
are cultivated people, who endeayor 10 give
them as favorable Impressions Of the country as
may he and are clnsIderate Of their feel
ing- And in turn the japanese girls seem
to respond to the good feeling extended to
them, and make quite pe; Of Miss Helen
Of whom they say " Helen pretty much To
that Young lady's amusement and satislac-
tion. no doubt They appear to have left
their religion behind them, a. they brought
no idols and DO not pray to any god. As
nation the japanese hate the Catholics a.
the Jesuits nj one time tried to overthrow
their government. They played croque; very
we'll, and entered into the game with spirit.
After dark We went into the parlors and saw
them play "parchecsi. Of which they are very
fond. having learned it in one evening
Litter % Ner Y0ri Times.