The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1873-10-08
yAfATEsE HoysEKEErIse 7

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1 It must be difficult for most Europeans and
Americans to realize that a nation like the
Japanese have lived fer centuries, fulfilling all
the functions Of life honorably, without ever
having known the use of bed, chair or a
table, as we understand these articles and
yet, these people have all the virtues of civil
lization and perhaps not quite all its vices,
They are polite, generous, hospitable, per-
form their religious duties with exemplary pi-l
ETY., and if cleanliness be next to godlness,
they are much more godly than we are, for
they are the cleanest people on the earth, ac-
cording to the general testimony of travellers.
We have certainly much to learn before our
houses can be as immediately neat as theirs
are. 1t is our universal custom to walk upon
our richest carpets with the same feet-covcr-
ing that has served us in the filthiest streets.
Nothing could well be more repugnant to the
sense of proprety of Japanese housekeeper
than this and, despite the fact that it pre-
walls all over Western civilization, it is truly
a barbarous custom. Shoes or boots that have
served us in the streets are att least dusty in
dry weather, and unfit for contact with car
pets which are as clean as they should always,
be and in. muddy. weather they, cannot be
sufficiently clean by any amount of scraping
and rubbing upon rags. Still, 1t is difficult
to see how we can adopt the nice habit Of don
ming slippers when we enter the house, unless
we discard our custom of wearing boots with
elaborate fastenngs. ia aasassw ssn,
Japanese housekeeping is reduced to the
minimum of care and labor. There is not in
the wholecountry an upholsterer, or, atleast,
there was not a few years ago, and a young
couple who wish to marry and set up house
keeping need not delay on accounted the ex-
pense of the outfit. A Philadelphia gentle
man, living in Japan, sums it up this way
!" \ few mats, a chest Of drawers for cloth.
ing, two or three quilts for d bed on the floor,
some simple Kitchen utensils and the house
is furnished" OF course we must make due
allowance for the fact that this is mans in
ventory a woman would probably discover
many things that would escape masculine
eyes. "Why," the gentleman continues,
should we litter these neatly-matted rooms !?
Why cover with paint and gliding virgin wood
of faultless grain, or mar the sweet simplicity
and airy roominess of Japanese chambers by
loading them with unnecessary Injuries p"
Why, indeed, now that housekeeping has be-
come such a burden to women, and good SER
wants are thing Of the past ? We certainly
might dispense with much that but gives us
care and trouble for compensation that is
totally inadequate. The Japanese, when
they get ready to go to bed, bring from side
closets their bedding which is simply what
we would designate towering" This they
place upon one of their soft mats, three or
four inches thick, and, removing every vesti-
age of clothing, put on long loose gown
Sheets they have no need for, and for pillows
they have bar of wood, six inches high and
one wide. On the top is narrow cushion,
covered with paper, which is removed every
day in all well-regulated households, Travel
ers wonder much as to the origin of this anoms
alous pillow. 1t seems that it arose as q con-
sequence of the lofty and elaborate couture of
the ladies' which is too arduous work of art
to be renewed every day. t3e ''57 s5f H@
The dinner of ceremony in Japanis a very
extensive affair !; but nothing could be SIM
pier than the ordinary repast in the hotels,
for example A little toy-table, four inches
high is placed before the guest, on witch are
four covered bowls containing the article of
food. One OF these is always rice in some
form, another soup, another fish cooked with
soy. This you eat sitting on the clean
and soft mats, a subdued light falling on you
through elegant paper screens on one side,
and on the other, the latticcd sliding partitions
being withdrawn, you look into a large open
court, spanned by an arched bridge. In this
court is garden, an avariy, pond filled with
goldfish and marine plants and the bridge is
frequently decorated with splendid lilies and
other flowers in pots The whole atmosphere
of the Japanese house suggests airiness, utter
cleanliness, and comfort also, when you once
have learned to do without chairs but how
long the'ancient customs and the simple ease
with which the middle classes live, will resist
the incoming wave of Western civilization, it
is difficult to say. Already the common ques-
ton that greets the traveller on arriving at an
hoteii is, if he will be served in the Western or
in the Japanese style. The young men have
mostly adopted our method of cutting the
hair, and are gravtating toward standing col
lars and Congress boots, while the crinolne
that our ladies have just discarded may pos
sibly find favor in the eyes of theirs.-App1c-
TOMS Journal. "f'
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Do HORSES REASON p-For many years