Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-11-19
A Japanese WoOing.

place, Japanese ike, ne sent Irlend TO
lind out "if / should be very much
troubled if he should take wife" /
expressed myself as to that in language
agreeable to the Bible. human nature,
and the laws of Iowa. The next inquiry
was, would advance a months wages
for the go-between fee and other Incl
dentals. This was rather serious, con-
sidering that he receives the sum of
$3.50 per calendar month and boards
himself ] must consider awhile. and in
the meantime suggested to "the friend"
that he advise the Keji to wait til, the LIST
of November, by which time he could
save enough money, if he were careful,
to have genuine feast, and then he
would have wages for living expenses,
etc. Pretty soon Mr.. Keji himself APP
peared. the friend having to his mind
proved q failure, and then and there
pleaded his own cause. The case had
gone too far, he said, and he had made
such compact and solid covenant that
without great shame 10 himself he could
not break it, and would not / advance
him the money, and SO prevent his shame
and disgrace, and complete his joy?"
1t was hard to resist, but / thought it
not best to advance money just then, and
hence said that, as my wife was out, and
as should like to consult her about it
first. wished he would wait till her re-
turn for knowledge of what | would do.
Pretty soon a Japanese lady presented
herself-a gentleman came the first time
and at once proceeded to endeavor to
interest me in the immediate marriage
of the aforenamed Keji. She thought
that if he were married he wouldn't be
running off to town, and on the contrary
would be very faithful servant. She
said that Keji, having seen the lady he
was negotiating for, was intensely de-
sirous to consummate the union. And
this is the way of it:
Keii is poor, in that he has no reserve
fund, hence must do this thing in small,
quiet way. Wishing wife he learned
that friend knew of lady of eighteen
summers counting as the japanese count
age, but only seventeen as we count it,.
The friend presented the attractions of
the lady so beautifully as to quite carry
away Mr.. K. and cause him to long for
her sweet presence. "Will you do the
business for me?" was the next thing in
order. To this the response was favor
able, and SO very soon the mediator
found his way to the home of the young
lady and the ear of her parents. THE
presence and ear of the young lady con-
cerned are considered of no Importance
in Japan.
In due time the bargain was closed
Just what it is in his case | do not know /;
but the advance money wanted indicates
fees of some sort to parents and mediator
or go-between. The bargain or covenant
is all made and needs only little money
to seal it for aye. If / give it to him this
oua "a will mn 10 hDG
soon. Then tomorrow night the media
tor with Government officer, a sort of
Registrar, will proceed to the house of
the BRIDE. The contract of the parents
will be recorded with their names, etc.,
then about nine o'clock p. m. the media
tor, the officer, the parent and the bride
will wend their way to Mr.. Keji's room,
which is in our premises. He anxiously
waiting will at their summons hasten to
welcome them in most self-humbling and
elaborate terms and with overwhelming
bows and prostrations, all of which will
be returned in kind by the bridal party.
After some preliminaries (Which | shall
learn if | am invited to the wedding,
as j hope TO be-, the officer will
record the fact of the bringing
of the bride to Mr.. Keji's house,
together with the names of
those present as parties of the contract,
the date and hour, etc. After this there
will be as elaborate supper as Mr.. X.
can possibly provide, together with as
little Tor much) of the best saki the coun-
try can distill. Disposing of the supper
and much tobacco, the go-between, the
officer, and the parents and relatives,
probably, will return to their homes and
leave Mr.. and Mrs. Keji to come together
alone, and this will be all the more neces-
sary from the fact that they haven't ex-
changed word as yet, and from the fact
that she does not know him from Adam,
except by his age.
1t is strange way of wooing, and a
sad one too, and / hope we shall be able
to teach them better things as the years
60 by. A good spell of counting isn't a
bad thing for two people who are to live
together for life. May the Japs live to
know show good and pleasant it Isl"
Having written the preceding, | laid
down my pen for the night Resuming
it this morning, / am under the necessity
of recording the fact that the course Of
true love does not run any smoother in
Japan than it does in America. Last
evening advanced Mr.. KS wages to the
end ofthe present month only; but the bal
ance OF the sum needed was forthcoming
from the lady mentioned yesterday
Early this morning met the same lady,
who informed me that her services had
been required at the house of the bride
that is to be; and that the consultation
did not cease until three O'Clock this
morning; and that even then the cove
nant was not sealed by the presentation
of the money. She hopes, however, that
tonight, the conference beginning at
eight o'clock, all difficulties will be re-
moved, and that the bride will be forth
coming tomorrow night
The occasion of the need of that worthy
Japanese lady's services, and the delay
Of the wedding, is this: Another fellow
had his eye on that same girl, and was in
tending to negotiate for her himself,
without consulting her wishes, however,
in the least. He heard of Mr.. KS adj
vances, and FASTENED into the presence
of the family to forestall his rival Ex-
pressing his solicitude for the welfare
and happiness of the whole family, and
his especial anxiety in the present aspect
OF affairs relative to the daughter, and be-
cause of that solicitude and especial anx-
iety having been induced to make rigid