Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-12-24

ly to the bottom of the skirt; the
sleeves are long and of the style call
ed flowing; in fact, they arc very
flowing, but their construction is pc
culiar. Should ideas fail our home
dress-makers, we might send them a
pattern of these sleeves, which COM
bine the convenience of a pocket with
the very necessary appendage Of a
sleeve, for the opening at the hand is
not all an "opening," after all. If
You will look closely you will see that
the sleeve is partially sewed up. In
the pocket thus formed the japanese
carry all sorts Of articles that they
may wish about them. These recep-
tacles are certainly roomy enough for
all practical purposes. But this wo-
mans hair is marvel, or rather, the
way in which it is dressed; no pen
portrait conld do justice to it. She
smiles pleasantly, but in doing so
displays row of jet black teeth. Is
it not shame that these japanese
women, as soon as they are married,
cover their beautiful, even, white
teeth (they have particularly fine
teeth with a preparation that turns
them to ebony? However, the law
which once compelled this course is
now repealed, and no one need do it
unless they wish.
But our woman has brought us
each a tiny cup of clear, strong tea,
and tray filled with Japanese candy
or sweetmeats. We drink the tea,
and being old maids enjoy it; but the
candies-well, the least that is
said about them the better. She re-
ceives thankfully the money we offer,
and then retires to her tea house,
but these tea houses are worthy Of
special and studious attention, which
we have not now time to give them,
for we must leave this beautiful view
and rejoin some of our friends whom
we left in the valley below, and who
must be growing impatient for our
return. We are down again, seated
in our jinrikishas, and winding around
the narrow, irregular streets of the
village, which we just viewed from
hilltop. Queer houses these, with
sliding walls of paper, which will
move backward and forward as you
push them; indeed, the people seem
to be living outdoors, for these walls
or sides are all showed back, and the
whole interior Of the dwelling is Wis
ible to curious eyes. How scrupu-
lously neat and clean every place
seems to be, and no house so small
and poor but near it grows clumps Of
lovely flowers. But how these peo-
pie can stare, what wandering excla-
nations they utter, and how amazed
and amused they are at our singular
attire! Well, why shouldn't they be?
Wiser heads than theirs have been
puzzled, and then amused at the fash
ion of an American woman's dress.
With one last, lingering look at the
peaceful bay, we ] ave the low, sandy
beach, ascend hill, then down again
and we are in sort of a closed dell,
the bills and tall trees shutting us in.
How still it is! See that one lone
house! Its occupants must taste the
sweets of solitude-we were about to
say with vengeance-but the phase
is not elegant, so we forbear.
Out again, now into broad plain,
with rice and cotton fields on both
sides of our way. We meet men
carrying different loads of different
kinds; large stick is balanced on
the shoulder, and at each end of this
is basket, bucket or box, and in this
manner they carry around immense
weights. But see, the shadows are
lengthening. The air is heavy with
dew, the west is glowing with deep,
brilliant scarlet, mingled with gold;
the soft azure of the sky darkens into
purple; the night comes Oh apace, we
must hasten homeward. SO we say
'hayaqu" to our jinrikisha men, or
rather some one says it, for we have not
succeeded since yesterday morning
in attaining great tluency in this Ian
guage; but the 'hayaqu" is said, and
we move rapidly along through the
streets Of the city, which we have
again reached. Up the hill again,
and we are at our door; tired, but
content, tor we have hung some rare
pictures in memory's gallery to-day;
pictures whose serene beauty shall
flash out upon us in dark days yet to
come, and silently, but none the less
powerfully, speak to us of the "Love
that falleth never" and quiet all our
fears with the assurance that the God
who created all this loveliness is our
Father, and we His children.
Yeddo, Japan, Dec. ls, IA.