The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-10-07

wants. and live, not az japanese, but as
Americans or EngIisbmen would anywhere
abroad except, perhaps, in the wilds OF
Africa. Our bouses are furnished as they
are at home, our food Is the same, and, far
from sleeping on the floor (unless we hap
pen to be at some tea-bouse In the country,
our beds are as comfortable here as they
are In any other part OF the world. Two
bachelors. living together on the Bluff, can
rent their own bungalow. keep house and
have stable OF three ponies between them
at $3.50, or Sl15 apiece per month. and as It
may interest many to know how this can be
done give below list of the expenses in
Cured: House rent, $40; two boys, 20 yen !;
cook. 10 yen; wasberman, 10 yen; coolle.
yen; mom6au, yen ; two bettoes, 80 yen !;
living, wines, &c. $40.
The money used for the current payments
| to natives is the paper yen, or, us they are
collectively called. satzu, and the value OF
yen Is about eighty " Mexican-dollar cents"
discount Of 20 per cent. being fair aver
aye rate. A house or bungalow such as
bachelors would require is, as q rule, a one.
story building, built OF tiles and plaster on
framework OF wood, with tiled roof, and
averages i've rooms-tbree bedrooms,
drawing-room, and q dining-room. The
servants quarters and kitchen are in
small, separate building. in the rear of the
dwelipg-house, and back Of this again are
the stables and betfosS' room. Though at
first the house-rent might strike one as ra-
ther high, when the grounds and stabling
are taken into consideration the price is not
a heavy one. Many may think that for two
bachelors who do not profess to live other
than comfortably nine servants are too
large an allowance. This, however, is not
the case, as the wages are low and each man
has his duties to perform, and must look
properly after what be has to do, in what
ever part OF the house or grounds his work
may happen to lie.
"BOYs" IN JAPAN.
Every American and European man in
Japan has what Is called "boy." These
boys" may be Of any age. from fifteen to
fifty, but are never known by any other
name, and though, - rule, they speak
English. in many cases the master prefers
that japanese should be the medium OF
communication between himself and bis
servant. A "boy's" duties are heteroge-
neous. They are at once our Wallets, our
buffers, our chambermaids, and our seam
stresses. Tbey arrange our clothes and put
buttons on our shirts. They wait upon the
table and look after The wine Though in the
last capacity they require to be closely
watched), and when the nature OF the
work is not beyond them and calls for
the skill OF the tailor, they mend or
sew buttons on wbsteyer clothes may
need their attention. Added TO this
they run errands, and see that our linen is
properly washed and correc ly returned.
The duties Of cook it will, OF course, be
unnecessary TO enter upon, though we may
M nj 10 hot no oG a pliI a M Eat
ing so far as the vegetables, fowl, fish, fruit,
&C., are concerned, and renders a monthly
account Of his expenditures. Through him
the system OF "squeezing" is introduced
into househoid--that is 10 say, be slightly
overcharges on the total amount OF his bill,
and the percentage thus made goes into bis
own pocket as reward, besides bis wages,
for the troubles which be has taken. This
squeezing" is recognized fact, and all
the servants in q house take advantage OF any
money that may be paid them for purchase
for their masters to deduct small commits
sion for themselves, aud in many cases they
consider one bali cent or cent ample
plunder. A coOlie, as is well known, is one
OF the lowest class OF Japanese, and does
the menia work OF the house, such as
sweeping out the rooms. washing plates
and dishes, and going on messages, when
necessary, for the cook. A TlOnsbdu is what
at home would be called lodgekeeper. He
is generally married, and lives with his
wife in a little house OF one room about six
feet square by the entrance to the place. 1t
is his duty to keep strangers from entering
the grounds and TO open the gate for his
masters or their visitors. He must look az
ter the dogs II there are any on the place,
and call jinritiShas whenever they may be
required.
MEANS OF L0C0NOTI0N.
AsI have mentioned jinritiShaS. it may
not be amiss 10 describe mere the vehicles so
called, rs they are ia CONSTANT use ana the
chief mode Of conveyance employed by
foreigners and natives. They are little two
wheeled wagons, and are built with tops to
keep of the sun and rain, and are OF much
the same shape as the old-fasbioued " doc
tors gig" As the word jinrikiSha (Which
means one-man-power wagon implies, they
are drawn by from one TO three native COO
lies, the number OF men employed being
regulated by the distance to be covered or
the time in which the journey must oe
made. Many OF the coolies were once So
mural, or two-sworded men, and reiainers
OF the powerful ddimi0S, or lords OF Japan
but since the Government edict forbidding
men to carry swords, and owing to the po-
yerty Of the daimios, which prevented their
keeping up the retiuues they were once able
to sustain, these men have been obliged to
make their living as best they could. Their
former brawing habits UNIT them for any
kind OF steady work, ani they take to the
jinrikiShd as a means OF subsistence. This,
OF course, is not true OF all JinrilctShd
coolies, for the majority have been brought
I'D TO the work, but | mention the fact as an
instance OF the degenerating tendency OF
the present Japanese Government. The
japanese, beyond doubt. are getting civil
lied very quickly, but are progressing too
rapidly, and are attempting 10 follow the
manners and customs OF European nations
before they thoroughly understand them.
During their short lives-for nearly all die
young Of pulmonary or heart diseases con.
tracted by the peculiar nature OF the bard
work they have 10 perform-the coolies
acquire wonderfully perfect symme-
try aud hardness OF muscle. Their pay
is what at home would be called "next to
nothing" the regular fare, arranged by law,
being twenty sen Tor about fifteen cents per
hour for one man, though naturally when
long distances have to be travelled, aud the
men are taken from their regular traffic in
the settlement, higher rates must be paid.
Some people keep private jinrikishds to 60
streets Of the settlement. and the average
wages paid are about $3.50 month. The
bettoeS are the horse-boys, or grooms, and
have, as a rule, but one horse apiece to look
after, for which they receive wages OF thir-
teen yen, or S10.50, and out OF this amount,
small as it seems, they must not only pro-