New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-02

and all in the same room. Small trays OF food
pipes and tobacco are always placed within reach
and the sound of ashes being knocked out OF INC
pine is one of the ordinary nOiBes of japanese
night. In cold weather charcoal is kept burning IN
a sort of brazier in the unventlated room; meas
and creeping things swarm in myriads OF which We
can hardly form conception; and in summer the
pest of mosquitoes is almost unendurable Aithougn
the people are fond of gentle Spashing OF water
which they call BATH they are very dirty IN theIr
persons: they are nnacduainted with soap, ana
great sufferers from skin diseases anu other all
Inents which proceed from uncIean bodies and a
vitated atmosphere. They wear no underclothing,
and among the poorer classes garments and bed
ding are rarely washed. The customary dress OF
the better sort Of people consists of the kmoao or
sort of scant gown with enormous sleeves ana
broad girde. and the hasri p loose upper garment
OF the same make as the 4tneF e only to s ebef er
ence being in the size of the grille and the ar
rangement of the hair. Some OF the younger men,
however now wear drawn oyer tne " ortcio iu Of
apparel formerly reserved for the sdmuTd', or
"two-sw orded men," the retainers ut the ddmso
under the old regime. The laborlng classes 10
summer wear no more garments than arc absolutely
required by the modern law OF the Empire against
nakedness. and sometimes not even 80 much'
Coolies often content themselves with lOln-
CLOTH women with short and narrow petticoat
OF pair of cotton drawers leaving all the upper
part of the body exposed. Children dress exactly
like adults, and the grotesquo appearance thuS
impaired to them is heightened by their precoclous
gravity and decOrum. ~
| am very fond of Japanese children nave
never vet heard baby cry, and have never seen
q child troublesome or dsObedien5. Flllal plety Is
the leading virtue IN Japan, and Understanding
obedience Is the habit Of centuries Inc arts n
children into unwilling obedience appear unknown
1 admire the way in which children are taught 10
be independent in their amusementS. Part OF tine
obi IN learning
different games which are absolute ana when
there is y doubt, instead OF quarrelsome slSpSh-
the matter. They play by themselves. ana d0nG
bother adults at every turn. | usually carry
swecties with me. aud give them to the children,
but not one has ever received them without hrst
Obtaining permission from the fatho" or mother
When that is gained, they smile and bow pro,
fomndly, and hand the sweeties to those present
before eating any themselves. They arc gentle
creatures, but too formal AMI precoclOuS
Marriages are usually negotiated by the friends
of the two parties. the bride receiving trousseau
bnt no dowry. Miss Bird was invited to the we'd
ding of the niece of the innkceper ut kubota, and
the wife of this man provided her with japanese
costume for tho occasion:
From her lmitless stores of apparel she chose
what she considered suitable dress Tor mean
of sage-0rcen silk crepe kbiop0 OF
SOFT green. striped silk of a darker shade, with
fold Of white crepe, spaDged with gold at The nec&,
and a girtlle of sage-grrcn corded silk, with the
family badge here and there upon it IN gold |
went with tho house master Ito. to his disgust not
being invited, and his absence was like the loss OF
one of my senses rs could not &c any eApiaha-
tions till afterwards.
The ceremony did not correspond with the rules
laid down for marriages in tho books OF etlqnctte
that have seen. but this is accounted Tor 10y the
fact that they were persons Of the sdmurdi class.
while this bride and bridegroom though tho chllu-
rem Of wel.tO-do merchants. belong to the beimin.
The tr0Wsseru and furniture were conveyed to the
bridegrooms house in the early morning, AMI was
allowed to 20 t. see them, Thele were several
gires of silk embroidered with gold, several pieces
of brocaded silk for kOHOs. seVeral pieces OF eiik
creme a large number OF made-up garments. piece
of white silk six barrels OF wine OF sake AMI seven
sorts of condmr hts. Jewelry is not worn by women
in Japan. -,
The furniture consisted of two wooden pillows,
finely lacquered one of them containing drawer
for ornamental har-pins, some cotton iat0ns, TWO
very handsome silk ones. few silk cushions, lac
Qucr wOrkhoX. n splnning-wheel, lacquer rice
bucket and ladlc, two ornamental IRON Eettles,
various iutchen utensils, three bronze htOdcH', TWO
fdbakO-bOHs, some lacquer trays, and Ems. china
kettles tcaFots. and cups, some lacquer rice bowls,
'wo copper basins, few towels. some bamboo
switches, and an inaid lacquer efdGTf As the
things are all very handsome he parents must be
well OIL The sake IS sent in accordance WIN fIgld
II has often been written that marriage must he
sormnned by "A priest but this is mistake. Jap
ancse marriage is % purely civil contract. No rcI-
gious ceremony is necessary marriage Is legal
lied by ITS registration in the office OF the hhcHO
These people were Bnddhsts, but thcIo was not
even priest present on the occasion.
Tho bridegroom is twenty-five, the bride seven
teen and worry cOmelY 80 far as could SEQ through
the paint with which she was profnscly disligured.
Toward evening she was carried IN nOrlROa. ac-
cOnpanich by her parents and friends, 10 the BRIDE
grOoms house zach member OF the procession car
rylng 4 Chinese lantern When the hOuSt-maSter
and | arrived rho wedding party was assembled IN
q largo ROOM the parents and friends OF the BRIDE
groom being seated on one side. and those Of the
bride Oh tho othcT Two young girls. very beau
tifnlly dressed. brought in the briIe very pleas
ing looking creature dressed entirely in white silk
nil 4, Inf yb sill
foot
The bridegroom, who was already seated in the
middle of the room near ITS upper part qua not rso
TO receive her and kept his eyes fixed on the
ground, and she sat opposite to him. but never
leaked mp. a low table WAS placed in front, on
whith there was two-SpOuted kettle full of sake,
some sake bottles aud some cups, and on
anOt Ter there were some small figures representing
Il ir tree, plum tree in blossom. ana stork stand:
DAYS, and the former, the beauty OF women and the
strength OF men. Shortly n zen, loaded with eat
ablrs was placed before each person. aud the feast
began, accompanied by tho noises when SIGNIFY
gastronOmic qualification.
After this which was only preliminary. the two
girls who brought in tho bride handed round 2
trav with three cups containing sake. which each
person is expected to drain till he came To the god
OF lack at the bottom. ,
The bride and bridegroom then retired. but shortly
in other dresses of ceremony, hut the
bride slll wore her white silk veil. which one day
will be her shroud An old gold lacquer tray was
nroducrl with hrcc sIkc cups which filled
by the two bridesmaids and placed before the
law and the BRIDE The tather-in- law
drank three cups. fnd handed the cup to the bride.
who after drinking two cups, received from her
fat her n-law u present iii q box. drank the third
cup and then returned the cup to tn father-ln-
law who again drank three cups. Rlc@ ana flSh
were next brought in after which the brldcgrooms
mother took the second cup, ana Tiled and en piled
it three times. alter which she passed it to tho
bride, who drank two cups, received q present from
her mother in-laN in n lacquer-box, drank third
cup and gave the cup to The elder lady who again
drank three cups. Soup was then served, and then
the bride drank once more from the thIrd cup anu
handed il TO her husbands father, who drank three
more cups the bride took it again, aud drank two,
and lastly the mOtherin-law drank three more cups
Now. il YOU possess tho clrar-hghtedneSS wnirh
laborrd to preserve You will perceive hat each of
the three had ilnbbed nine cups OF some generous
liquor! .,..