Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1883-12-20
Eating with Ohopsticks.


4 correspondent. describing his recent cN-
nericnce At a dinner. or tiftin, at Yokohama
japan writes: Now. had practi~cd with the
chop,,ick~. and really fancicd that was quite
an adept at catin. a In .Iapanai>. could not
carry a pea To my mouth by the chop-iick pro
cess, but when all the conditions were favor
able, | nattrrrd myself that I could perform
the prccarinn> feat Of transferring single
kernel Of rice 10 my mouth in that way 80
wadcd into that titiin with acomplacrnoy which
amounted almost To abandon. \ group OF
three seductive lookin. maiicn~ entered the
room. cxqui>iteiy attircd in long flowing robes
Of 4 delicate shade Of brown. from beneath
which their dainty white feet pccpcd without
any hampcrins adornment> in the way OF
hose Grnufrcting hcfor" IL. these ontcing
females timidly extended I" each u u, a tray
bearing artistic woodrn bowls OF larqucrcd
ware filled with rice and chop~tick>- BOWS
~ water were also placed near u on the floor,
and in the centre large tray containing
bottles 81 ~aki.' the national liquor in Japan.
and decorated china cup. This sahi l. di>-
rilc,l from rice Il judge there i no limit to The
number ~ way- In which N" natives utliz"
ric,l. and i. UNIVERSAL, drunk, rvcn ~ The
women. II said that. Al e, riain .-on- ~
the YEAR seven out - every ton men ia the
island % To bed AT night really intoxicated;
hut tn. fleet j. - mild ia comparison with
thai Of whi-kcv III our own country and opium
in China thst the habit i not Very much con
d,murd At weddings. ?, different brands ~
fhi> >ski ar, served. and Z" decliu" t. drink j.
-ro~- di-c"u-t->l.
III, -irl> remained hncrling hvforru- which
was very satisfactory state ~ thing, save
thu; il embarrassed mr. with far that
should MAKE some crro.ou- hlund,r. Selling
the chop,tick- boldly ! BEGAN manipulating
them with nonchAlunr that must. was
sur. di-arm criticism. NON. II had only ap-
p,arrd timd. and requested my charming
waters 10 teach me the art. am snrr il would
have been flr better, for They "rr" N'rS
kindly disposed. But | sailed in With 4 iii
hrayalo that somewhat nScrramc their ri-i-
hilitic> They laughed outright though in
-ond-naiurcd way. | hu-hra deeply. for |
had f.ncicd that va, i really accomplished
Japanese hy thi, time. and wa Very anNou,
10 favorah, mprr-, these voluI'uou- native
maid,u- - in sheer desperation continued
To- fairl, shovel the rice from my bow int" the
orhr, immediately under my nasal appcn-
dag. ,ainly imagining that bind frrocit1
would pa, for acquaintance with n" art NJ
length took rrfu.r in English
For rity'- SAKE" said l-dy Ia my con,-
panion; Edo tell me Whist the trouble i-:'
..lou ar, u-in-, IN" wrong end ~ the chop
,tirh>.' va, the quic, hut distressing; reply
Alas. il was even %. This MAS i-nomini-
on, indeed. after my wcrk> Of practice.
corrected the error l. indfi,rcmtly =, | could.
and one ~ The lovely creatures before u
helped me with drft hand and A mcrr! laugh
now and then 70 perform the remaining duties
Of the menu-an engagement which was by no
means di>a-rccabic. Il seems that thrrr
had been a special effort 10 MAX tn" meal a.
American A. possible in my honor. and - an
enumeration Of the di-hc. i not a fair example
~ japanese diet. which i, really simple
that il dos not afford sufficient nouri>hmrnt
for tourist from Europe or America. Here
j. a somewhat comprehensive list Of the dishes.
Ina,l, out with The assistance 81 my fricnd~
memory. and an occasional drau-h, upon my
own fertile imagination: 4 soup. unfathom-
able incomprchcn>iyc. intangible; al kinds II
>h. from friend yea serpent 10 boiled Whale:
four yarictic, ~ sea weed. that seemed ID have
an antipathy for the human stomach. and
writhcd in their journey 20 the mouth; green
cin-,r. prawn>, ti>h cake, alleged pounded
chickens. chr-tnut>. sweet potatoes rice.
mushrooms, rice. liiy -.,d,. llum~. rice. some
salads that defy classification or analysis, and
.I Ibt,- a., .t,,,f-