New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-07-20

BY HENRY W. LUCY, or 1.-THE LONDON DAILY
NEWs"
SOME JAPANESE TRAITS.

eavalQllp nSl3I tlN NtAAit VI " N''i'tf ''''''0
tbrope comprising onc-third of the population Of
tbo viIace. As we dashed down tln uneven street
with 4 stream Of fresh water running in the mid
die another third OF tie population, chiefly women,
were knccling on either side, washing pots, pans.
kettles dish s. AMI everything but the chiareh
These last were running about, hideouS IN theF
dtrt. vet withal plump aad well made. In those re-
forms which the and far-Scelng stateS-
rlen who now rule Japan are pressing
forward 1t should not be difficult To ln-
Produce one on behalf of children VINO S"'u'"
IN the streets of country hamlets. When MI II"
h,ot orr Guide but he Minister of state recen'N
made his journey TO Mike hls quick eye ho,i'ou
fine condition Of the roads, and his pr'ct'ca' manu-
rror,rt = rluckel at the root of the evil lie mu>t
b,yo soon something worse in the ptldhc sta'e VI
the children which varies only m degree ol u'''
and consequent disease whatever road be t'Acn
through the interior. The japanese ""'''''N'''
with All its ne Sly grated Western ideas Is 'S'o"
tally Maternal. IL should not be dHic"lt !" MAN.
and Enforce few simple sanitary rd'eS on o'" u,
r.hob,ldron Their mothers and fathers couid
NOT take IT unkindlv since they are scruPu.o"SP
clean about their own persons and would rather go
without their evening meal than their evening
bath.
..u.o.,,d If the long street. which is Nikko is a
.,ady ovenuo of cryptomeria, with the sunlight
,l,o,ninc ., tho far end. In hot summer weather
this ,nrst he \ grateful place for the dusty
,rovaIler like "thc shadow Of a great rock IN
,roar, Ianlv just now the morning Is IKE one IN
late spring in England and almost as l'atY' tnou2n
tbc trees have taken on autumn tints. In ahdllon
The chrysanthcuum is blooming in every gar'en'
and often neglected by the waysidc Inc rice
harvest ism full swing. and close by the brown
yvot earth whence the crop has boon cnt there 're
,o,c frrro,ya In which bright green shoots of some
Ga fruitful 1s the aOll
If 1apan when slilfully treated aud IN kind the
,c,tbcr chat mmauy places two crops ore garnefod
ircyorv vrar II read good deal about Japan he
fro. s,nrtina 70 visit tho country, md II n with
cvof.inrrcaang n,toniahmcnt recall the TACT th"t
f,on no book did get the inprcs'on That japan
isa benntifnl country 10 ool, upon. Yet IT +" sur
,,i.ueiy beautiful In MI Che varieties Of lull ana
dale. fruitful plain. and water everywhere
W. stoppcd M Osawn for tiliin. Ito providing
for us Ina thc accustomed civilized. bnnnithl style
whilst the men who had run twenty miles sine"
morning coutontcdly ate thclr eggs aud ric'' drily
fishing the latter out Of bowls with Their chop
,.icks Across the beam Of tho tea-houso were
uasted sheafs OF little bits of paper, being intro
ductioos from the last inn of travellers who nave
STAYED there. These letters OF introduction form
connecungink between series OF tea houses through
ont the country. One landlord passes ms guests
ON TO a friend at the next stage, as he has guests
recommended to HIM from the preceding mating
Mace The abundance of these scraps OF paper teS-
titles to the popularity of The tea-honSe' Al Osa""
we were introduced to a fowl of great and peculiar
beauty though not unknown TO poultry shows
in England. He was of perfect shape OF BAN
tam size. and all his manifold feathers turned
the wroDg way As he strutted about conscious OF
lie important part he was playing IN maintaining
the prestige of Japan. the tip of ms tail feathers
ticked his comb with persisteucy maddenlng to
bird inspired with less lofty purpose. Ito was
,nuch interested IN this phenomenon, and won dored
how II was brought about AtNikKo there is tenn
nile where portion of the elaborate carved Work
ON pillar is turned the wrong side NJ. with III
tent to defeat the malign purpose OF evil spirits.
Itis believed that If the temple were finally com
Melted the demons, envous Of its perfection
would destroy il. Therefore a few inches OF the
carving is turned the wrong way to shaw that the
hn,lding lis not finished Remembering this,
7 Suggested that the birds feathers were turned
the wrong way 10 show that it was not flushed.
81 don't think It's that Ito said, though therc
,coe no tone OF strong conviction the assertion.
Pouitrc is the one live stock IN which Japan NAV
glory. The horses are miserable; the cattle-what
there is Of thenl-arc stunted and I-ied; the dogs
are TIE ycrest ours not worth the trouble OF tying
rouud their nccks the little wooden labels on which
are written the names and addresses Of their own
ers But tie poutry is abundant. They take
kindly to their food, and though not particularly
good when brought to table, yield large returns IN
the way Of eegs
More rice fields were on both sides of the road al
the way 10 Omava. men. women, and children busy
in the fields and the old men and women n home
spreading out the rice on the drying mats we
nassed q little mite certainly not more than four
years old trOtting along the road brIvey carrying
big tcapot in front. balanced by a baby strapped
4, 10, DI,g.d n scales baby and t.HUOt
would have made the little woman III the other
scale kick the beam. Bat having them once fixed
on and being set going. she trottcd along, dressed
IN clothes exactly like her mothers, cut short 10
her size. We reached Omaya just before dusk.
completing f0rty-siX miles in the day, and having
done one squirt of fourteen miles in an hour and
three-quurters. Ito does not think much Of tins
We have each two coolies, whilst he has done nifty
five miles i'm a dav with n single man. Moreover
there are three men in Toxic who can do seventy
miles in a day, aud one a prince among his fellows
who does this distance within twelve hours.
Whilst dinner vas being made ready wandered
about the ro. M kitchen Of the tea-honsc, and
he % good doai II conversation with is inmates
scatcnI, alv the lcss interesting hn a1so no one
dcrstool the other. The Japauo ltc such n good
tempered merry race that 4 is a pleasure ~ talk
with ihcr oven vh'n nothing comes Of #. The
ground npof of ~ tca house open 10 The street
silent RnyO for the vuiro 81 ito blind shampopr
ealing for custom 10 med afuk ~ - infr
Outside. after Tho mann of the old In4i'b ~
there swung siensbonfd covered with olbalisti'
- me- whp.o moaning Was plain cnoug'' ~ ih'
WAy-woru native traveller. ibffn was 10 fonl
door porch % entrance hall The Fl ~ Of III.
h .u,r had simply bc.n n ru down pr pushed back
disc'os ug "a long 10 int,ror, its rc a-es and IN
expected hooks dnniy li}hiel with oil laurf
aud he,e aud thor Ga n.se lantern. From
tho thick and blachcnc1 b .iD Of tho ceiling hun
pendant shcavcs of Letters OF recommendation
mamentos Of vanished travellers. 1hcro0m on tn