New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-07-27
IN ELDER WORLDS.
BY HENRY W. LUCY OF THE LONDON DAILY
NEWS"
Ill.
A JAPANESE DINNER.

TOXIC, Japan, 1851.
We dned in the evening with Mr.. Irwin. tho
American gentleman to whose energy Japan is, as
already noted, indebted for new and wel-equ'p-
ped line OF coasting steamers Mr.. IRWIN mas
a Japanese wing to his residence, and the Jap-
nese portion OF the establishment Is lnhniteIy
the prettIer 1t was a fairy like scene az
we took orr places ON cushions on the malIou
floor of tho dnng-room. II was to be in every re-
spect japanese dinner; consequently there were
lat the outset az least no chairs, much less taoes
After a while hospitality oveIcame the rigor Oh
ctiquette and at crisis when my unaccustoheu
knees were beginning to crack, small STOOL was
quietly brought in which was able t. st without
disturbing the harmony of the picture. lhls' now
ever. was effectively done by Mr.. Dennison' an
American gentleman in the confidence OF the loIel4H
office. Though he has lived many years IN Japan
he has never been able to take kindly to the national
posture and now nothing less than a bigicane char
suited the ezigences of his burly frame
Outside the garden was festooned with Chinese
lanterns which softly illumued its dark recesses.
4 panel drawn aside at the foot of the room opened
upon the veraudl. which served admirably Tor
stage on which three small children performed
during the meal touching drama. Hidden from
view was % musician who played upon the SamiSeh'
a three-string.d instrument rs old rs the Sixteenth
Century. play ed upon baniowisc with the myers
From time TO time the musician, woman, broke
forth into monOtonOus chant descriptive OIL ire
scene going forward Oh the stage, and analytic OF
the motives of the characters lust as on the real
stage the J6ruri singers assist the players. for
the sole actor IN th dramatic company two mem
bers were girls this advcutt.ous and was quite
superluou-. The youth was IN his sixth year the
son of small shop keeper who added something To
his income by hiring out his children for these
performances IN private houses | gathered the
general plan of tire play TO be that he was ldtnIuI
retainer whose young master mis- sister. age ninej
was in love with young lady, character taken by
a rightly young thing OF seven. Mt Ir"IhS
adoptcd daughter. who was. for family reasons h"t
an eligible parte. The duty of young Roscius was
~ advise and if possible restrain his master RON
indulgence in this unhappy passion. The way he
frowned and strutted, shook bis gory locks ana
waved hi, aged but still virile hand; the way he
reapsed for p moment into attitudes ot profound
and saddencd Thought while the J6ruri singer told
what was passing within his perturbed breast; the
way when an1ered past endurance, he threatened
70 draw an imaginary sword his haughtIness. his
affection for his master. his unbendng hostility 10
the fair one. and above all, the efforts lac made
when dccaimiug intense passages To produce BASS
notes out Of his piping treble, were things worth a
Journey 10 Japan 10 see and hear. All were good.
tho maiden with her pretty fac and quaint
womanlv manner the love-orn lord patient 70 the
last under the tyranny OF his truculcnt retainer.
Bat the small boy vas simply sublime and should
be heard of hereafter on a wider stage.
When we took our seats around the festive board
the first course was already served Before each
guest was placed littlc lacquered tray. raised
three or four inches from the ground. On 1t was
coverDd porcelain bowl. containing small guam
titv of boiled rice. A second covered DOW OF
LACQUER held some clear fish soup whI'h mlu' 2o-I
I'D md
were, on IL chop sticks 90 eat the rlce, Salu IdieN
are rice at this time Of day and passed IL Dy NOT
did care about the contents OIL lne tniIu 49,
which contained some mysterious LOOKING Nege'd-
HES Whilst We were discussing or regarding these
dciiracics there entered bcNy OF pIc'iN "IFIu-
rirll bearing lacQueTed cups Tor e2ch guest
SnJ n Ittie blue lar, which | subsequently
discovered contained sake. II was signify muIeu
the small Jars being repe ll'hed trOmd SILVER r.,
tle Each gucst has his appointed handmaid. Ml'e
was exceedingly pretty, great addition 10 me
picture rs she gracefully knclt IT the other -lue OF
The trav watchfu for opportunity 10 do service "A
q was nothing par'icu ar 20 90 sIle n.Iou l az
time bv smiling on ne IN the trendlleSt manner /
smiled back and we got on very wei together Win
'Prstcntly the little handmaidcn rose. left tho
room and with the others returned carry ing a COW
,rod vassal Of pure white wood This was tull OIL
rice with which she rctilicd the empty rice poWit'
whist another maiden, nearly a7 pretY reWoN.t
the bowls OF clear soup,a third replacing them VIII
LACQUER bowls containing stewed Wild ducks ray
fish. white cakes OF bean paste ana Hl.'
bowl of pickles. which may have Oeeh say
orv 10 the taste but were certainly
uupiea ant 90 the nose Atterd whlc-iis a7 \"u"h
Roscil, on the stage had discovered ms master
making 4igus over a supposltltous garden wal u"
his lady love- and murder seemed imminent my
little handmtid brought UP another bowl rout+iul
ing fresh kind of SOUP Whist cant Iou7l} ld4Ie9
this sue went out again and brought IN some lIic9
f-b ON a platc with little ginger and plrEIrI
vegetables i'm a small porcelain bowl. me u7.i
gscerfaIncd. was Tai kind of place ana ~ is 'h'
correct thing % eat II with ginger. NNlhLY' SUI
brought another plate of fish stcwcd ~ soy, WIN
,,l,tr of INV bulbs and another of chestnut close
ON her heels came girl bearing th'. WIN
kettle this time quite hot. Having had sufficient
sake in the cooler state declined further supply;
whcreupon another kettle Was brought. halu
would take some Of that not knowing rs conten
but earnest m search of knowledge II turned ON,
! 10 h" PLAN hot water u seems to h' an Wt'p'v
doctrine among the Japanose gourmands th'i sI
! this stage of the FEAST something not mus "'
| taken. For those who like a. there Is sake. lh""
| who do not care for SAX" gurgle down hot, W'.1N
/ did not care tor my supply now had IT, but INC
| ndcfatigablc handmade placed on my tray, -
others had served to thom, acup Of hot water, WIN
| leaycs of All aromatic plant Heating on H. hll
doing their best 20 counteract tho influence OF tho
! picked vegetables.
| Here there wa. pause. Cigarettes we're served
round. and some of thc guests who had Squatted on
! the door through the dinner took tho opp0rtuhty
| of stretching their limbs by stf0lIlng Ap"ut ~
| room and ueighbOring apartments. Though WIZ
has gone before is quickly told, II took c3hHl1'I
/ able time IA the accomplishment. The play hld
! been going forward simultaneously and the faith
! ful retainer had now learned beyond douot the
! nfatuatl0n OF hls master ana his brow had grow
IN blackness. lie had killed nobody a. yet, put NJ
! hand frequently sought his sword ht, ans slauSh-
/ ter was imminent | thought we had finished an
ner but there remained yet other course. All the
| fishes had been rem0yedand now came tray boun-
TRULY supplied with plates Of bean Jelly, rice cake
| and other tOothsome things. there were dlso
cranes of which japan grows some excellent varl-
! cites and hopes shortly 10 do better. There was
! also a toothpic1 but did not feel as If wante9
one This course disposed Of, the host rose d ,l
conducted Us TO another room, whele tea Is u'uaIIy
| served If thefe had been few thick slices OI
bread and butter with the tea | would gladly nave
gone forth IN search Of II. As II was, the prospc'
| of q thimbeful of pale yellow fluid served rOuhu
| with smiles aud bows was "A little depressing blI
| our host knew the weakness of the European. we
had when offered our choice, rccklessy voted ia
favor of a japanese dinner and we had had H. or 20