Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-12-17
LOVE IN JAPAN.
How Jspsness Lovsv Preposs v fssS
Dulcisnss,

How Jspsness L0vsp f0poss "
Duicisnss.
Among very old.fashioned folin u
Japan q curious custom still survives.
Mr.. Kuchler omit It's from his socosas
Of marital ceremonies, probably b.
cause It's rarity forbids Its insertion u
any representative list Of domesss oe
servanccs. Still, Just m with n thsfs
arc people who build barriers OF prick
" furze about their houses to ksep ths
fairies of, 50 In Japan thefp arc young
men and women who believe that thos.
oonjugal bliss may be made TO dspsnd
on the growth Of . plant Is ne
plant called onioto. Unfortunately.
our botanical knowledge does not suf.
Ace to identity 1t In either Latin OF IN.
glish. It's chief characteristic y thsa
Il Is lusty and rapid grower. throwing
out constantly new shoou from -
root. Il Is, therefore, fitting cmble9
of the marriage state. and ss such 1t v
regarded. A lal or lass, on going 70
his or her married home, carries thithu
carefully chosen on,oto, and th1
being planted or tended, is wsschsd
from year TO year, because 20 long
as II shows healthy development
the permanencc and prosperity OF ~
masters or mistress marriage state sSS
supposed to be assured. Very rarely, =
we have said, In the custom Observed
but like all the domestic supersdtons q
Japan, Il Is not without quaint prst4.
ness. We allude to II here becauss y
has Just been "magnl6cd BY the purph
mist Of an English travellers fancy Int
the following pretty tall tale: "ln house,
wherein reside one or more daughter q
q marriageable age an empty howcr-pot
of an ornamental character 10 cnctsclcd
by ring. and suspended from the VIM
dow OF vcranda by three light chains.
Now the Juliets OF japan are, OF course,
as attractive and their Romeos ~ anx.
ious rs those OF other lands. But instead
OF serenades by moonlight and other ds!.
icate ways OF making an impression, "
Is etiquette for the japanese lovpr 10 sp.
proach the dwelling Of his lady bearing
some choice plant In his hand, which b
boldly. but let US hope fcvcrcntly, pro.
cecds to plant In the empty vase. Thh
takes place ut time when hs 10 hnlly
assured that both mother and daughter
are at home. and I need scarcely ssy
that neither Of them b at all ooe'
scious that the young man b
taking such liberty with the howef.
not outside their window. Il ID believed
that young lover 80 engaged has neves
been seen by his lady or her mamma In
this act of sacrilege-at any rate, my
friend tells me that during his long resi.
dence In Japan he never heard Of any
one being detected In the act or inter
fered with In any way. The fsot ls, THE
act of placing q pretty plant In tha
empty dowcr-pot Is equivalent 70 Q
formal proposal 10 the young lady who
dwells within, and this Eastern fashiou
Il, rs I think, o most delicate Ind harm.
less way OF proposing to q lady. The
youthful gardener having setsled AZ
plant to his mind, retircs, and the lady
Is free TO act as she pleases. II he u the
right man, she takes every care Of his
cift, waters II, and tends Il carefully
With her own hands, that all the world
may see, In word, the donor u aocspt-
able as q suitor. But II he is not .
favoritc, or II stern parents object, The
poor plant Is torn from the vase, and
the ne.t morning lies limp and with.
cred on the veranda or on the path b.
ow. In o word. II you are not ths
right man Il Is quito evident that this
phase Of window gardening must b .
difficult and disappointing ono 70 csrry
| ON In Japan. Japan Mad.