Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-27
INNER JAPANESE LIFE.
xADIsoMSoUARE COLONY.
How the laps Eat. Sleep, Worship. sna
Amsse Themselves when on Drs.
New York Tribupe.l

| iNtN 1ork AfiDnbrsl
GLOW do you people amusc your
selves when you aren't working
asked q yourg girl the other day as she
bent over the booth OF one OF the
Japanese young men," who tinker
away so industriously day after day
at the Madison-Square Garden.
"No speak Inglis," said the modest
Oriental, with a sad, sweet smile; and
the inquisitive daughter Of Eve was
forced to drop what might have become
an interesting conversation at that
point. 1t is doubtless a matter oil
curiosity to many OF the visitors to
know what the inhabitants Of this little
section of the Orient do in the fifteen
hours day during which the public are
excluded.
To the south Of the workshops are
the rooms where the members OF the
colony eat and sleep. Sliding-doors OF
japanese construction admit the visitor,
who has TO back through like loyal
subject escaping from royal reception
room. The first hall is divided up into
a number Of little state-rooms, in which
the workmen sleep. Some Of these are
reserved for the women and children.
Beyond is an apartment used as
kitchen and dining-room. Here Shina-
mura. the big cook, reigns su.
preme. Sbinamura is parsonage OF
importance. and no mean mental. lie
was formerly member Of the japanese
embassy to Germany, and can express
himself in Teutonic gutturals with the
greatest fuency. lie is a master OF the
art of japanese cookery, and turns out
maibushi, misc. shoyu. and other tooth
some sauces and Gelicacies in endless
variety of Japanese names and fisyors.
Sboyu is pungent compound that forms
the basis OF worcestershire sauce, and
is exported to England in large quanti-
ties. The Japanese eat it on their fish.
At the dinner. hour the rattle Of knives
and plates is continuous, and the food
disappears as quickly as at a railroad
restaurant. Some Of the men use their
knives like chopstcks, and the result.
although hardly up to the standard of
modern etiquette. is a vast improve
ment on the practice Of using them like
shovels.
The Japs sleep on raised couches.
The most extraordinary feature OF the
bed-furnishings is the makuro, or pill
low. This promises about as much
comfort as the similar article Of torture
used by the Feejee Islanders. 1t looks
like wedge-shaped piece of cord
wood, the edge Of the wedge being pro-
tected by a little roll Of cloth or cotton.
On this wedge the japanese woman
rests her neck when she wants t. take
a nap. letting her head hang over on
the other side. How she escapes stran-
culati on OF the dislocatiOn OF her YER
lebral apparatus is a mystery. But.
Ike many acts Of their American Sis
tiers. this is not done by the japanese
women because they enjoy it. bat be-
cause it saves their back hair from
mussipg.'
Miss Ida Yuki. who serves as hair
dresser to the women Of the colony. is
uncOmmonly ingenious. She designs
all those wonderful structures Of silky
black hair which are the admiration OF
the beholder. The hair is first combel
and brushed, then parted IN hall a
dozen different directions. and drawn
each way from the parting until the
whole looks like the geographical divi-
siOns Of the Eastern hemisphere. Each
strand is then turned and twisted on
itself till the desired effect is produced,
and then it is deity tied in place with
black thread. which is bitten of neatly
by the wlite teeth Of the hair-dresser.
OF course all this takes time, and the
results are preserved for three or four
DAYS by the use Of the curious pillow
described.
After work is over in the evening
there is a gathering about the big stove
that heats the sleeping quarters, and
Suto Sadahei, the gray-haired patriarch
with the steel-bowed spectacles who
runs the loom. discourses words Of
wisdom for younger members Of the
colony. Ogara Torakakichi. the barber,
is also a man Of proverbs and wise
saws.
In the morning all are awakened by
the roar Of the gong. This IS pecu-
liar instrument. 1t is made Of bronze.
and Is shaped like a cOcoanut with one
end cut Off. Not being provided with
any particular bottom on which to
stand. it has the chronic aspect OF a
drunken dinner-pot. When struck with
a stick it give forth deep, reyerbera-
tory sound. After breakfast until the
hour Of the morning reception. they
amuse themselves as they choose.
Gossip among the women and some
japanese substitute for politics among
the men keep the conversation going.
Sometimes there are impromptu wrest-
ling matches at which the two carpen-
tiers are the acknowledged champions.
The contestants squat Oh the left foot.
opposite TO each other. and extend the
right lec until the soles Of their fee.
touch. Then they wriggle and hop
about like two game chickens until one
gets shove or twist on his opponent
that sends him over on his back with
everything Topping in the all.
Sunni. the girl whose pretty name has
TIE prosaic meaning OF ink. trots up
and down with Teszabaro-the solemn
little baby-strapped TO her back like
pappoose. Kurataro, a most mis-
ehievous youngster, slides down the
banister without regard to the duration
Of his japanese trousers; and the rest
Of the " six little japanese kids play
at steam-cars with rows of blocks.
Sometimes a meditatiye young work
man will sit of by himself, thinking
perhaps Of the sunny skies of his native
island, and humming a song in a mo-
notonous undertone like the sound Of
the wind among the dry pines.
The members Of the colony some.
times suffer from throat and lung
troubles. When anything is the mat
ter with them they run to Mr. Deakin.
the manager, like so many children,
show him where the pain is, and ask
for medicine. II doesn't trouble them
what they get il it is only medicine Of
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