The Northwestern standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-16
Tea in Japan.

1 4O0 LII VVPoS41s
The Japanese host never intrusts the
making Of tea to his servants on high
occasions, and the fine art OF the pro-
cess was fully shown us In the dainty
management of every article OF the SER
vice before the host. The teapot was a
little jewel-like thing that should be
set, handle, spout and all, inside OF one
Of the common sized coffee cups that a
foreigner draws once OF twice at a
breakfast, and the cups were OF fine
cloisonnee, with plain enameled Innings,
each no larger round than the circle OF
a tulips petals could inclose. With
them was small pear-shaped pitcher,
a beautifully wrought bronze teapot in
which the boiling was brought, and a
lacquer box containing the caddy OF the
choicest leaves from the fine tea gar
dens of the Vii district--a tea SO rare
and expensive that none of it is ever
exported or known abroad, and only
the Wealthiest japanese can afford to
buy the precious leaves. Our host, tax
ing an ivory scoop carved in the shape
Of a large tea leaf, filled the little tea
pot full of loosely i1eaped leaves, and
then having poured the hot wafer into
the pitcher that it might cool little
poured it into the teapot. That part
Of the tea-making was most puzzling to
us Of the Occident, who have been
taught as the first principle Of tea-mak-
ing that the water must be boiling at
the minute it touches the leaves, and
that unless at boiling point tea made
with it is fiat and Improbable. Our
Japanese friend explained to us that to
the most critical and epicurean tea
drinkers Of his country boiling water
was an abomination, as it scorched the
leaves, drove out the fine fragrance in
the first cloud Of steam and extracted
all the bitterness instead of the first
sweet taste Of the young leaf. q 1t may
be all well enough for the coarse black
tea of China to pour boiling water on
IT, said this most delightful Japanese,
"but the delicate leaf of our cultivated
tea plant does not need it. And we
bowed submissively, and promised
never more to apply Chinese processes
to Japanese tea leaves. II Miss Scid-
more's Kioto letter.
What he Was Going to Saw.
George W. Peck says OF his recent in
terview with the President: II had
thought Of several things wanted to
say to Mr.. Cleveland. Several Of the
boys in Milwaukee had told me to give
their love to Grover if saw him, and |
had made up my mind TO just give him
to understand that he was thought a
good deal of up in Wisconsin. and that
so far as I could see his appointments
had given pretty general satisfaction,
ana that we all wished him well. in
tended that the few remarks should
make would be the greatest effort of
my life. My idea was to wait till all
the gang had passed him. and then
bring up the rear, and when he took
my hand / would hold on to it and
speak about as follows: ssMr. Presi-
dent. / cannot let this occasion pass
without saying to you that the people
of Wisconsin are very proud that you
have got along as well as yau have.
The Republicans are hopeful that you
viii not do anything very brash, and
the Democrats viii stand by you. Ed.
Wall and Bill Dodsworth, who isan old
Buffalo boy, and Art. Delaney, and
George Paul. and any quantity Of Mil
waukee boys, want to be remembered
to you. O, had a speech as long as
your arm that I was going to FIRE at
him, and fell in behind the crowd and
went along. a big hand was reached
out, and mine was clasped By the Presi-
dent, at last. had his hand. ( had
my head down, to keep me from step
ping on the trail of q woman ahead Of
me, who seemed to liuger longer than
was necessary. As her trail disappear
ed, was just going to look up to say
my speech, when he let 60 my hand
and reached for another fellow just be l
hind me, and the other fellow stepped
on stone bruise on my heel, the only
heel 4 have got with stone-bruise on
It, and looked around ct the big foot
ed galoot behind mo. and was borne out
of night, and I hope nsyer - - the
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