The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1886-01-23
OUR LETTER FROM BROADBRIM

OUR LEI TER FROM BROADBRIN.
a Japanese Villagein New York-The Box
I'M, Craze-A Bruised Misunderstanding
Storms at Cvney :slnnd-Closed Art Col
lectiuns.
New YaRa, Jan. Is. 1886.
EDITOR CHIEF:
There are lots of things going on here, the
town is full Of them. A special attraction
at the present time is the japanese village
al the Madison Square Garden. Nothing
like it has ever been seen in this country be-
fore. 1t really only seems like the other
day since Japan was a terra incoynitd--
hem!nened in closer by lis despotic Tycoon
and Mikado than China by its gigantic
wall None were allowed to go i'll and none
we're allowed to go out. If you got in you
lost your head and if you got out you were
sure to lose it if ycu ever went back The
world surely does move, for here we have a
perfect Jnpense town with all sorts of ar
tisans, and real live japanese men and
women walking about the streets. Oh, yes,
and there are genuine japanese babies who
while not exactly up to the European ortho-
dox standard of beauty, yet viewed from q
Japanese standpoint are no doubt as pretty
us a picture.
While the Japanese, in com mon with all
the world, devote much of their time to the
necessary and useful, it is wonderful the
thousands, not to say millions of them whose
occupations are esthetic and ornamental.
While many of the things which are manu-
factured under your very eyes are exceed
ingly ingenious and beautiful, you are
transported back thousands of years, for
just such workmen wrought their handi-
craft after the self-saln fashion, before
Solomon raised his magnificent temple, or
even while Lot and Abraham were shep-
herds among the Judean hills. The potter's
wheel is the same that Joseph saw III Egypt
thousands Of years ago. The loom where
their beautiful! silk fabrics are woven might
have stood in the tents of the Patriachs.
But it fills one with delight and admiration
10 see the sweet uncompiaining patience
with which they toll
Compare the faces Of these japanese arti-
sans with the faces of an equal number of
AIneric%n wage workers, and you can ull-
derstand what mean. Ii these are fair
sar.pes of the average japanese workmen,
life in Japan must be Happy lot. The
poorest artisan there seems to be by nature
a gentleman, and the comnonest woman a
lady. Such sweet, soft and gentle manners
in their intercourse with each other, and
with strangers, has never been seen in this
land before, among the working classes.
We might 60 to Japan to learn manners.
The miniature town is divided into
shops, each pursuing its different calling.
The cabinet maker sits on the floor and
planes his board toward him, which he
holds as in /; vice with his toes. The enam-
eler plies his wonderful vocation and as you
watch him hammer III piece after piece on
some magnihcentiy enameled vase you do
not wonder at the elOrinou3 cost, VIXEN You
see the slow process of ul;.nu.;.cture. Here
you see the embroiderer at work on those
beautiful birds and H5wers III which the
japanese SO much delight. Ifle spinner
WluQS MS Siihy anu tLG WSttFtI w cltco IL.
The potter works d. his wheel. and the cop
persnith at his handicraft. The tailor aud
the barber are there, and the man that
makes bows and arrows. and there Is
nice little tea garden, where some dear lit
tie Japanese women sit, aEd Il sweet faced
girl hands you cup OF tea. They are all so
sweet and clean and tidy that it is ii pleas
ure to look at them and ba near them. One
of these young japanese beauties has al
ready made hole in the hearts of hundreds
of our young American dudes. She has
great large melting eyes, teeth like pearls,
and complexion as soft as ripe peach.
1t is beautiful and unique exhibition. and
one to which man can go himself, or take
his wife and children with pleasure and
profit.