Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-02-09
VAUDEVILLE


The fourth lecture in the Popular Course
was delivered at the City Hail. last evening,
by Rev. DIR. Crawford. pastor of the " E.
church. Under the title 1.-THE Land Of the
Rising Sum I've gave : description of the
country and people Of Japan. Is he saw them.
The lecturer started outby inquiring. Where
does the sun rises- As nature has established
no line which marks the beginning OF the
day, man has had, for convenience. to liz one
for himself. That line is the meridian of $50
degrees east or west from Greenwich. That
meridian runs just to the eastward Of Japan.
which country gets the day thirteen hours or
more before we do. The two Chinese char
| acfers which make the name Japan signify
Source of the Sum- Approaching Yeddoi
Bay, the first thing which meets the eye is
the sacred mountain of Japan, Fujiyama.
which rises to height of more than IL ,0Oo
feet The japanese believe il to be the most
beautiful mountain in the world Pilgrimages
are made TO its top, but women are not usually
allowed to ascend it. In Japan nearly every
thing is done by man-power. Travelling is
largely done " small man-cart, called
jinrikisha. Two men will take one or
binary passenger fifty or more miles in a
day. The temples Of Japan have never
been excelled in any country in the world.
The houses of the ordinary people are ex-
ceedingly interesting from the diminutiye
nature of everything which enters into their
construction and adornment The people
seem to be playing at keeping house. Floors
of houses are covered with fine straw mating,
and shoes are always left at the door. Japan
csc men are very affectionate towards their
children, but no displays of affection take
place between a man and his wife. Married
women shave off their eyebrows and black
their teeth. Children are numerous but
easily cared for, as the baby is carried on the
back of some larger child Crowds OF
children may be seen playing in the streets.
each child with baby strapped on its back
nor does the presence of the baby seem to
interfere with the most active games. Dead
bodies are either buried or burned. If
buried, they are put in square boxes. The
native process of cremation is exceedingly
simple and very odorous. The japanese are
the politest and kindest people in the world.
An unprotected woman may travel from one
end of the empire to the other without
mole station or insult. They are an exceed
ingly bright people. They had language
and literature of high order, ages before
our ancestors had emerged from barbarism.
They have shown the highest skill in the
manufacture of steel, lacquer, bronze, silks,
and in the building of bridges, castles and
other immense structures. There has been
no time during the last | 800 years when it
would not have been a misuse of language to
call them uncivilized. The people are much
given to sports, particularly to the flying of
kites. They are exceedingly cleanly in their
persons, bathing frequently and in extremely
hot water. The country is billy and the soil
&.
cultivated to the very tops, water being raised
to the highest terraces by foot-power. Tea.
rice, and other grains of various kinds, cotton
and fruits grow in abundance, the same
ground raising several various crops
in the course of the year.
Japan has made most wonderful progress
during the last thirty years The people are
anxious to learn whatever will tend to the adj
vancement of the nation. They have as per-
feet a system of laws as we have, and the
laws are more impartially administered.
They have schools of all kinds, from the
simplest kindergarten to the highest univer
sity, and education is compulsory. They |
have a more perfect postal system than we
have. They have large arsenals and better
dock yards than can be found in all the Uni
ted States. They have fine navy and well
drilled army of 100000 men. Japan is des- |
tined to be the foremost nation or the East, |
and also, in many respects, the rival of the
West. The lecturer held the closest attention
of his hearers throughout the entire evening. |
The hall was well filled
"a paper has been circulated among the
traders on Main street who use the arc light |
and signed by nearly all of them requesting
the Electric Light company to reduce the
price of each light from 20 cents a light to
u l-2 cents 1t is claimed that the light is |
supplied in other places at the latter figure,
and there is no apparent reason why the
price should be higher here If the request
is not complied with it is probable that most |
of the stores now using the light will here
after be lighted by kerosene.
Arthur Meader returned to Brunswick,
Tuesday. to attend the medical lectures at
Bowdoin the coming term.
Rev Horace W. Tildcn delivered a lee
ture before the Colby Y. NJ c. A. at the |
Baptist church, Sunday morning.