Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-10-21

pi7e aud the chEysanthemum always pre-
serve their charm, even in winter whar
other Fl >wers die, and by Implication
"MJ cas.ms are ever. asting, Ike the pine
| ard See chrYsanfhemum
There sre some pleasing beliefs curren;
sm1ng foreigners here, a. which have
aeen circulated in several recent books or
Jspsn, TO the fact thss /. is common sci
Of flisl devotion for girl TO volunteer
uDssked to devote hers II TO this life for 6
term OF years In order to pay her parents
debts, to ex.rlcste them from some other
embarrassment, or even to lay by little
money for herself, and this done
she returns 10 the bosom oY heI
family IS il nothing he'd happened, in.
deed with the added halo Ct flIisl piety
All This Is upn1tiga'ed rubbish. Me- or
K2olys, R A , in his recent volume c.
-usp, shot "Ske:ches Of Lie in Japan"
Chapman snd Hall, 1880 has attained
THE CLIMAX OF ABsURDIIY
in this respect "M.py girls" he nsys,
(p. 223), "ievote themselves to three or
,our years. immortality Of set purpose,
smaes comfortable little sums Of money,
nestle circle, al d ale regarded as models
VI hiiot ou IA mug tCtISu suS
support Of their parents. Ia fact, the
landmarks between virtue and vice are
obliterated." This ia such q gro
tesqae m!sstatement rs to be little
better than idi)t!c. WHIST Msjor
Knolly's sources of Information during his
few days sssy In Tokyo may ave been,
do not know, but hsve made searching
Inquiries on this point In all quarters and
from all sorts of people, from the high
filters OF the depsrsa ent Of police down
20 the yuio themselves, and have no
hesitation in chsracterziug his statemeu.
as preposterous. It is true that the
majority Of the girls who enter the Yoshi-
wsra are there that their parents may
have money in consequence, bnt there Is
not one case In huHdreds where they arc
not unwilling and unhappy victims. The
Influence OF Confucianism has been 10 i'm
plant the duty OF fdsl Obedience rs the
primsl and imperative virtue among the
lower classes Of japan. A dsug h.er
yields absolute unquestioning che,
6ience TO her parents under
all circumstances. Therefore when
they say to her, "You will msrry 80 and
so," she does not dream Of OH &c Ing. No
more does she when they say to her,
"You must enter the Yoshiwsran OF
course when she is asked at the depart
ment of police, "Do you take this step Of
your own free wili9" she replies, ~ do"
but the case Is exactly psrellel to
THE CONDEMNED CRIMINAL
who walks up the steps OF tae gsilows Of
his own free will. As for the notion shat
life Of prostitution Is net considered by
the japanese to involve any
particular discredis or disgrace
that is almost equally silly. Tbs reason
thss such life here is regarded Diff
countries is simply that it Is farent-
with just the difference between person
who becomes immoral under compulsion
snd one who is immo sl frol, choice.
The Japanese have their own view of ali
sexual matters, ipclu ling this one. Iroke
to kasske no, tnsy quote pailosophically,
nsi monoga, nai. And prossi utiop
among themselves they estimate at pre-
ciselV IT'S true value. An iaefscesble
stain and an lrredssmsble lowering OF
personal dignity they know Il TO be, bn.
lney know also that there are not 8
few cases in which 1t leaves
the morsl character untouched. The
biography OF Q famous sud 5eau-
tlfnl harlot named Muraski, says of her,
"Sae deflled her body, but not her hesrr,"
and describes her tenderly snd prettily as
deichiu no hasu-"a lotus In the mud"
Consequently many an oiran. understand
ing this, looks forward to
REePEcTABLE MARRIAGE
with man whose acquaintance she has