The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-09-21
NO KISSING THERE.
An Easy Discovery which the Japanes
Strangely Failed to Make.

An Easy Discovery which the Japanese
strangely Failed to Make.
Young girls are as nature made
them, and very sweet they are, too, in
their quaint dresses, showing the
plump chest and rounded arms. Pages
could be written about their charms.
What dear, dainty little dolls they are!
Such white teeth, rosy lips and coy
smiles! Who shall describe themP
And what nextP A kiss, perhapsp
Not over here. o, never! They never
do. They don't know how, actually,
don't know how, and even peasant
girls are closely guarded.
Fancy a young man in cotton kimono
and wooden clogs stealing chance to
walk with his best girl under the
blooming cherry trees, explaining the
consultations and quoting sentimental
poetry, telling her that he chung upon
her eyelids;" that "her voice was like
q temple gong;" in fact, that he loved
but her alone, and then making her
several formal bows at the door of her
fathers straw-thatched hut as they
parted in the moonlight. Can any
American lover stretch his imagination
far enough to believe in sweetheart
not kissing those pretty lips, paint and
all, by sort of natural selectionp"
"Tis a melancholy fact, but Japan
ese has no such impulse. No lover
courts his mistress with Sweetest per-
suasive kisses" No mother kisses her
baby as she cuddles it against her
bosom. Parting husband presses the
hand of his wife and bends his fore
head to the mats in sad farewell. Our
salutations run through the crescendo
of bow, handshal1e, kiss and kiss. I
can't explain the difference in grade
between the last two, but every body
knows. But in Japan the expression
of regard is regulated by the number
and length of the salaains. A friend
who constantly travels about the coun-
try told me of little illustration in
point. He had been on the road for six
weeks, having with him native mer.
chant who was interested in his busi.
ness. On their return to Toxic he nc.
companied the broker TO his home, a
permit for the nights visit having been
obtained from the local inspector of
pl!ice.
The wife met her husband and his
friend at the door and ushered them
ia. Together they assisted their guest
10 remove his coat. The wife next took
from her lord his wadded kimono and
other wraps and folded them away.
Then-and not until then-did they
kneel upon the mats and bow long and
low to each other. "You have been
many weeks away from u.s." said the
wife in u sweet, atfectionate voice.
1--WE have waited for you with impa-
tience. / hope that you are well, dear
Ianoskisan." And he thanked her and
said he was,
My friend had been curious to know
whether th1se formalities which he had
always Witnessed between acquaint.
ances would be repeated between the
devoted couple, who would not feel re-
strained before an old friend.
| retold the tale to select audience,
and added my opinion that the mission
aries might give the belated Japs some
pointers on earthly bliss when instruc-
tion on the heavenly joys of another
life had vacation. Why not get up
classes to teach the art of kissing, with
some good old gray-headed elders for
instructorsP That would be quite harm
less and proper. The girls could learn
if they began quite small. Toxic Cor.
San Francisco Chronicle.