New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-05
GENTLEMEN'S GENTLEMEN.
TILE WAYS OF TIE MALE SERVANT.
CHARACTERISTICS IN MANY COUNTRIES
GLORIOUS OIIENTALS-THE INSU:
LAR ENGLISH

An immense number Of international confer
.pces have been held both here and in Europe
during the last two three decades for the
purpose of discussing the principal issues OF the
day. and of combining to effect solution OF the
ANTIQUITIES in connection herewith. We have
had maritime, medical. postal, telegraph. prison
and ann-slavcry conference.-the of all inter
national nature. Why should We not. therefore.
have an International congress on the domestic
service difficulty? The latter is certainly the
most absorbing question Of the day. not only IN
the Eastern, bnt also, and more particularly. III
the Western Hemisphere. 1t threatens to destroy
,le happiness Of our homes. and TO drive the
majority of MS TO forsakc the comforts OF our
hearths for the dcmOraiizing atniOSprhre OF hotel
life II impairS that cqualimity OF mind ana
sweetness Of temper which is-Or rather waS-onc
NJ the most graceful attributes of womanhood. ana
consequently intcrfercs with that GrnL"ncss OF
leha vior and suavity Of demcanor which W" poor
mon have the night 10 expect from our female
relatives Long columns have recently been de-
voted by the American aud Eualish newspapers
and magazines to the discussion OF tins question,
which PLAYS 81 important part in our lives.
Eut no practical results can possibly he achieved
bv these disjointcd ana disconnected dissertations
in tEc public press: whereas carefully organized
International congress would have a considerably
orater prospect: of being able TO agree upon
some common remedy for that which is gradually
Jeseperating into the curse Of modern life. md
even if no definite solution were attained, much
benefit would assuredy result from the inter
change of opinions between the varions inter
ra,ional delegates The Chinese representative
would he able 70 impress upon our MIn1s The
advantages and drawbacks of Mong"lian dom'S'I's'
and i'll the same manner Inc rfrh'
1l,e German. the ENGLISH the Italian and 'hc
Sanish delegates could impart 10 us The merits
and faults of the servants of their respective conn
tries In this way much valuable information
micht nc obtained, and an international scheme
Organized for promoting special breed o' coS;h'-
nolita, servants who would each one of them COM
bine in bis own individuality The good. but not
the bad characteristics of the servants OF different
nationalitieS.
This. am firmly convinced by experience, is
,he only possible manner Of solving the great
domestic service difficulty. For, during tie course
Of ny diplomatic career. have resided in many
lands, and have had in my employ servants OF
many different races. ] have had Italian scr
wants. Austrian, German, Swiss, French, I@lGlanS,
Russians, Japanese. Chinese. Bcrl%rns. Monte
neerins. Arabs, colorrd gentlemen from Virginia.
Spaniards, Poles Irish and English. And taking
them altogether, il is difficult 10 decide as I"
which Of them is entitled 10 special rec"mmcndar
ton They all have their faults and their merits,
though in the case of each nationality their good
and bad points differ. II is this that leads me 10
the belief that if q generation Of poyglot ervh's
could he formed combining the merits of the ser.
wants Of each race the entire difficulty would
disappear.
THE JAPS AND THEIR CLOTHES.
The japanese would mike cood servants were
It not for their lack of cleanliness their want Of
precision and theih general n4ndency tn flcltincss
With regard to the first Of RA,"<s three objections
IL is chiefly on the Grore Of their clothes. The
latter are rarely changed and never wck3,cd. The
people, it Il true. bakhe d.rry dav. mes1S in water
heated TO a temperature that would parboil my
ordinary civilized human being. Rnt on cn"rGin1
from the bath they resume The same OLD SIX
ana woollcn garments which not only they them
selves. but also their ancestors. even 10 the iid
and fourth generation, have worn without inter
ruption. Heavy silks and woollen clothes. though
durable, are apt t. require cleansing after some
twenty or thirty wears of constant Use. especially
in q tropical climate. Hence it, IS moi altogether
surprising that the people Of Japan should present
q powerful contrast 10 tlcir flowers. which Latter
by reason OF some pcculiarl'v OF ihc SOL, ar"
absolutely without any trace Of perfume "n'!c
more anxious TO please, and more fapa'e "I
devotion and attachment 20 their masters. The
japanese servants lack that eNaciitude and pi"-
cislon in the performance Of their duties "iIl"h
constitutes so invaluable Characteristic OF TIC
Chinese boy" Your japanese servant w.ll hrin1
sou a glass Of water, footstool or a fan wNho''
your asking for it; but will be utterly unable
TO comprehend that you want your evening dress
laid ont ready for use every night at certain
iNed hour. But. on the other hand, i" Is lar
more deferential and courteous. lie never
.ddroeScs rnoSfer otherwise than Mntiel
knees and with bowed head. occasionally pros
trating himself to the ground altogether, ana
prefacing every remark with profound aspiration
IN token OF respect OF course there arc many
Europeans, and in particular Americans. VINO
AFFECT 70 he shocked BY such abascment on the part
Of a fellow-creature, and who dispense WIN inc
Observance Of these formalitics on the part OF
their japanese menials. This is however. mis-
take For the natives, like all other orl'D'a!s
Invariably misconstrue the kindly meant conHi"l"
ton of their foreign masters, and become com
pletely demoralized and unbrarabc when em'lhci'
mated from manifestations Of Difference AID
respect which, though Illuminating 70 Western
eyes. constitute part and parcel Of the social
system of Japan.
As an illustration of the extent 10 which this
,ytreme Difference is carried. l may mention that
m one occasion / was riding through tie streets
Of the capital, Toxic. preceded ny my bctf", or
c1oom. who in accordance with the custom OF
the country, was running some ten or ht''"h
Yards in advance 10 clear the way fol my horse.
Suddenly. without a moments warning. h" 'hfc"
up his hands into the air and fell forward on
his face. stom dead. Aft"r satisfying myself
that every spark Of life had h"d caused In"
eorlne ~ be carried into n"i2lIboring shop. ana
thence in a closed litter back TO my hons.
When returned home three hours later ana role
into the courtyard the first person on whom my
eyes Rested was the poor br''"> "ino"' VINO
j confidently expected would assam me WIN re-
proaclcs for causing her husband Y" o''FNcf'
himself aud would hold me rcsDhsiD" Tor MS
death Instead Of this however. the woinan' 4"
.,.od l,nIl ,f my sIirIlp