The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-04-05

us with the preliminary cup of
tea were maple leaves of various
tints. We were ranged in a .semi-cIrcle,
trying to squat on our futons in the
second position" of ride shooters. We
each had an hibachi Charcoal finger stove),
front Of us, though it was only 2 o'clock in
the afternoon. When our host ciapped.
his hands a troop Of little musmces, shoe
less, in white stockings with split toes.
and very picturesque costumes. shuffied in,
carrying the three-footed red lacquer trays
which contained the first course of the
banquet. am not going to describe the
food. as it makes me rather ill to
think Of it, hut / remember the
rapture with which / found myself
the sole object of attention to o de
mure little damask-cheeked Oriental, who
commenced operations by touching the
floor with her forehead and then squatted
me eat, which / never did. In front of
her she had little saucer and bowl full
of warm water, and an ApollinarIs-shaped
bottle of hot sake. In theory, she would
have to be pouring me out saucerful after
saucerful of hot sake, between each drink
dipping the saucer into the hot water to
cleanse and warm il with the same motion
But the first stopped me, and and the
Philistine next TO me sent for a bottle of
beer, and then this Daniel produced from
his oyerooat pocket large paper
of sandwiches. and we were independ-
ent of the live fish and the sea slugs
and the salted plums and the syruped po-
tatoes and all the other nastinesses of the
Japanese epIcure, which, by the by, We
should have had to cat with chopsticks,
always served joined together, TO show
that they have never been used before.
You have to break them apart like those
Boston matches, which are called hell
something, from their brimstonyness.
Then there was charming diversion.
Pretty. exquisitely dressed girl musicians
entered the back chamber with koto, biwa
and samisen. and were followed by the
famous maple dancers, dressed in the most
gorgeous brocades imaginable, with every
thing down 10 the backs of their fans and
the tops of their hairpins mapled.
The 1pialntiye, quaint twanging COM
menced. and the fair dancers danced as is
usual in Japan. with everything but their
feet. They wriggled over at angi>s of
about 90 degrees, and exhausted tragedy
and comedy with their fans, making the
most awful grimaces with their powdered.
eyebrowiess, giit-lipped faces, of the crane
necked. elongated, oval type considered so
arissocratic and lovely in Japan. / was
seized with burning desire to photograph
them, numbered and got into position,
with my Kodak and nash light cart
ridges. / lit the fuse. Nothing seemed
to happen, SO took up the
cartridge, when it went off With
the usual gun-accident promptness. re-
moving ell the skin and four of the nails
OF my right and. In the midst of nav
pain | couldn't help being amused as I
saw the dancers and singers disappearing
slke rabbits. They knes it was dynamite.
but gradually the nerves of the establish
ment were restored TO q tone which enabled
them to bring oil and -four q have always
been IN the habit OF burning my hands
since l was years old, so / knew
what remedies 10 appiyb. Sweet little
musmes brought me al kinds of restora-
tIves, and piled up soft silk cushions be-
ninc me and under my arms till il was
IKE sitting IN an armchair, and then the
prettless OF all the performers knelt before
me, and, touching the ground with her
forehead, asked me through the interpreter
II was well enough TO stand the rest Of
the performance l answered that the
honorable music and dancing might 60
on, which II did for the balance of the
four hours, with an extra dance
lor my oeneht at the end, and
.neh We went 10 our riki-
shas. escorted by all the females in the
establishment, players, dancers and wait
resSes, carrying the banquet | had been
unable to consume done lip in neat LITTLE
wnile wooden boxes. And then the Iaulns
We're III, and We darted off into the dark
ness oi me cryptomer}a groves. One thing
remains 70 be told. About week after.
ward received series Of exquisite photo
graphs he dancers. 70 express fhei,
sympathy, had had themselves speeiailv
photographed in full costume. and IN fhs
aatAt 9ses OF dancing on purpose for me-
DOUGLAS SLADES.