The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1891-06-04
l0llY JAPANESE.


AMI women in Miniature.
or all the charming surprises that
await the globe-trotting traveller in
iapa. tn" i%uaintcst. the most pictur-
ssoNe, the mostcaptivating will be found
in the by-strects where the little kimo-
noed children romp and play as children
must all the world over. Here we find
hem playing games varying but little
from those we see in our streets at home
-hattlcdoro and shuttlecock, bounce
bath hap scotch, etc, The games are
familiar enough. But the children.
Nothing short of actual acquaintance
can convey any correct idea of the
charm attached to them.
No doubt at first much of this charm
is connected with their picturesque eos
Tune; with the variety of coloring in
their ily-aWay kilnOnos and broad obs
or SaNhe~, and it may, perhaps, lie in the
fart-and II strikes one h%umorously at
tirst-that each child is in appearance a
miniature adult: for, with the trihinr
exception of the broad tuckS at the
shoulders, its dress is the same as that
of a grown person. And it is odd and
delightfully."- quaint to see these chubby
lutte ln"H and women, many with still
smaller and chubhicr samples of hui
manity ON their backs. frolickinr in the
hearty enjoyment Of childrcn's fun.
But there is also a charm in the little
creatures themselves, apart from their
butterfly sleeves and little pittcr-patter
cloga, their plump checks show a ruddy
glow beneath the olive skin-a striking
contrast to the Sallow Chinese.
Their mouths are almost invariably
well shaped, often cXaggarating the adj
mircd Cupid's bow, and their slanting
black eyes, sparkling under the peculiar
~ sharp fold ofthe upper lid. give adeli-
cious %piquancy to the baby face. The
masses of black hair are often elabor.
atcly arranged, and ornamcnted with
wisps of @spangled colorcd crepe and
sprigs of artificial flowers, when they
adorn the heads of little girls: while the
boys are either shaved as fancifully as
any poodle, OF trimmed to something
like a mop. Their little faces are brim-
ming over with fun and good temper.
The Japanese are said to be the most
childish of the human race. | am sure
the Japanese boys and girls are the most
childlilie of all children; and how sur
prisingly good they are! Naughtiness
is almost unknown. Ihavc spent hours
watching them in the streets, in school,
Mt work or at play, and very rarely
have seen n quarrel, writes a traveller.
Some discussion may arise, and for a
moment one expects chubby fists to
come in contact with chubby heads: but
an innate sense of humor is with them a
stronger passion than %pugnacity, and
the threatening thunder clouds burst in
a rain of laughter.
BY what golden spell do Japanese par.
cnts control their children? By what
magic do they command the willing
obedience which is a noticeable char.
acteristic in these little people? Ger.
tainly not by coercion nor by punish.
mcnts. ! have been 'slumming' for
over Il year in all parts of Japan, and
never once have ] seen a child slapped
or shaken, and | have been told by Eu.
ropean teachers in native schools that
punishments are very rare and discipline
very easy to maintain.
Rapidly cheap German clothing 4.
driving away the classic kimono. I'm,
ported boots are cramping the little toe.
which through generations have known
no further restraint than the padded
cords Of sandal or clog. And, worse
than all, the little round heads, which
for thousands of years have required
only an oiled paper parasol to protec
them from sunshine and shower, mr.,
now thrust into every variety of Euro
pean cap and hat, from the hard fel
"bowler" 10 the unadorned straw shape
IN. Y. Journal