The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-08-22
Klrss oE ma EAA eAsT.
At Once the Envy and Despair of civil 'sed
Western Youth.


Western Youth.
One might wander about the national
museum for half year without taking
notice of collection of extraordinary
Chinese kites which are suspended over
head in the middle of the west wing
Nevertheless, they are well worth look
ing at, exhibiting as they do versatile
ingenuity Of device in flying apparatus
undreamed of by Europeans or Amer
leans
The small boy of the United States,
born an inventor because he is Yam
kee, thinks he is performing feat If he
succeeds in causing to soar a simple
pentagon of sticks and paper, of most
primitive shape, with tail of rags.
Such contrivauce, in comparison with
the scientific kites of China and japan,
is the merest crudity, unworthy of
civilization that vaunts itself superior
to hoary and effete east
Can the youth of this continent afford
20 confess a mechanical inferiority to
Chinese and Japanese of equal age?
Assuredly not. And yet it must be adj
mitted that the adolescent intelligence
of those races would regard the kites
and superior contempt.
The Caucasian kite bears the same re-
lation to the Chinese flyer as is borne
by the flint hatchet to the modern AK.
1t represents the acknowledgement OF
primary principle, improved upon by
thought. In the collection spoken of
are kites in the shape of frogs, lizards,
cranes, owls, gigantic flies and enor-
nous locusts.
Speaking of locusts, one ia reminded
of certain novel, translated from the
English into French in one chapter of
which there was mention of the hero's
| tying his horse to locust tree in front
Of the heroine's door when about to
make her visit.
Unfortunately the translator thought
that the word locust referred to the
insect of that name, and explained the
matter in an off-hand foot-note which
said that in the United States locusts
frequently grew to such gigantic size
that they were stuffed and utilized at
the curbstone for fastening horses to-
However, that has nothing to do with
kites.
Among those described at the museum
are human figures of all sorts, as well
as many queer animals of paper and
sticks, besides the ones already men
toned; but by far the most eXtraor-
dinary of all is kite thirty feet or more
long, in the shape of a snake-lille dragon.
No one but Chinaman or Japanese
would suppose that such thing could
be flown, and yet it is known that they
float them with astonishing effective
ness.
Such a kite does not in the least re-
semble any plaything of the sort known
in this part of the world. 1t is COM
posed of number of pasteboard disks,
each a foot in diameter fastened to-
gether with spaces between by cord
running the length of the dragon, with
a Notwithstanding head.
The string held by the manipulation of
this extraordinary toy is attached at
three or more points in its length, SO
that it may be controlled in the air.
While ahoat the long tail has an I'M
lulating and serpentine motion, thus
producing very realistic effect.
Kite flying has been reduced to n
science in China, where many thousands
of people will gather upon hill on a
holiday for the purpose of enjoying the
sport. Many of the kites are cut loose
and let GO, because it is imagined that
they float away with misfortunes that
are threatening.
The Japanese are not less superior to
Europeans in the art of top spinning
than in that of flying kites. Their skill
in this latter sport is at once the envy
and despair of civilized western youth.
Washington Star