The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1891-02-21
UPSIDE DOWN.
Something Peculiar About the Habits
of the japanese.

It is not necessary to put abso-
lutte faith in the legend that when
the walters of Dai Nippon first made
the acquaintance of bottles and
corkscrews they were wont to twist
the bottle on the corkscrew instead
Of screwing the corkscrew into the
cork. Nevertheless, you may see to
this day at almost any out-of-the-
way country inn tendency in that
direction, which seems to lend some
truth to the story. The little hand
maid who puzzles over the problem
of uncorking your claret or whisky
has an evident leaning, until cor
rected, to solve it with the bottle.
When your cook bakes cake in
an ordinary cake tin, it is certain
that, if left to himself, he will serve
it bottom upward and bottom sug-
CARED withal, as it is that the butler
will open your tins of jam or pate
at the bottom instead of at the top.
japanese books begin at what we
call the end. The lines are vertical
instead of horizontal, the first be-
ing on the righthand edge of the
page, and are read downward from
the top. The place for ''foot notes"
is at the top of the page and that
for the readers marker at the bot
tom. Letter writing, like book print
ing, advances by vertical lines from
right to left, and is always on one
side of the strip of paper, which is
unwound from roll as the writer
proceeds and cut off where he fin
ishcs. To fold the letter it is doub-
led over and over from one end of
the strip to the other. The postage
stamp is affixed on the closed seal
flap Of the envelope instead of on
it's face. AS for the mode of ad-
dress, it is the exact reverse of ours.
Thus, England, London, Printing
house Square, the Times Office, the
Editor" would be the way of ad-
dressing this letter. People in Ja-
pan are called by the family name
first, the individual or what we
would call Christian name next,
and then the honorific. "Mr. Peter
Smith" is in this country "Smith
Peter Mr." The carpenter planes
and saws toward instead Of from
him-yet his feats of planning are
extraordinary. japanese screws are
left handed and japanese locks
work 1.-The wrong way"
When travelling you see the hStel
servants soon after your arrival In
stead of at departure. Arrows are
launched from the left side of the
bow. Babies are carried On the
back instead of in the arms. Can.
dies are blown out with the hand
or fan instead of by the breath
The bookkeeper enters his money
figures first, his items below them.
In place of the hot food and cold
drinks in which we indulge at our
dinners and luncheons the japanese
lean to cold food and hot drinks.
Sweets make their appearance early
in the repast. Your host takes the
lowest place. Crests are worn on
the clothing instead of being craven
or painted on the household goods.
Horses are mounted from the right
side, where also are all the harness
fastenings. The name is trained
over the left side. In the stable the
horse looks outward from his stall
and is fed from a bucket instead of
manger. In house-building the ROOT
is the first part constructed, only to
be taken to pieces again until the
substructure is ready for it; and
the best room, as well as the garden
are commonly at the back instead
of at the front.-London Times.