The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-08
THE INTERESTING JAPANESE:
A Writer Tells the Difference Betwess
Their Mourning and Ours-


Their Mourning and Ours
It has often been said that the Jap
| anese are the NEST interesting, tina
strangest even the quain test. people
| we know. In no regard il this truer
than IN the care they take OF their
ba bies- 1t is known probably 10 every
reading person that Japan. like all
Oriental lands is for obvious reasons.
furnitureiess. IL does not even know
the cradle As Diogenes made cup
of his followed hand, so the Japanese
mother makes u cradle of the hack OF
an older child. an ambulstipg. delights
full cradle. where it stays from Morn
ing to night and Is unry thmicaliy
rocked according to the chances and
sports which the day offers To its pa
tient and loving victim
The cause of the absencc of furniture
is the presence of tropical vermin. Thia
awful presence is probably also the
cause of the carpetlcss state OF tho
nursery The floor is covered with
stuffed straw mats. thick aud elastic;
it is the usual floor of japanese house.
The floor is nopped every day with
salt water; it is, in fact, a chlorine
wash. Ii must be remem bercd that in
Japan the dirt OF the street l. not
carried into the rooms sandals and
shoes being left at the front door.
There is a singular difference between
the carriage OF Japanese children and
the way in which our children wall1
and move about The Japan
fa~ ~
unkind pressure of tight shoes. and. ia
fact, no pressure at all. walks mora
erect, is more sure footed In fair
weather he wears fat straw sandals; In
these sandals the big toe is widely seps-
rated from the Others. which gives thu
child q surer foundation In wet
weather be must naintsin his squilc-
rum on his stiit-iike wooden ciors,
which keep mis- feet perfectly dry, al
the same time compelling him n ac-
quire an extraordinary power over his
own motion.
There is in Japan no kissing. not
even IN the nursery All the dangers
which have osen so eioqaentiy d.
scribed in newspapers some Ime ago,
rising from the touch Of hpa srs
avoided by the national aversion for
labial contact. When she loees ehile,
the japanese mother does not vrin-
her hands and leok up 20 heaven. sbs
sits with folded hands sunken head.
her eyes looking into her zap Japan
csc grief has been very eloquently de-
scribcd By nay COLLEAGUES IN Japan.
Prof Wernich and think Il .iil - =
good winding up % this little
article IL quote 4 passage Of his re-
marks bic book. '3eogF zphieo Medie3.
Studies" However often ! haze wit
messed the death Of dear relations.
children, for iustance. or husbands. {
never had occasion 70 observe thu
wringing OF hands 20 which European
women Of TIE lower classes are 20 much
addicted. A bitter sorrow was expressed;
through dep sinking Of The head,
grasping the hands together. shedding
o. tears That strong mental s<ony,
which digs iaso the soul. so - sPaax,
and takes bold Of IL Ike a bodily ps.n
seems 70 be uEkno~n ~ them
They never 't1rn 10 heaven ,hef~
faces bstbed n tczrs. an aetion whiea
20 u. seesas not only natural and IA
perfect accord with the essence Of grief
bu. also ~ regarded a. beautiful anG az
worthy subject Of artistic representa-
,son Ia przyerA the J2panss~ mother
does not lift her eyes 70 heaven. With
bent head. The bz1sy soEness lat ssrunk
together. sith hands pos tozstks- -
the palms ard slightly rsAse6 % Sc
level CT ths chm. ale sends hsr hz-ti~
prayer. Tor quite concerts things yeg
may - ssre. - Eead5a pr. Asa
mead IN sr.~uce