The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1893-02-23
FAIR WOMEN OF JAPAN.
HOME LIFE OF PICTU RESQU E
ORIENTAL BELLIES.
Peculiar WaIk-Bathtng as Social
Custom-How Widows, Maids and
Matrons Are Distinguished.

| ture which seems to hav'
suffered some neglect from
| most writers is the home life OF the wo
men of the well-to- do middle class il
that country. The doings of women IL
one mart of the world is almost always d
source of great interest to her sisters in
the other.
No japanese lady with any claim to
position in society dreams of walking IN
a rational manner. The step must be
very short and "choppy," and care is
taken that the shoes shuttle at every
movement. The japanese dudines have
an elastic band joining their knees in a
manner that prevents them from taking
vulgar every day steps like their poorer
questionable sisters. An erect carriage
is also regarded with horror by Jap
anese belle; it is considered "mannish, y
the staid. true, aristocratic elegance is
thought to be embodied in a somewhat
STOPPING, roundshouldered attitude.
Japan can truly be said to be the prom
,, ised land of baths, and in these do the
ladies of the land indulge to their heart
content. Strange though it may sound,
it is nevertheless true that clubbing" has
developed into social kind of sport and
recreation among the women of leisure OF
Japan. Little square bits of rice paper,
covered with hieroglyphics of the spor-
tive tadpolc variety, are sent out by some
society bud or blossom. They read :
"Your delightful company is desired at
informal luncheon" At the lower left
hand corner is the word Clubbing"
| Everyone accepting is expected to bring
her maid and the necessary parapher-
| MALTA. The baths are taken extremely
hot, and are supposed to beautify the
| complexion. After the bath the maid
rubs her ladyship with rice chaif and
| then annoits her with some delicate per-
fume. Soap Is carefully eschewed, as the
| ladies say it makes the skin dry and
hard. Now the shampooer, as the mas
sour is called, is brought to perform her
duty, which also includes the office of
manicure. Her ladyship is given thor
ough kneading and rubbing, and comes
out of the ordeal with color that rivals
the glowings petals OF the deep-blushing
poppy. Now she is provided with two
tiny aprons tied about her swaist and
swathed in soft, clinging bath robe of
an exquisite shade. Assuming kneel-
| ing posture, her maid takes a curiously
CONSTRUCTED box, containing movable
ball, with which she rubs or rather pol
ishes the skin of the neck and arms of
her mistress.
After this comes the most important
part of the toiet-the dressing of the
hair. All japanese women, high and
low, are extremely proud of their hair, of
which, as rule, they possess very
luxuriant abundance, but they do not
hesitate to increase its wealth should ma
ture have been negligent in its supply
The Jat,aneso Iadioe do not ego in" for
the betwitching, tantaIizing fluftiness of
! hairiresslng that our American young
women indulge in. But there is prob
ably a reason for this in the fact that,
Notwithstanding Sir E1wiu's rhapsodie'
about "Glistening silken tresses," their
mar is IdlneT COdtSt.
Embarrassing mistakes as to the mar
ried or unmarried women are cleverly
avoided by arrangements OF the hair.
The young women supposed to be open
for proposals, part their hair in two or
more strands, while the married ones
simply comb theirs in a solid pompadour
roll. For state occasions the young
girls affect very artistic combinations.
In one the hair is coiled around large
ring of tortoise shell which is permitted
to CLEAN between the tresses. With this
style superb tortoise shell pins and combs
are the only ornaments permitted. In
other arrangements gold and silver
| threads are skillfully introduced as well
as exquisite flowers of silver or gold fill
gree, many of which are ingeniously
constructed to open and shut as the
| fair wearer moves her head. A married
woman scarcely ever has any jewels
in her hair. If she does they must
not be over flashy. The matrons gen
! orally arrange their hair in a deep falling
chignon. If a widow wishes to signify
| her desire to once more assume the bonds
of matrimonial bliss she deity signalizes
her wish by arranging her hair in a
heavy braid through which she puts a
very long pin. This braid is arranged
horizontally near the top of the head,
and is so pronounced in its character as
to be almost aggressive. Again, should
a widow prefer to cherish the memories
of her past husband and intends to re-
main apart from wedlock she mutely tells
her desire to the world by combing her
hair straight back from the forehead and
cutting it short in the reck.
When lady is preparing for somt
"swell" entertainment she, like her sis.
tiers in other parts of the world, seeks the
rouge pot as beautider. Her neck is
given a touch of nice powder, her cheeks
a tinge of rouge; then few thin dots oil
gold paint are put on the under lip
which, as well as the upper one, Il
painted bright vermilion. Her eye
brows are made as slender arches as pos
sible and carefully darkened. Even thu
eye lashes and nostrils are given careful
attention, the former being curled, tn
latter tinted.