Smyrna times., 1893-12-27
JAPANESE SCENES.
ODD AND INTERESTING SIGHTS SEEN
BY A TRAVELLER.


Beautiful Dancing.
The japanese pedestrians who are not |
barefoot wear wooden clogs, or pattens,
or straw sandals. In either case they are |
kept on by a cord which passes between |
the great toe and the others, the stock |
ings being made to accommodate, like a
mitten, the great toe i'll place of the |
thumb. The pattens are raised two or
three inches from the ground by cross
pieces under them four inches apart, and
they make great clattering, especially
in crossing a bridge or wooden platform.
The majority of the japanese men of the
common sort are bareheaded in the street.
The women never have any other cover
ing on the head than their elaborately
dressed hair, always very black, very
smooth and very abundant. Frequently,
though, in these days, the japanese man
who still wears the native costume sur
mounts it with derby hat, which pro-
duces a peculiar effect.
One of the first things which strike a
stranger is the manner in which the ba-
bies are carried. We see men, women
and children with babies ON their backs.
1t is not uncommon to see a girl of or
s years with baby brother or sister
strapped on her shoulders. Thus incum-
bered the children walk about, play at
games, stop to look at puppet shows, and
do what they please, without appearing
to feel the burden. The babies are apt
to be asleep, and their heads swing about
until you wonder that their necks are
not broken. The children all seem to be
merry and amiable. Very seldom is one
seen either cross or noisy. / wish the
good missionaries who are beginning to
swarm in the country would send home
the secret of the excellent behavior of
the children.
AS rule, the young and middle aged
women are quite good looking, subject
to the peculiarities of their type. They
have smooth, round faces, often with
fresh color, liquid black eyes, exquisite
hands and well rounded arms. Their
feet are not so attractive, being spread
out by the use of clogs or pattens. This
footgear tends to give them ungraceful
gaits-a sort of waddle-and it is con-
sidered the correct thing to toe in. Their
costume, almost always becoming as to
materials and color, makes them look a
little dumpish. This is especially the
effect of the great bow of the belt or obi
worn on the small of the back as much
as foot square, In most cases the faces
wear 9miable, contented expressions.
The women Of Japan are much better
treated than their sisters in other east
ern nations, but they are considered dis
tinctly inferior to the men and are
| taught from their earliest childhood Obe,
dience-lrst, to their parents; then to
their husbands, and finally to their sons
when they become the heads of their
households. But this does not appear to
weigh upon the japanese woman. She
is cheerful, dOcila and cOntentei with
her lot, happy to serve in the station ap.
pointed her, with simple tastes and good
digestion, and pOliteness which never
fails. They are said to be good house
keepers, always Observant of their du-
ties, but the simplicity of their house
keeping relieves them of great meas
4re of the care which wrinkles the brow
of the New England housekeeper,
Their houses, even the best of them,
are the simplest structures imaginable,
containing almost nothing of what we
call furniture, and their dresses require
no art in their cutting and manufacture.
Thus the two great causes of worriment
| from which our women suffer do not ex-
ist for these simple creatures.
| We had heard so much about the gel
sha girls that we were curious to extend
our chronological investigations in this
direction. Soon after our arrival in Yos
kohama arrangements were made by an
experienced friend for function at one
of the best tea houses in the city. We
started at 6p. m, five of us, each in a
jinrikisha, fOp q ride to the place ap.
pointed, about mile from our hotel,
We went off at brisk trot, each human
nag carrying paper lantern. Through
the crowded streets, around the corners,
with sharp warnings, we Jared, and in
10 minutes brought up at ouF Tendez
vous. We were received with low sa.
laams, and after exchanging our boots
for soft Oversocks, were conducted to a
spacious room, inclosed by paper pan.
eled partitions. Here we sat down on
silk cushions about 10 inches square. Al
the side of each was placed q bibachi, &
small box containing u live coal imbed
ded in ashes to furnish light for pipt
or cigar.
A buxom attendant approached will
tea things, made low prostration, while
her face touched the floor, and mos
gracefully served tea for us. She alsC
brought us fruit and cakes, every step o
the process punctuated by a low bow. IL
this preparation succeeded six girls
quite pretty, neatly dressed in soft crap
costumes, with smiling faces. Two wer,
to play the samisen. sort Of guitar, an(
the others were the dancers. All squat
ted and prostrated themselves before us
Then the music struck up, the player
accompanying their instruments with
peculiar vocal effort which bore the bur
den of the story to be illustrated in th
dance.
The dancers sprang to their places ant
, the fun began. Each dancer carried
fan, the managing of which was an i'm
portant part of the business. The move
ments were graceful after their kin
and perfectly innocent and decorous.
was entirely different from those voluI
tuous eastern dances which caused S
much disturbance to the sensitive mora
sense Of Chicago. The dance closed wit
a general prostratiOn. Then the dancer
came forward and squatted in front
us and about six feet away, with face
: as demure as those of young kitten
There were five or six different dances
3 we were fully satisfied as to quantity
and then the function came to an en-
withsweet smiles and "sayonaras" (goot
bys) as we departed.-.BostOn Herald.
2 The GiIlOtt Sale.
q The epoch making sale was that of th
elliott collection in 1S72-Gillott wit
] two CPS" and two "t's'; "all others ar
!. fraudulent counterfeits," )" as one used I
read on the steel pen boxes of other day.
: A good, homely creature was the lewis
n than steel pen maker, who captivate
N the great Turner in the crankiest of hi
N moods and tanned him by the music {
VI crisp thousand pound notes.
N What will you take for the lotY' wa
N traditionally the penman's question q
R he glanced in real awe around the grea
N artists studio, where paintings wei
> stacked as If in brokers' shop.
NJ Thirty thousand pounds" growle
N the artist, who might have been IL
N brokers' man as far as appearance wen
N elliott sat down to count out the not,