The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-04-16

No sooner do you slide back the outside door
thar three or four female servants appear In
the dim light and welcome you with q chorus
OF komben-,oa. GOOD evening" and. IL you
are an habitue. shibarakS. what q long time
since you were here" You don your shoes.
mount upon the raised floor. and one OF the
servants. who turns out TO be q buxom little
bahdmaiden in y cotton gown. lights q paper
candle lamp upon q long bamboo stem. leads
you to one OF the rooms Of the house. and
places square leather cushions for you. The
honorable mistress ' OF the ouse okam'sdn
probably appears for q few minutes: you
exchange compliments with her. and Cotton
Gown this has become n proper name to dis
tinGuish the wearer from the silk gowns that
are seen later reaprears with tea. cakes, and
a brazier for tobacco. Then she seats herself
upon her heels. smiles wise , and trcttily upon
you. and awaits your order. She knows that you
did not come to a tea house to enjoy your own
company. and the only question lie whom will
you summonp The question answered. Cot
ton Gown speeds a messenger TO n very curl
GUS neiRhborhood. which may be called Geisha
street. 1t is q long lare. so narrow that tho
inhabitants could touch hands across It nlled
on both sides with tiny one-story houses, be-
fore each OF which hangs q paper lantern with
q name and a few ~poeticai characters Upon IL.
while from within necessarily comes merry
laughter and the clang Of the samisen. Here
live the %oe'sbns. and every afternoon about 4
there 10 q string Of them in loose cotton wrap
pers In gay patterns going TO and from the bath
house. Soon afterward the messengers begin
to arrive from all points Of the compass. and a
little later. in trios-Geisha and maid and sam
issn bearer-the little residents clatter away
on their clogs In all directions
One has waited in the tea house perhaps ten
minutes slipping tea. when there is q flip flap
OF little bare feet upon the polished stairs. and
then the dam twines herself round the cor
ner. falling on the threshold on her hands and
knees. and bowling her head to the floor in
salutation Of each visitor. No matter how we'll
you may be acquainted with her. she never
omits this tumble Then she seats
herself among the visitors. takes q little silver
and bamboo pipe and brocade pouch from the
massive silk obi. which serves her at once as
corset and tournure and pocket. and enjoys her
whin OF the straw-colored tobacco OF the coun-
try. Other geishas arrive one by one. and
soon the conversation Is m cry and the Jokes
fly fast. We are told that the eeisha makes
up for lack Of education By ready wit. perfect
manners. anda multitude Of little clevernesses
games with the hands and fingers. games
OF ~forfeits. tricks with pieces Of paper and bits
OF string. besides her stock In trade OF songs
sentimental and songs scandalous and dances
solemn and comic 1t is her business TO en-
tertain you. and she generally manages to do
It. even though her own heart Is often heavy
enough. One OF them is described with some
minuteness by our author. a Reisha named
Miss Fate" because she was OF the kind thar
play fate's tricks with men. Her tenderness
caused her to seem taller than she was: when
she moved. it was like the flowing Of water or
the waving OF leaves: her complexion was
like olives: hsr eyes were as a pool hidden in
autumn woods; her hands and feet were such
as exist nowhere but in Japan. and in her the
winning wiles OF a woman were grated upon
the artlessness'oI b. child.
Heyebv h.,os tbe storr =, IN. o.,sh. .h.
most cbarac,eristic ana on r,oms nroau.. -,
J.n.ne.e sociaI liz wIth 1000 ~ ~.
oeisb,. md Nc mora pr,ort,n.t. ;,n.t... -,
the yosbiwer. mr. orBc,.l nro,;,,t -, 6u.. =.
;oie soma ono,a.oua INTERPRETATIONS. h.,a ~
coma current IN vastarn conntri.. &c.
has MAN c,rop,ot.d IN .oro-,I ro,o,t hoot. ..
J.nan IN tha $500 th,, :, q.
aIi.I dsvotion for,. air, - ro,r,t.a. nn..L.
IN devo+a her.aIf ,o.n mnor.l I,a TO- 80
NJ xe.rs In ordar r. nav har naront.. d.hts -
extr,cats than from some otb.r enh.rr...-
ment. or even 70 Law nv a IittIa monev for bsr-
ssIf: and that. this done. sbs returns r. the
bosom OF Ter family as II nothing had n.pnened
indeed with the added hr!o OF nlial piety.
" io'iJ A. AK iuotduCos uoS IN.
formed US that Many girls devote them-
selves to three or four years immortality OF set
purpose. amass comfortable little sums OF
money. are warmly welcomed back into
the domestic circle. and arc regarded
as models OF hlial duty IN having
thus toiled for the support Of their par
ents. In fact. the landmarks v virtue
and vice are obliterated." This Is pronounced
by Mr.. Norman unmitigated rubbish. He
made searching inquiries on the point in sll
quarters and from all sorts OF people. from the
hiRh officers OF the police departmen t down
to the files de jois themselves. and he has no
hesitation In describing the statement rs pre-
posterous. 1t is true that the majority OF the
girls who enter the ioshiwara are forced to
60 there in order that their parents may profit
by their earnings. but there is not one case In
hundreds where they arc not unwilling and
unhappy victims. In japan a daughter Yields
unQuestioning obedience to her parents under
all circumstances Therefore. when they say