davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-29
BUILDING THE FRAMEWoRK OF Il JAPANEsE HOUSE

them as very inferior substitute for NOR
Using, which, in his eyes, Is the only work.
manlike method
Roofs are either tiled, shingled or tbatched,
the latter only in the country and among
poor people. Shingles are tackled on with
bamboo pegs, while tiles are set In mortar,
Justas do. The tiles are of many shapes,
all pretty and very heavy. The mortar Is
maze by two men who knead 1t with their
feet; when 1t is the proper consistency it is
turned into straw bag and handed over to
a boy. who makes it up into balls. One
man places himself In convenient position
near the building, while another stands on
the edge OF the roof, then the first losses
ball oil mortar to the second. and so on until
IL reaches the man who is laying the tiles.
III the house is large one perfect chain
OF men Is required for this work. Holds aud
hod-carrying are almost unknown in japan.
The outside walls of the houses are SIM
ply sliding wooden screens, called amado,
arranged very much the same way as the
large double doors between two rooms
which are so fashionable in American
houses; inside the amado are the shojl. also
sliding screens or latticed frames OF very
light split-bamboo covered with thin white
paper.
Generally the amado are closed all night
or during heavy transforms during the day.
Ihey run back in grooves especially made
for them and are entirely hidden from view.
I'D summer the shoJi, TOO, can be pusned
aside and the whole house opened through
and through.
Occasionally In these modern days a
few Danes of glass are set In the mid
die OF the lattice. Sir Edwin Arnod's
house in Toxic had nearly all the shoji filled
with glass instead of paper, and most for
eigners occupying native houses finds this
almost necessity, as Japanese houses are
usually very dark.
The partitions between the rooms are
like the shoji. except that very often
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-29

her eyes rested upon me, though she shifted
her gaze when | looked at Ter. L rose in
the afternoon. but in a few hours was glad
TO get to bed again. Next day | felt de-
cidedly better and stronger. 1t was bright,
still day, cloudless, and the sun lay warm
upon the land, and the sea stretched like
polished plate of steel, full of CLEANS of
different shades of blue. | went down
to the pier in an Old-fashioned rckety
chair and my aunt walked by my side.
The haTbor was gay with the red canvas Of
smacks; number of ships Of many rigs lay
close in against the wall and their white
canvas hung mOtiOnlesS in frstoons. dying
after the rain or dew Of the night The
sweet, salt still atmosphere was refreshing
to the very innermOst life of one. All
sounds came in a sort Of music from the
town, and l head a CAV ringing of church
bells as for a marriage; the tones silyered
TO the ear by distance mingled pleasantly
with the noise of the fOaming OF the strong
tide racing off the rounded base of the pier.
said To aunt, when Tom and | are mar
ritd we shall often come TO Ramsgate, and
perhaps live here. l do not wonder that
you like the place"
In silence she stepped to the side Of the
pier. and seemed 10 look earnestly at the
figure Of a smack that had dropped her
anchor about mile off. her brown sails
hoisted, and the image under her as perfect
as a mirror could reflect it. When she re-
turned to my side she spoke Of the beauty
Of the day, and the difference between the
air Of SteDney and of RamsGate, and we
then leisurely returned to our lodgings.
was sure that some trouble weighed
upon her mind, but as my questions seemed
TO make her peeyish, as her worry might re-
late to something which she would wish to
conceal from me. forbOre further inquiry.
That day passed, and next day l was well
en- Tough 10 rise after breakfast, and 90 into
the drawlng-rO0m, where l sat upon a sofa
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-29

receive Us, and Kissed us both IN silence as
though some one dear to Us all lay dead up-
stairs. Exhausted as ! was by the long
Journey, BY the cold. by the dreadful suf-
ferngs Of my mind, | would still insist on
hearing Of Tom, on learning how re was,
how he looked, the meaning of this dread
ful thing which had befalen him and me
before | sat and took bite, or stirred a
loot to the bedroom 10 remove my travelling
attire But my uncle was lnfiexibe.
Go with your aunti" he eXclaim ed.
then return with her here and warm aud
refresh yourself l cannot talk nationally
with one who looks half dead"
He forced me TO obey, but made haste to
rejoin him. He placed me close TO the fire,
and gave me some hot brandy and water
and biscuit, which he said would act as a
stay till supper was served, and, my aunt
arriving, he began to talk about Tom.
He is charged-did not l write it?-wth
attempting 10 scuttle his shin"
why should he do that?" ! cried.
''Io deiraud the insurance Offices. told
him at the time that he erred by over
insuring, but il seems that he went further
even than he admitted; for he put a venture
of cargo Of his own into the vessel aud in
sured the goods and the freight in the Nep-
tune. Four offices!" he exclaimed, and ne
broke off, looking down with very grave
face.
Where is he?" | cried.
''In Newgate." he answered.
"Oh. don't tell me thatl" shrieked, clasp
ing my hands and rocking myself.
My aunt stared with white face at her
husband.
''Now, Marian" said my uncle. ''if you
possess one particle of the spirit of your
father let it animate and support you now
now, and until this tragic affair is at an
end. Screams and lamentations are not
going 70 help Captain Butler. He says that
he IS the victim OF diabolcal conspiracy;
l believe il, and it will be our duty to prove
it. What is there about Newgate more
than there is about Millbank. or the Hulks,
or HorsemOnger Lane, TO horrify you?"
why is he in Newgate ?" asked my aunt
HE was charged yesterday at Bow Street
and committed to take his Trial at the CEN
trai Criminal Court That's why. There is
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-29
CHAPTER VIILCoNr1NuEpl

The next letter | received from Tom was
dated at sea. d few leagues from ths Scilly
Islands. II had brought lis topsail to the
mast. he wrote, TO send his letter by little
coasting schooner that was inward bound.
BE blessed me, and sent me many messages
of love, and wrote in high spirits of his ship
and crew. Rotch was very civil and alert
he said. his crew as willing and active a
body Of men as ever lie had charge Of, and
his bark was clipper. the swiftest babric
that was ever bowed By q breeze
of wind. II don't mean to spare
her." he wrote, "and she knows
e. II there's virtue in sailelotb. my
beloved, she shall walk. She shall whiten
old ocean for your sake, my darling, though
it should come to my holding on with my
ROYALS when we ought to be under double
reefs" l laughed when l read his sea
terms. for I understood them, yet l pOuted,
too, for was fool enough TO feel jealous Of
his admiration Of his bark, He ought to
admire nothing living or dead but me.
thought TO myself BE may go and fall in
love with his ship and think her mistress
enough for him. and then l kissed his letter
and read il again and yet again, and counted
how many days had gone since he had left
me. and how many weeks must pass before
he would return.
Much about this time aunt received a
letter from her son VIII. This. too, was
addressed from sea. We had heard from
him from Plymouth-a few brief lines-and
not since He wrote that they had met
with fearful weather in the channel, and he
believed that he had mistaken his calling
he would swap all his fne notions of start
ing on career and seeing the world for
one hour OF the comfortable parIOr near the
tower and good dinner of roast beef and
caulifower. It's a dogs life" said he.
The captain is stern and Ike n sentry-yOu
mustn't speak TO him; the second mate is a
bit of a bully. big. strong and noisy; you
never saw such beef as they serve out in all
your life: the oldest sailor on board swears
he never recollects worse pork, and they say
that before we're up with the Cape the
bread for ships use will be all aiive-ow
AN first voyagers write Ike that" said
my uncle. returning the letter to his wife
before VIII IS a fortnight al home he'll
be making our lives burden with his re-
grets and lamentations that his ship DOM
sail sooner"
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-29

wheeled close to the window I was read
ing novel which my aunt had bOrro wed
from the Marine Library, and had wholly
forgotten myself in he interest o the story.
Ny aunt had been absent for at least an
hour. | believed she was out shopping.
She entered without her bonnet and coming
TO the sofa sat down, took me by the hand
and looked me in the face. The tears gushed
into her eyes suddenly. and for lew mo-
ments she moved her lips In vain effort to
speak. She then SAID:
Il dare not conceal il longer from you.
Marian. But oh. what news it IS how am
l to break it to y0u?"
threw the pook down. The neck OF my
d ess seemed TO strange me; mechanically
| removed my brooch and eased the tension
of my neck with my fingers while looked
at her
at concerns Tom." she said
'Is he deaG?" said ], speaking with a
heightened note in my voice that carried it
Out of recognition Of my own hearing.
NO"
rs it very bad news?"
Marian" she said. beginning to cry again,
sit is shocking had news. Il is incredible.
Il may come uutal right, but it is not the
less terrible"
Idrew in several deep breaths and said,
"Why Will You not Tell me this dreadful
news Of Tom?"
He is In London"
an LondOn!' l shrieked, springing to
my feet.
She pulled me gently to the sofa. and,
putting her hand in her pocket, drew forth
a letter.
Your health would not allow NE to
speak u you BEFORE" said she in broken
voice, Even now | fear that | am in too
great hurry. But what am TO do? You
would not thank ma for any longer con-
cealing the truth. Tom is in prison, Mar
ian"
l stared al her and shivered.
Your uncle's letter." she continued,
opening it with both hands, which trembed
excessively, will better explain what has
happened than | can. VIII you read it?"
l took it, The handwriting reeled. ! re-
turned the letter TO her and said Read it
to me, aunt:
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-29

the japanese, for in a land where the Seis-
biological Society reports thlrty-sx earth
quakes per month, slight or violent, as the
case NAV be, q brick or stone chimney is a
dangerous affair.
When visitor arrives at the house he
does not ring or knock, for there is nothing
TO ring or knock there, but in order TO make
the inmates aware that some one desires ad-
mission. he approaches the entrance, claps
his hands together and calls: "Gomen-nasai'
Il beg your pardon) or. il the visitor is an
intimate friend. he may say, simply,
'Moshi, Moshi'' Il say. l say.
The amount of furniture required in
these houses is very tr fling, and tue OUTLAY
for this item. which is SO heavy drain on
the purse OF the American bridegroom, is a
very slight expense to the Japanese hus-
| band-eect
He requires no beds, chairs, washstands
nor wardrobes. His dining-room furniture
consists of only n few little lacquer tables,
or rather stands, and several square cush-
ions for seats.
The fur ishlng of the reception-room, or
parlOr, as we would say, is equally simple,
and comprises a panel picture, kakemone.
on silk or paper, and two vases containing
few flowers, or, more frequently. a flower
ing branch.
These are placed on sort of raised shelf
running down one side the room and save
for the mats on the floor these are the only
ornaments or furniture in the room.
Wealthy people who have many handsome
and costly curOs keep them in a iIeproOf
warehouse called goodwin" They never
set out more than two or three pieces at
time, and To the japanese our drawing
rooms resemble curio-shop rather than
guest rooms.
The only method Of heating these houses
is by charcoal braziers or hibachi,. which
are about as good for the purpose rs
candle flame is for warming ones hands.
Is the japanese house comfortable?
In summer. yes; but in winter, no, thou
sand times no.
In warm weather they are delightful, so
lovely bower than ordinary houses.
But in the winter they are unendurably
cold and draughty. and frequently very
dark, as during rain or snow storms the
amado or heavy wooden shutters must be
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-29

watched them the pugilistic contagion
spread through the flock, and soon nearly
the whole of the lambs had paired off and
were Quitting away at each other for dear
life IN head-to-head contest for. who knows
What-certainly not the sheep stupid brutes
that they are. Their stupidity is due. in
part, to this very method of fighting. which
only those with the densest skulls can sur
vlye. The thin-skulIed ones, whose brains
might have chance to EXPAND, get killed
oH-the thlck-Skulled ones, tiItest to survive,
grow up and reproduce their kind and thus
the denseskulled, thick-brained sheep has
been evolved
After all, however. the sheep Is much
malIgned animal. On his native heath he
IS by no means the fool we think him. and
ms native h8ath IS not the broad, fertile
lowland pasture, but the steep. rocky face
of some all but inaccessible mountain.
where he climbs and runs with the freedom
and agility OF his cousin, the goat The
very fact that the lambs were fighting for
possession of a hillOck shows "the nature
of the beast" Itcrops out IN the young
creatures, as these nearly forgotten hered-
itary instincts are apt to in the young of
any species, although the mature animals
show no traces Of them. TheirYer seaua-
clOusness-the "f0llOw-my-le LEADER" habit so
characteristic of them-is but an hereditary
instinct of their mountain origin.
The leader of a band of sheep In the
office by virtue of his acknowledged
sagacty. courage, and sureness ana swift
ness OF foot. If the band was fleeing from
pursuing foe each one could not pick his
own way, but must follow the leader. The
rebeliious follower who, seeing his leader
jump high in air when sudden chasm was
reached, refused to jump without first see
Ing the lay of the land, would have been
pushed forward by the onward rush of the
sheep behind him, and killed. Each sheep
Jumped just rs high aud just as far as it had
seen the leader do. and thus the habit be-
came fixed. This is why, some time ago, a
curious and eXasperating accident occurred
down at the water front. According to the
eyewitness who related the story 10 me, a
band OF sheep were being driven along the
wharf to be loaded on a steamer. when one
Of the leaders took fright, ran, and jumping
over light rail, sDrang into the bay. The
next conner in his jump carried away the
rail, bur,despite all the efforts Of the drivers
and bystanders, dozen or more OF the
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-29

way. Usually foundations are laid over
crushed stone. which is spread over the
whole area 10 be C vered by the house.
After this has been done a scaffOlding Of
bamboo poles is tied together with ropes
never nailed. Half q dozen or more men
mount this and seize the ropes attachsd 10 a
huge beam which they drop into what is
called Foundation hole" that is n large
stone with a followed place IN the middle.
The whole frame of the house consists OF
horizontal and cross beams and is easily M
pieted in day. The evening az the day the
frame Is finished the workmen have grand
celebration ana drink sake or rice whisky
to tlIeir hearts content.
Before the workmen depart the owner Of
the house or the master carpenter throws
mochi or rice cake from the roof down
am ong the workmen, who scramble for" it,.
As they haul the beams up the men sing
in a sort OF unison ''He-ah, he-ah," some
what as sailors DO with us.
If the owner is at all superstitiOus. and
particularly If he intends TO occupy the
house himself, he aScends 10 the middle
crossbeam and shoots an arrow northward
to rive off any evil spirit who may have
cast longing eye upon the new house as a
good place OF abode.
The wsges OF the men run on an average
OF from 80 to 90 cents day, and they have
frequent and regular ''smoke times" when
they all sit down together and fill their tiny
pines
On their dull blue cotton kimODos or coats,
just between Their shoulders. is a large
white circle, inside Of which is stamped In
white on the blue the embems of their
trade or guild.
All wOrkmen wear some such symbol, so
that mans trade can easily be told from
the stamp on his coat.
The nobility or gentry substitute their
crest for the trade emblem, but it is worn in
the same place.
1t Is interesting enough to watch the men
at work Almost everything they do is
done In exactly the opposite way western
carpenter would perform the same work.
These men saw away from themselves and
draw tie plane toward them and all the
screws turn the wrong way.
The timbers and beams are not nailed,
but morticed. Nails are very seldom used
In Japan, and the native workman regards
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-29

the paper is covered with pictures.
These partitions run In grooves or which
there are several in various parts OF the
polished wooden ceiling. so that the size
and shape OF the rooms can be altered at
will.
Instead of handles little thumb holes" Of
metal are set in the side and often these are
very prettlly wrought as the petal OF
flower or some other graceful coDceit.
As a rule the houses are one story only.
but when they have a second floor it seldom
covers the whole area of the lower story,
and the stairs are apt to be of very break
neck description.
Architects plans and estimates are I'M
known in the land OF the Rising Sun, so the
Japanese HORSEPOWER knows nothing Of
the American house builders trouble of an
intention to build $500 house, only to
find it will cost $1,000 before be can have it
completed.
The finest rooms OF the Japanese houses
are at the back, as is also the garden. The
bathroom Is one of the most important
apartments, and Is vari0usy arranged.
Sometimes the floor slopes down toward
one side of The room, where large oval tub
is sunk to the level of tie floor; between
the edge OF the latter and the top OF the
bath an inch or so OF space is left so that
any water spilled by the bather runs off
the sloping polished lloOr into the space be-
tween.
In private houses the bath Is a movable.
oblOng tub about feet long and 22 feet
high. But the strdngest part OF the ar
rangement is the charcoal stove for heating
the water. Boilers and hot-water faucets
are undreamed of, and Impossible In these
little wooden matchbox houses.
In the end of the bath is funnel-shaped
stove, like a small cannon standing on its
breech, and in this charcoal fire is built,
which warns the water in a remarkably
short time. 1t is this charcoal arrangement
that is accountable for the death OF I'M
wary foreigners which we see noticed in
our American journals from time to time.
The greatest inconvenience of these bath
rooms is the lack Of any means of heating
the air of the room itself, which in winter
is, of course, extremely cold.
The floors of the houses are covered with
beautiful fine woven mats, soft aud thick,
n OF at all like the coarse sorts sold here as
japanese mating.
These mats are always the same size, 6x3,
sOrooms are spoken Of as ''eight-mat. SlX-mat
rooms" The only parts of the interior not
matted re the passages and the kitchen.
which have bright polished wooden floors.
This same kitchen is strange and won
derful place, those apparently indispensable
requirements, chimney and stove, being
conspicuous by their absence. The cooking
is all done over a little square charcoal
furnace resembling large dry goods box in
SIZE and shape, but at one end IS a copper
lined hrehOe This fireplace is filled with
ashes, and when any cooking is to be
undertaken a bed Of red-hOt charcoal is pre-
pared on top of them. With this arrange
ment there is far less smoke than might be
expected. but frequently much more than is
desirable.
Chimneys do not commend themselves to
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-29

SIR Ed,cin ArnoId;s House at Toxic.
again. the pieces carefully numbered or
marked, and the whole laid away until the
skeleton of the house Is built.
With MS the shape and size of the founda-
tons foreshadOw the arrangement Of the
house. the location and size of the rooms,
etc. but with the japanese all this is indI-
Gated in the roof.
As To the foundation. there is none. The
house rests on ths&Lound. and is not sunk
into il at all.
Ali the timhers-the beams and supports
are prepared especially for the particular
place they are 10 occupy before the house is
begun at all
10 the ordinary Japanese house there are
no solid, stationary walls. but only frame
work supporting the roof. which is ways
very heavy in proportion, into the sides Of
which slip sliding screens.
The upright posts of the skeleton are
generally either pine or cryptomeria. and
are set in holes made in a most curious
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-29
Princess Mathilde and Taine.
London Globe.

M. Tame, when planning his remarkable
study on Napoleon | for the Revue des
Deux Mondes. asked advice from the
Princess Matnilde, for him a most re-
spectacle friend. At the same time he in
formed the Princess that he might be very
severe in his criticism of the Emperor. II
have confidence in you," replied Mathilde.
Il could not make severe criticisms, for
without Napoleon | / might have been
selling oranges at Ajaccio. But you are one
Of the great French writers; l believe in
your tact, and have no advice to give you
The first article appeared, and the Princess
was astonished; the second gave her dis
pleasure, and the third caused the complete
rupture between author and Princess.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-29
Well Provided For.

According 10 the Harrisburg Patriot each
member of the Pennsylvania House of Rep
resentatiyes found the following articles on
his desk at the opening of the session this
year: "Small's Legislative Handbook"
brass penrack, paper and envelopes, writ
ing pads, costly ivory letter-opener,
knife, paper Of pins, box OF pens, bottle Of
ink. scissors, bottle of mucilage. pens and
pencils, handsome gilt-edged, leather-cov-
cred memorandum-bOok with mOney-Durss
attached. an eraser. folding corkscrew :,
paper-w weight. hairbrush and ccmb.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-29
JAPANESE HOMES.
Houses Constructed With
out Foundations.
THE ROOF is BUILT FIRST
Furnishings Are Not EIabOrate-The
Most Important Apartment Is
the Bathroom.
Written for THE MORNING CALL

To our thinking the first and most i'm
portant part of house is the digging and
laying of the foundation, but with the
Japanese exactly the reverse is the case.
for it is the roof of the native house that is
the most important and first constructed
section.
The various pieces and timbers for it are
fastened together and the plan of the house
decided upon, then the roof is broken up
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-29
Imperial Solicitude.

1t Is said that the real reason Queen Vic
toria took up the study of Hindustsni four
years ago was in order that she might con-
verse in their own tongue with the Indian
Processes who come from time to time
to pay their respects to her. These are. of
course, purda, or SECLUDED" ladies, and IL
is very embarrassing for them to be
obliged to communicate through a
male interpreter. Tina. the Queen. at
her age and with Ter ceaseleSs occupation,
should undertake sufficient study of diff
cult Oriental language TO save a few OF her
distinguished subjects from this purely
ceremonial unplsassntness shows pleas
ant imperial sOlicitude.