The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-12-20
JAPANESE AT HOME.
Ifeir Rooms Made Any Size to Suit at
Moments Notice.

| Ifefr Rooms Made Any Size to Suit at
Moments Notice.
The Japanese home has been well de
sclbed as sort of dolls house nagni
fYd to thousand diameters. ''Al
WOOD and wicker and white paper.'
Almost every house in Japan, how
ever humble, has garden. Some o:
these gardens are very beautiful, with
hinge leaved palms, shady naples, bend
| ing bamboos and bright-colored shrubs
and flowers. Bumblebees, broad
winged butterflies, half-tamed crows
and sweet humming birds enliven the
scene.
The entrance hall is a platform raised
acouple of feet above the ground. Here
the foreigner removes his boots and the
Japanese his sandals. The division OF
the rooms are sliding panels, ingen'
lously arranged in their grooves TO in.
close space at tn pleasure of the
householder. a lie room can there
fore be converte TO a number OF
smaller rooms, and Is almost by magic
touch the room in which you have been
sitting becomes di"l led into a number
of sleeping chambc",. Chairs and tables
are almost unknown. The posture of
repose is squat" At mealtimes you
squat anywhere and your food is placed
before you. When you are tired you
throw yourself anywhere on the floor
with no fear of spelling your white
clothes. When evening comes you do
= seek your chamber, but simply
make it by sliding the wall round the
spot you have chosen for your slum-
bers. In the morning you take bath,
and when you return bed and bedroom
have alike disappeared. The panels
have been removed The bath is a
great institution in Japan. a great
big tub of water with stovepipc run
ming up inside of it filled with red-hot
charcoal There you sit until the pores
are opened, and the cold douche fol-
lows
The Japanese dinner is excellent.
The dishes are endless. They usually
begin with dish of soup and another
of fish brought in upon a lacquer tray.
You drink the soup out of the bowl
and eat the fish with your chopstick.
After the dish comes another lacquer
dish with four or five heaps of food. A
small bird or wild fowl, some roasted
chestnuts, a few boiled lily roots, and
some stewed seaweed. Wine is always
served with good japanese dinner,
and the waiting girls take care that
your cup is full. Still the dishes come
in. Raw fish, green salads and sweet
sauce.
When you have we'll eaten and drunk
to the full, then tea is served with
small cakes, and the Japanese pipe
follows. The japanese householder is
a social being. The festive meal is
prolonged by Il thousand jokes, roars
of merry laughter and endless CONVEX.
sation.
In the houses of the wealthy the girl
musicians and dancers entertain the
guests during the dinner hour or inn
mediately after. While you are sip
ping your tea, perhaps. you hear a flap
Of bare feet on the polished stairs II
is the geisha or dancer. She twines
herself round the corner, and at the
threshold falls upon her hands and
knees and bows her head to the floor in
salutation to the guests.
Japanese dancing is chiefly posturing,
with special attention to the manage
ment of the fan. The dancer inter
weaves her PAGES with but slight grace.
Her steps are made upon the flat of the
foot. the toes not being used more than
in walking, Still, in the undulations
OF the body, the serpentine movements
of the hands and arms, and in her COM
plete pantomimic skill. the Japanese
danseuse shows marvellous agility. and
skill.-Chicago Times.