New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-15
JAPANESE CHILDREN.
4 CHARMING BOOK oN A NEW THEME

THE WEE ONES OF JAPA$s ~ Mac - 'I i
Bamhall. Illustrated by { ;. "e''o"' TP' i''
Harper Brothers
Though this book Is dedicated 20 The Wee ones
Of America" Il is not written IN the style deemed
prorcr for juvcnilia at the present DAY l'Fh'pT
children will take the less interest IN IT, nov"
ever because there Is no obvious effort - descend
T., the level Of their intelligence Hence they VIII
he shared the suspclon which sometimes crosses The
minds Of childhood that It's mentors have only
lately been released from q place where unsounh
minds are mcndcd. The book covers WIN TchsohAn'e
fulness the whole youthful ne Of the urban Jap
anese - both sexes. However. the author draws
tho line al what she called the "mad"-over' Jap
aneee child The youngster in trousers. With his
hair partel stepping daintily IN scarlet stockings
and squeaking shoes. and carrying an armiul o'
English achoobooks has no charm i'r h'r' ~"
prefers the japanese they were above All The,
children Of unreconstructed Japan. II IL really
farvanl into which she guides her readers. fairy
land inhabited 10y such numbers Of little people that
one gazcs about in sheer a-tonishment. Every
whore the children are picture OF health. They
have beautiful comp.exons. the most perfect te"tn
in the world. the gentlest manners over seen III
children. They always smiling and their polite
ness Is such as no child Of the West can magn-.
They are typned by their own varied chrysaninr-
NUNS. ION their first Introduction they allure and
arrest IA with that low defercntial comically ser-
ous prostration Of their dmlnutlve bodies when
invariably accompanies the vivaclous ohyo' Good
Aay). They snare and win NJ entirely by that even
lower prost1ation which must. according 10 III"
Iononese code Of etiquette attend the slow. dulcet.
alian-soundlng 'Sayonara (Good-byc)" Yet they
have their advers,les WHAT Will happen. now that
womcn's rights have been recognized In the most
sweeping way. hardly be imagined. Hut hitherto
the discipline which girls have been subjected IL
soldering To the Western mind And both boys
and girls have to endure "A kind OF torture which
is known only by hcarsay and In peculiar cases OF
th. OF CuTiStcnIOm
author
Just as the dentist Is the bette noir Of our little
ones. is the ordeal Of the yaito the particular
spinal columns little diamond-shaped moxas-an
abbreviation Of moe kusa.' the burning herb
which are lighted and allowed 10 burn their tor
tuoas way through rne n1 br Sn I h 'P tears arr
and groans. but no eyes are more teary round the
Who thus scizes ana tortures her Wee one But
the disciplinary mother firmly believes that she has.
iItt:e one escape the dreaded treatment for Just
this once chosen between few hours Of smarilns
of suffering and, perhaps. In the end. death
japanese children spend most OF their lives ont Of
doors The only exceptions those whom nobility
deprives OF the pleasures OF common life. They
have bolserous games but the quarrclling and isti
cuffs OF Western playground are seemingly UNI
known in Nippon. Even among the Lowry blows arr
exchanged only upon the rarest occasions. Tho
father or mother who would strike n child would ~.
Stunned as a monster Of barbarty AS conse-
quence there is a surprising concord Of gentleness
with extreme youth: and likewise an ignorance OF
the use OF the fists which would be Amazing "A
little American. Education and play skillfully
combined. as for example In game which Is thus
described:
When one first hears tiny japanese tongues trip
ping with lnconceivable agility over the difficult
names OF the sixty post stations between Toxic and
Koto. one marvels how the feat Is accomplished;
but a solution OF the mystery Is obtainabie In any
toyshop for the insignificant sum Of six sens-the
price OF n board, some lilipuan blocks. miniature
dcebox and three baby dice The last named
things Of which all Japanese youngsters. male and
female. are passionately fond. Scattered over the
garsh tri-colored board brilliant pictures OF the
post stations In correct local sequence. each with
the name printed above. and the number OF miles
between that and the next printed beneath.
Koto is at the farther end OF the board, and It's
shiruka-sweet rice cake Successful throws from
the dcebox advance. and unsuccessful ones retard.
the eager juvenile players In their aggravatngly
slow march to the sugar. goal As one would nat
urally suppose. the player arriving first at Kioto
pockets or, TO be scrupulousy exact, sleeves the
shlruko
1t Is thus. with vivid series OF word pictures
skllfully seconded by the artist. that the author
places before the children OF the West for the first
time complete record OF juvenile life In Japan.
The reader visits the bias-eyed brown-skinned
youngsters In their homes and receives their visits
He watches their minute training not only In books,