The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-07-11
AMERICAN JAPANESE EFFECTS.


From the New York Times.
No doubt you are often received by
your best friend in her pretty japanese
boudoir, the pride of her home and
heart, where she has accumulated un-
told treasures. But when you are hav-
| ing private chat over her genuine
Chinese teacups in her ''cozy corner"
did it never strike you that the heap
objects in one apartment is in sharp,
almost comical, contrast with their use
in the country that is being aped.
There is perhaps no country that is so
pillaged and ransacked for its treasures,
and so much and injudiciously imi-
tated as the island Empire of Japan.
The low chair on which You are
seated is made of twisted bamboo. 1t is
square and dainty gilt railing runs
along two of its sides, very pretty and
very uncomfortable; for the railing is
just high enough to reach half way up
your back, so that if you want to lean,
your back feels as if it would break
Your friend is rocking gently to and
fro in so-called Japanese rocker,
though you may be sure that it has
never been further away than the
Sixth avenue store where it was
bought. In fact, the genuine Japan
csc would be very much surprised
If you wanted to introduce such an
article into his homo. The table,
where stand the dainty porcelain cups
and saucers, very gems of Chinese
workmanship, consists of three thick
gilt bamboo sticks crossed like the legs
OF camp stool, and on the top large
gilt blade, painted with tender white
plumb blossoms. The floor is covered
with red-and-white checkered mating,
or twisted rushes, the doorways are pro-
vlded with movable hangings of multi
colored beads, which, when in rest,
form a lively pattern of flowers and
birds. So does the light paper hanging
on the walls. Of the latter, however,
not much is to be seen. Fans of all
forms and hues, round fans and square
fans, diamond-shaped fans, oval fans,
and folding fans, in red, yellow, blue.
green, hide it from view.
The looking-glass is half covered BY
large bunch of peacock feathers and
palm leaves, while in two of the cor
ners gigantic paper parasols shade
bushes of chrysanthemums. Little
tables with innumera BILE bric-a-brac
objects are scattered carelessly all over
the room, and If you manage to sail
through without upsetting a table or
two ~ 70 he Nf+ ha
pots of flowers when you make your
bow to newcomer, or running your
head against the Chinese lanterns hang
ing from the low ceiling, you may be
called lucky mortal.
Fancy a room in a japanese house
crowded like that! Except the cool
mattings on the floor, such room has
nothing in common with its American
or European imitation. There Is hardly
any furniture in it, the japanese mostly
sitting on the floor or on touches.
These and the low tables constitute the
chief fitting out of their rooms
They never put pots of flowers in the
house, which they would certainly
think very much out of place there.
They have flowers in the rooms, GER
tainly, but in this, as in all other
things, they exhibit more taste than
almost any other people in the world.
A single branch of leaves or flowers,
carefully stripped of its supeTfuous
twigs, is placed in a vase, exquisite
both in form and color, before picture
roll. OF these rolls, too, there is gen
orally only a limited number in each
room. never a collection Of all kinds
imaginable Their good taste tells the
japanese that one or twogoOd pictures,
hung in the right place, please the eye
much more than an accumulation OF
SNOWY prints. Neither would they ever
dream Of hanging their fans and para
sols on the walls, just as little as we
would ours. Think of coming into a
room and seeing your last years para
sol hanging in state in one corner. or
the fan that was Your pride two years
ago adjoining the mantel piece. II would
certainly look ridiculous IN your ewes,
yet that Is how our use OF these articles
from japan would appear to man or
woman OF that country. They use their
parasols as sunsha6es. and their fans
TO cool themselves with, Just as we DO.
bouquets are not placed anywhere in
the house. as they are with Us On
festive occasions the ladies carry them
in their hands, and the gardens and
veranGas are adorned with them They
also form q conspicuous part OF the re-
tgious professions They arc made BY
the young japanese girls, who make
thorough study 81 this art a. the
schools. There are hundreds 81 various
ways 70 compose these t11quets- and a
young woman who knows them al Is
considered q paragon O. e!evernesS
Even dwarf trees are put into the
gigantic punches that are made Tor ths
greatest % all feasts, the Feast q the
Flowers Sometime. hlga STALKS OF
bamboo rise from the flowers. in. these
s-slks missions are made at egusi dis
tzzces. IN which fresh earth = put to-
the ivy. the trails OF which hang down
over the bouquet and reach the ground +.
q Ear a. two ysrds from is foot
The japanese devote az much esre % I
thai zardels as 20 thei- houses; al