The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-26
THEY RUN FROM A SMILE.
QUEER THINGS ABOUT COREA and
IFS QUEgR PEOPLE.
The Country Whose struggle Mey An.cl
the Destiny OF II Contin-nt-Thoir
Costumes Gnd Customs.

Il IS not generally known that Core.
was bestirrius herself with revolution
about the time we We're getting comfor
tably discovered in the hftsenth century
/ Yet these people have been plOdding alOnl
| in the same rut ever since. and all du,
! 10 the Chinese exclusion policy.
Her long existence as % Hermit Ma
tion," seems 60 have had its effect upon
the characteristics or hsr people. For
While they are said to be very good-nat-
ured, their faces wear a sad, melancholy
expression, which is seldom frightened
with a smile.
Mr.. Ralph Cook, whose uncle IS the
only American merchant I'm Corea, has
Just returned from an eighteen months
tour through this remote country.
lie says. 1t IS an actual fact that,
IN my whole eighteen months visit,
never saw a native laugh or smile. When
j smiled the natives thought l must be
SICK and seemed 10 be very sorry for me.
And when laughed loud and heartily,
as / often found occasion 20 do, they fled
from me as A. they thought / had some
KIND AZ III. Surprised at their antics,
/ questioned my guide about IL, and he
tod me that his country men never
laughed, because they never had any
thing To laugh at"
IL is difficult 10 imagine such a nation
Httlli1 a
there are NOT few native Hiberuians
there u intuse little mirth into the
people.
1hey talk very little and have the ap-
pearanoc ~ great thOughtrulness
AS 4 approached the little town OF
FhuJrc, on my way from Seoul, says
air. Cook, the entire male population
turned out Ia body to meet ne. The
men eyed me seriously Not q word Was
uttered between them.
'Stan4aE thare solemn and motionless
ln inc tHdauy twilight, ia their white
clothes ana peaked hats, they might have
been hendrix Hudson and his followers
btch9.iuB an unsuapectins Rip Van wine
kle t. bis doom, and shud1ered and
II looked back several times but could
observe no change in their position. Ny
guide informed me that they were in
deep thought ana seldom exchanged con-
nIenccs. When satisfied az 10 which class
Of freak ! belonged TO, they turned about
"As people I found the Coreans gener-
ally polite and dignihel in their behavior,
ana kindly towards their guests. Their
dress voroi much with their social posi-
ton. That OF the upper classes is
loose robe ~ white cotton fabric.
'Ine most important feature Of the
costume or COrean, even more 50
than IN The case II the Englishman. Is
ms hat Sh0psecperS. merchants Of the
higher order, and the better classes in
general, Wear black COnicai hats, with a
circular plate projecting three or four
inches ana forming the brim, which are
Tied under the chin with pair Of long
black cords.
"This article IS Il mark Of honor and
position in society. only married men
can assume IT, and married men only par
ticipate I'm the affairs Of the State. and
since all unmarried persons are treated
as children in Corea, every youth f. anX-
i0us 10 get wife and. put on Il hat.
Sometimes the young rascals shave their
front hair and do the back hair i'm Il
WATERFALL after the fashion of married
men, in order 10 get position in society
and state, but this is punishable by law.
TO wear the hat consequently, is a
'orean method OF saying d man is mar |
-iel.
The lower classes do not conform to |
hose technical requirements as 10 the |
at Iney content themselves with |
Crt Of inverted bowl made Of straw. |
'eople who are i'm mourning wear an |
immense umbrelld-like affair on their |
eals, which nearly cOnceals them from |
low and gives the Wearer the appear
nee OF walking mushroom. These !