Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-01
,nted as guests; and by it's design and

plmented as guests; and by it's design and
form we are amazed as tourists.
The Japanese are dependent upon Ian
terms for use and ornamentation as are
the Chinese; but, while theirs are ex-
tremely pretty, they are smaller than Chi
nese lanterns, they offer less variety and
We are more familiar with them in this
country. However, when the Japanese use
lanterns to add to the brilliancy of pri-
vate entertainment they have them de-
signed especially for the occasion, and they
have the advantage Of prettier back
grounds, with picturesque gardens which
present great a contrast to the bleak
court yards of Chinese residences.
At a dinner given in Nagasah by a
wealthy Japanese nobleman to a party of
distinguished Americans Of all the novel
ties spread before them the lanterns In
the form of a chrysanthemum-the mika-
dos crest-seemed to make the strongest
impression upon the guests. AS II was the
first Japanese dinner these foreigners had
ever taken, or had even seen, one would
suppose that some other features OF the
hospitality extended would have produced
more effect than the lanterns; as, for eX-
ample, the tai fish served in the way con-
sidered quite epcurean by the native taste.
1t Is brought in at ceremonious dinners
completely dissected, though living. The
flesh is cut off the bones in slabs, then laid
on again; and when it appears the poor
fish is still feebly tapping its tail, while
it's flesh can be served round to the guests
without any further cutting. 1t Is not
nice thing to see, and raw fish, not at any
time tempting to foreigners with no par
ticularly ghoulish tastes, does not become
any more appetizing when served in this
way. Still, it certainly Is a remarkable
way.
a Culinary Poem.
More agreeable than this was the fried
chicken, which, cooked and served in the
highest Japanese fashion. was a culinary
poem. A brazier of artistically carved
bronze was filled with glowing charcoal
and placed within the room of the BAN
quet, in the full view of everybody. kneel-
ing before it was an exquisite little six
teen-year-old maiden, in a pale blue crepe
kimiono and scarlet gold-embroidered
obi, her glossy, black hair coiled simply,
thrust with long, ornamental pins, and
embellished with tinseled flowers. The
rites of this presiding household priestesS
were performed with smiling archness
She held over the Goals the daintlest or
frying pans and deftly turned the deli
cate white bits of sputterfng chicken meat,
which had been brought to her from the
kitchen region by another cherry-lipped
maiden as elegantly robed as herselr
Nv
to the proper shade of golden brown they
were served to each person In infnitesimal
quantities, the process being repeated as
long as enthusiastic appetites would ac-
cept the course. Nevertheless, to sit on
silken cushions instead of chairs, spread
on the finest of mating, and look through
the drawn sliding doors-which supply the
place of windowg-beyond the veranda's
polished floor upon dream garden, light
ed with soft, pink chrysanthemums, was
the crowning pleasure of this dinner party.
A Fairy-Like Scene.
The bungalow Of the host stood on the
edge of a temple garden, and was former
" the residence of temple priest. The
garden was on the Japanese diminutfve
scale. but planned with the native ingenu-
ity that produces in a small space the
effect Of an extensive landscape; SO that
looking out upon 1t on this memorable even
ing the lanterns instead of being so very
manifest as they usually are at American
fetes seemed to be twinkling through the
vistas of a vast, wooded park. After a
iinrikisha spin through dim, crooked
streets. passing through the gloomy gate
way of q thick wall, and coming suddenly
upon a fairy-Ake scene of deep velvety
shadows thrown into relief by the illumi-
nation of radiant blossoms, may in this
case have accounted for the fervor that SO
often accompanies first impressions.
The Coreans, also, rely upon lanterns, al
though theirs are totally unlike those of
the Chinese and the japanese, in that they
are fiat and always small and white. The
kings palace at the capital has electric
lights, but the rambling streets Of the city
have no lamps of any kind. To move
through their silent, mysterious darkness