The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-05-09
JAPANESE WOMEN.
From the P..rl Mall ea,e,te.

After all the discussions caused py
the advanced woman, it is interesting,
by way of contrast, to turn to the coun-
try where woman's lifelong and chief
duty is obedience and submission A
writer describes the Japanese woman
as really charming, not as RESPONSE
BILE woman. but as a feminine curio.
AS wife she is of SO little account that
from the most devoted husband she ex-
poets but few favors. All the women
are born with natural courtesy. Even
the humblest have slender. delicate
hands, and arrange everything with
surprising daintiness.
Il Japanese lady's visiting dress often
costs two hundred dollars, not includ-
ing her hairpins, which are always
most important item. AS the fashion
never changes, both dress and pins are
handed down from mother TO daugh-
ter. In each city the women wear
color peculiar to themselves. In Toxic
it is blue, in Kyoto slate gray. and so
on. Chamberlain says: 1T is little
wonder that the woman of the upper
class is adopting European dress,
which is by no means SO general as is
supposed. 1t shows that, to certain
extent, she has shaken off the yoke of
inferiority under which she has la
bored. For to-day in Japan the great
est duchess in the land is only her hus-
bands drudge. He treats her more re-
spectfully when in European dress.
The same woman has been observed to
walk into the room after her husband
when dressed a la Japanaise. but be-
fore him when la Europeenne.
According to the Seven Reasons for
Divorce" a Japanese woman can be
divorced for talking too much, which
disturbs the peace of her kinsmen, or
brings trouble on her household. She
shall be divorced for disobedience to
her father-in-law. She must look to
her husband as her lord, and must
serve him with reverence, not despis-
ing nor thinking lightly of him. She
must not enter into irreverent ia
miliarity with the gods-neither must
she spend too much time in praying.
Ii she performs her duties to her hus-
band she may enjoy the Divine pro-
lection without prayers.
She has no change in fashions to dis
cuss. no shopping to while away her
time, no Easter bonnet to look for
ward to, as she never wears bonnets:
her only ornaments are tortoiseshell
hairpins, her best parasols are made
of paper, her kimono must be of quiet,
soft-colored crepe. Truly. she has
hard time, this little japanese woman
1t is customary for a woman to
blaclSen her teeth when she becomes
bride, to keep away'other admirers and
show her entire submission to her hus-
band. The present pretty empress as
wife has, however, set the example
of wearing white teeth.
It is said that Japanese crowd is
the sweetest in,the world. They never
use soap; the figured Japanese silks
and cottons will not stand it Their !
substitute for ironing is primitive. |
While the material is very wet they !
spread il smooth on boards and stand I
them against the houses to dry.
The Japanese are devoted mothers I
and excellent nurses, but the poor 1
little baby never knows the comfort of (
a mothers lap, for she uses her knees /
to sit upon, and holds her baby stand
ing to her breast when nursing It. She |
always carries it on her back.
Drunkenness is unknown among
even the lowest women, but pipe is
her constant companion. She even
takes it TO bed with her, while her lit
tie hibachi charcoal box. we'll filed
with hot ashes, is close beside her for
sake. Her housekeeping
gives her but little trouble, for in the
lower classes rice, varied with tea,
picked vegetables. sauces, and fish,
mprise the three meals.
All who spend any time in the coun-
try are completely fascinated by these
gentle, and dainty
women, always easily pleased, and as
light hearted as children. One of their
greatest charms is that the longer you
know them the less you understand
them; their natures are so complex. in
spite of their apparent simplicity.