The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-16

a handle TO 10 is employed. They 20 out
early IN the morning and eaten spider
webs on the hoops until they are COW
cred, and later they take dragon flies with
the nets thus formed. When a drag
fly is captured 10 is customary TO thrust a
piece OF straw through its abdomen and
release II. The insect then mounts ia
rectly into the air. This is called send
ing into exile" In Japan boys use SINH
lar spider nets" for taking dragon Iiies
They also capture them with bird lime.
\ scrap of paper is attached TO the cap
tive. and then 10 Is released. At Maya
sab il is said that the spirits Of the dead
return 10 earth riding ON the backs of
drason, flies at the season Of the Bon
A iavorite game in Korea is shuttle
COCK kicking Inc shuttlecock is a fiat
bali OF cotton cloth filled with clay or
asnes. having a feather from a pheasant
TAN stuck ia the top. ShopEcepcrs play the
game ign the street To keep their feet warm.
The lal IS Kicked from one person TO am
other. I'm Japan q hGttleaOre is used. the
shuttlecock being "A seed of the soap berry
tree IN which several small feathers are
fastened. 7 he Japanese football is "A nag
OF leather filled with hair Tradition tells
or the appearance on one occasion OF three
strange children who had human faces
ana the bodies of monkeys When ques-
TONED they answered that they were the
spirits of football. They are regularly WOr-
shipped in the Mikad0's realm, having
special shrine and day set apart Tor
tncm.
A popular game in Japan. known in va
rlous notifications In Korea, is called
ken The players extend the fingers OF
their hands simultaneously one or the
other is beaten Ii he holds out finger OF
less power than the one extended by the
opponent. The thumb is counted as the To-
cal idol, the forennger as a fowl the mid
die finger as gun, the ring finger as
fox. ana the little finger as white ant
II The thumb be opposed to "a fOrehnger
the former wins, because fowls are slain
as offerings TO idols. II a thumb be opposed
TO rms niger there Is neither victory
nor defeat because gods and foxes are
supposed to be on friendly terms. II
thumb be opposed TO a little finger the for
mer Is Vanquished, because white ants Of
ten devour idols If "a foretinger be oppos-
ed to a middle finger the latter Is victor
because guns destroy fowls. If forei1n-
ger be opposed to a ring finger the former
is conquered, because foxes eat fowls. II
a forennger be opposed TO a little finger
the latter is defeated, because fowls eat
white ants. II a middle finger be opposed
TO little finger there must be another trial
because guns and white ants have no mu-
tual influence.
Little girls i'm Korea play house much
in the same manner as children do in Eu-
rope OF America. They have no specially
made toys Tor the purpose, but use small
cups, in which they pretend to serve
food. Boys make various kinds OF pop
guns and squirtguns out of bamboo. Boys
make lanterns out of turnips in the au-
tumn About the 18th day of the FIRST
month the tug-of-war is a popular sport.
In the country one village WIN tug against
another, the notion being that the village
which wins viii have a good harvest.
The rOpe Is of straw, two feet in diane
ter, with its ends divided into branches.
The men take the main stem ana the
women the branches. The women load
their skirts with stones.
There are no professional Wrestlors in
Korea as in Japan. Tradition states that
in the year "a Is. G. Japanese nobleman
named Kehaya, of great statue and
strength, boosted that there was not his
match under heaven, and begged the en-
peror that his prowess might be put to
a test. Accordingly challenge was pro-
claimed, and one Nomi no Shikune an
sWcred it. Having thrown kehaya he
kicked him in the ribs and broke his
bones so that he died. Shikunc was pro-
noted to high Office. and became further
famous in history as having substituted
earthen images for the living men who
before his time used to be buried with
the coffin of the mikado. In the year S5S
a. D. two sons of the Emperor Buntoku
aspired to the throne, and their claims
We're decided by "A wrestling match. In
ancient days the prizes for the three
champion WreStlers were a bow, bow
string and an arrow. At the beginning Of
the seventeenth century wrestling
matches, as forming part of religious
ceremony, were discontinued. They are
still held, however, at certain ,shrines in
imitation of the ancient custom. 1t is
we'll known that the wrestlers of Japan
have formed caste by themselves dur
ing many centuries past, intermarrying
among themselves. Thus they tower head
and shoulders above the ordinary Japa-
nese Of to-day.
one of the most seductive games of
Korea, also known in Japan and China,
is called Co 1t Is played on board
somewhat resembling a chess board. 1t
is written in the ''Wau Is ah Tau that,
among the playthings of modern and an
cient times there Is nothing more remote
than Go Next to wine and women, II
leads men astray. II they think 1t difii-
cult, even village boys and common peo-
pie can play 1t very skillfully; but If It
be thought easy, even the wisest and
inxr 4ferat 10
il through generations, may not acquire
Korean playing cards are long narrow
strips of oiled paper, bearing on their
faces written characters to indicate their
value. There are eight suits Of ten cards
each, denominated respectively man"
star" rabbit" and "horse" Gard
games are played by the lowest classes
In Korea, though people of higher rank
use them to some extent for gambling.
When a free-born Korean boy reaches
the age of 10. he has a small wooden
label cut, which he carries on his person.
This label, or name tablet" Is two
inches long and half an inch broad. Across
the top is Inscribed in Chinese characters
the name of the ward to which the boy
belongs; then, in line below the desig-
he is not in service, and his name, with
the date of his birth. This label must be
sealed by an official of the treasury, who
brands it with hot iron. on passing the
military or civil examinations label Of
horn Is substituted, and an ivory label
takes the place of this when the highest
grades has been reached. Freedom boys
jealousy guard their right to carry these
labels
Seoul. the capital of Korea, Is divided
into FIVE wards. All persons are officially
enrolled under the designations Of these
districts, and every winter, after kite
flying time. curious contests termed fac
ton fights" take place. They are begun
by little boys who make ropes Of straw
and fight with them. Bigger boys take
part, and at last men JOIN N the contest.
Stones are the principal weapons employ
ed. and many are killed and injured
Similar stone fights used to be common
among boys or rival wards in American
cities.
Mr.. Culin alludes 10 the peculiar law
and custom i'm Korea by which men are
not allowed TO go out at night this priv
ilege being accorded TO women alone. An
explanation is found in the fact that, ac-
cording 70 primitive belief, man belongs
to the masculine principle of the universe
the sun, and therefore, to the day, while
woman belongs to the feminine principle,
the moon and therefore, 10 the night.
Little girls in Korea make their own
dolls They cut a section Of bamboo
stem five inches or so in length, and in
the top they put long grass, which is fix
ed like a woman's hair. No face is made.
The stick is dressed in clothes like those
wGrn by the women. Though there is
ice and snow in plenty, skates and sleds
re r1plruouFu n oraa