The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-11-07
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Japanese Wear no Hats.
(Ncw York Press)

Said the man from Japan as lie read
or eighteen men and women overcome
by the heat in Il single day: Il never
heard OF sunstroke over there among
the natives. don't believe there is IA
word for 1t in the Japanese language |
am going back. | don't want to drop on
the street and have an ambulance Jolt
out the little life left in getting me to
the hospital just in time for Il death
certificate.
II can't say why folk don't have sun
stroke in Japan. Foreigners that have
been long In the country declare that II
is the electricity in the atmosphere. Per-
haps 1t Is. L never heard the action of
the electricity explained.
one doesn't hear of sunstrokes. en-
cept from globe-trOtters and gritnns
GrlfhnS are newcomers. They have
elaborate outfits of camphor bags. chol-
era belts. pith helmets lined with sponge
and double-felted hats with patent ven
ti'ators They also carry umbrellas and
II they walk four steps at any time be-
brandy pegs to reduce their tcmpera-
ture. peg. said globe-trottcr once,
is q panacca for every ILL
surely, if sunstrole were possible
in Japan there would have been no Ia
paneSe to conquer China for from the
time they are born the sun has every
possible chance To kill them. They are
taken out before their eyes are open or
a single hair can be detected on their
Tiny. hobhinG heads, and with no cover
ing they are trotted about on the backs
of their wee nurses. These nurses them
selves are only large enough to walk.
and. like their infant charges, they are
bareheaded
The principal occupation of these
DalYa. as they are called, is playing hop
scotch. This they do all summer long.
the infants on their backs being of sec
ondary consideration. The babes head
rolls around on its own and its hearers
shoulders. while the rays of the sun
pour down with no more effect aDpar-
emily than to develop a healthy looking
brown complexion.
The wearing Of hats is new fashion
TO the japanese, and il is quite unnec-
essary. The word for hat is 'shappo.
from the French 'chapeau.' Hats are
common enough in the cities. where
there is an idea that, like swallow-tail
put throughout the rural districts they
are seldom seen, and in towns the chill
dren have no use for them Young
SterS heads are shaved in various fam
ciful ways. and hats would hide the
iufts OF soft black hair, which are as
much {; mothers pride as are golden
curls on the heads of the precious little
"auntleroys Of America
some chldrcn are always out OF
doors IN Japan. except when they eat
on sleep. but danger from sunshine is
never thought of. Upon the farms the
men wear n fundOshi only. This is a
strip OF cloth six feet long and one foot
wide. They are brown as the soil they
till. but arc never sunstruck. Their
wives. who work beside them, are naked
TO the waist. Boatmen, too. 20 naked
well night the whole year round. and
coilies are not burdened with much
clothing. Yet they thrive.
grew skeptical of sunstrokes soon
after reached Japan, and. despite the
protests of other new arrivals, | discard
ed hat and clothes. l never felt better
In my life than 1 did then. Yes. I'm
going back to Japan. nature and the
sunshine"