The San Francisco call., 1896-04-26

M RS. FunakoShl, who Is at present in San
Francisco, is a lady of the highest rank in
japan, and my friends express hope that
she may not be shocked by the bad man
ners of some whom she may meet in
society there! As etiquette is compare
tive and arbitrary, | fear she will not
escape being shocked"
! Among the many things given the
Misses Prince to do was the prepara-
tlon OF some literary statistical matter
| for the Columb bian Exposition. Isabella
writing report for the Agricultural
Department in Toxic, and Mary for an
association OF merchants in Kioto These
| reports are very interesting. OF Kioto the
latter says: "Some OF the most stirring
events in the history of the empire have
been enacted here, and tradition and
legend have handed down many touch
ing incident connected with the lines of
warriors and statesmen who once ruled
the destinies of Japan.
"a wide field OF research is thus offered
| to the student of history and antiquities.
kloto is world OF wonders in
art and nature. Here peace always
reigns-as we are told it does in Paradise
and strangers coming here from distant
lands Will always receive cordial well
come" Add to this panegyric the motto
of this book, ''If a man ask for the spirit
! OF Yamato (the ancient name for Japan)
| In the wide-spreading ISLANDS of Japan
| pehold the mountain cherry flowers giving
forth fragrance in the morning sunshineH
and one is lifted up out of the dry atmos-
phere OF commerce into the regions of
poetry; but in descriptions of the art
manufactures of Kioto there is much
that is pleasant reading, as ceramics,
paintings, fanmaking, embroidery and
silk weaving and dyeing are treated of.
The decoration of velvet yuzen is particu-
larly interesting from the skill and pa
| tlence required.
The authors of these reports say of their
| iC vyn h aH No fro not
thing being left to the will of our en-
ployers. We were handsomely paid, how
ever, besides a great deal of ceremonial
etiquette expended in banquets, etc."
These writings were thus ordered and
paid tor, because they had to be in Eng
lish, "but now" they add. ''there is no
more need for English scribes.'
Lest any adventurous soul should fat
ter herself that by coming to Japan she is
to enter upon an experience similar to that
of the Misses Prince, or even find employ
ment for an industrious pen, let me say
right here that there is nothing to do un-
less one comes prepared for a stay of one
or two years, with money for travelling ex-
penses and an nterpreter-prepared. that
| is, to penetrate to the interior and study
| the life of the people at first hand. This
requires means and the consent of the Gov
| ernment.
The language takes so long to learn that
it is useless expecting to get on by study
ing it with the design of using it as a
means OF communication; therefore, one
must be content TO see through japanese
eyes to very great eXtent-either that or
| do as most of the visitors here do write a
pack of lies The Misses Prince are quite
as indignant as the natives over these
fabrications. They burn them more often
| than they preserve them, so false and i'm
moral are the majority. The appetite for
a foul sensationalism is not as strong here
as 1T Is IN our own country or Europe.
Life flows on very evenly and with very
little excitement. Every body takes plenty
of time, and that is the secret of serene
disposition, good manners and good health.
Sad Will 1t be for Japan when her people
have become imbued with the hurry and
consequent worry OF our civilization.
Notwithstanding the great deal of work
which our friends actually do they find
time to consider their toilets for ceremo-
NOUS occasions, such as legation balls and
swell dinners, for this is care which
women can never escape and preserve
their social charm anu prestige. But
imagine dinner conversation where both
parties must altogether avoid their own
tongue and meet on ground foreign to
both-Say French. Or imagine calling
expedition where one lady cannot speak
Japanese, the other cannot speak English
and does not know much French. Says
Isabella; 81 cannot yet speak more than
few necessary words and do not attempt
to construct a sentence dramatically.
Sister can do much more, and we often go
calling on Japanese ladies, when she does
the talking and | sit and smile, throwing
in now and then an exclamation or a
French word, which l consider better than
nothing"
Those who remember Miss Prince will
appreciate how gracefully she could do
that. Having to teach English constantly
prevents much advancement In Japanese.
But with Mary it is different, she devoting
n q
she lives long enough she will speak the
language like native.
The Misses Prince are direct descend
ants of Miles Standish, and came later
from the seafaring merchant class of New
England, their father, Captain Cushing
Prince, commanding a vessel which ran
to Liverpool, and frequently taking his
eldest daughter with him. On these voy-
ages and while living temporarily abroad
her education, obtained principally in
New York, was aided by observation and
contact with variety of individuals and
classes, all of which was really fortunate
preparation for her life among foreign peo-
pie.
/ have witnessed one national holiday in
Toxic. Flags were flying from every
house front, the sun was shining although
1t was January, the air was mild and the
numerous children were out with kites
and other playthings celebrating after
their merry fashion and furnishing enter
talnmenC 1Or Cnelr eIQerS. ne Japanese
/ have large families, to which they devote
themselves with much solicitude, and the
children return this care with fiiial obedi-
ence and affection. All of this constitutes
an atmosphere congenial to the ladies of
whom I have written, and whose names
deserve to go into history as the first
American women to be offered appoint
ments at a foreign court.
To avoid any complications of etiquette
let me here state that l write and post this
letter without consulting my friends feel
ing that it may give pleasure to former
pupils and acquaintances in California.
SAN FRANCISCAN.
Toxic, March Is 1898.