The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-12


man never addresses her husband in
terms of end arIEent, ror has the Jap
anese man any pet names for his wife.
While there is no doubt genuine af-
fection and devotion on both sides in
the majority of families. both sexes
have been taught to rerress their emu
tions. A Japanese husband never
kisses his wife or his children. Chill
dren and wives are taught to respe It
and reverence the head of the family,
he he father, husband. iher, or son;
and this Difference is carried much
further than with US; but if careSse.;
are ever exchanged TIE world is rot
allowed to know it. When a husband
introduces his wife to his friends /.
is with words Of cep eciaticn. He avs
this is my humble" wife. or my
stupid" wife. or my unworthy" wiz.
CT my unfortunate" wife, just as he
refers to his humble or unworthy
home. The husband, tco, always pre-
cedes the wife whenever they enter Il
house or q room or ara walking TO-
gethcr upon the street. When guests
are present the wife always takes I.
seat at a distance near the door 1t
is. in short. accounted the duty of wo-
man TO wait upon man. 1t n nat, or
tea. or anything else is wanted. tne
wife always goes fer il. She is Only
ore d. gree atove the servants.
Unlike may of the fo!eign writcrs
on Japan, Mr. Curtis repeatedly ave y
IL the course Of these two volumes
that the Jaralose women are not s od
looking. On page go OF the flst vol
ume he says that she does not have
a pretty figure. She is always short
AMI stumpy. Her neck and waist are
large, her shoulders &c broad, and her
f!e sh seems to be evcsly dis ributed. A
modlsie would say that she lad no
shape at all, and therefore it is I'M
possible to make q h.m or, an dress iit
Ter. The ancient native style of gar
ments, particularly that used by the
upper classes. was especially adapted
to the pecuiiarlt:es Of the Japanese
women" We are assured that a lady
always look we'll in the sJft grays and
delicate rinks that she selects for ner
ka.munOs, or roEes, but enc who will
look extremely graceful and probably
pretty in hcr native costume, lCoXs
like a guy when she puts on a Paris
gown, no matter how fine the material
or who the maker.
On page 3G3 of the second volume the
author describes a japanese dinner and
the geisha girls who are employed to
entertain one. mo matter what Sir
Edward Arnold and other sentimental
writer's on japan may say. these girls
are not pretty. Their figures are shape
h.i TOT hot
plexions are muddy, their teeth are bad.
and, If they wore European garments,
one would never glance at them sec
ond time. They cannot compare in
looks with the shopgirls of Chicago and
New York and the mattresses i'm our
country hotels will average quite as
well for beauty. But their kimonos
(robes) are of the daintiest shades and
combinations of color their obis (sashes)
are OF the richest brocades, and their
hair is marvel for its arrangement.
All this makes them interesting, and
they have pleasing, graceful manners,
which often, however. approach famili-
arity. The geisha girl Is not always
naughty. but she tries to be attractive,
for that is her capital i'm trade. AS the
u,
she naturally adopts the manners and
the methods that the customers most
admire.
Divorce Is far more freuqent in Japan
than in any Mohammedan country, and,
bearing i'm mind the state of things in
the lands of Islam. we might infer that
there is no scope for the social evil
This is far from being the case in the
realm of the Mkado. According to
Mr.. Curtis, who allots chapter to the
subject, the peculiar institution known
as the yoshiwara flourishes so rankly in
Japan that its $4,000 establishments are
said to contain 100000 inmates. We are
reminded that the Buddhists do not
forbid prostitution. provided it is not
resorted to from love of pleasure. A
woman, they hold may adopt such a
means of earning money for her own
needs, or for the support of her family
without committing sin, if her motives
are pure. The phrase they use is,
while it defiles the body, it does not
defile the heart" Men whom Mr.. Cur
tis knew to be well informed told him
that 60 per cent. of the inmates of the
yosiwara are there not only with the
consent, but with the encouragement of
their parents, who sell the bodies of
their daughters to the Keepers of such
establishments for a term of years and
receive as a consideration a bonus in
cash and certain amount monthly
which represents q percentage of the
earnings of the girl. The author of this
book confirms the current belief that it
ig 10 al Of
the japanese. who have large families
to maintain, to place their daughters i'm
a yoshiwara for the earnings they can
contribute to the family treasury. 1t Is
not only considered honorable on the
fathers part, but for the daughter also
and she loses no respect from her asso-
cates because she adopts such a life
for such purpose. If, on the other
hand, she enters the yoshiwara volun-
tarily, or selfishly retains her earnings
or wastes them in dissipation, she is de-
spised. This distinction very clearly
drawn, but appears that the practice
is confined to the lower classes of the
population.
The inmates of a yoshiwara, the
term applied to the whole precinct de-
voted to casual sexual relations, are
terricd by the law shoCi: but yoju.
which means "a lady of III sasure." is a
mole polite term used in addressing
item. Any woman above the age Of
lG who desires to enter upon the lfe
CT courJesan may apply for License
at police headquarters in person. &C.
companied by at least one of her par
ents or guardians. and her applIca-
ton must be accompanied by a writ
ten certificate signifying their cons mt
Having obtained her license. tn, siogi
makes a contract with the keeper OF
a kashi5ashiki that is to say, one of
the establishments within the PIE cinct
IL the yoshiwa. Il, und r Nhich 90 trart
the keeper agrees to provide her with
whOieE ONE food, lodgings. an cloth ng,
and pay her. or her parents. as TIE