The times., 1898-06-05
MERRYMAKING In JAPAN

II was on the occasion of the sixty-first
birthday of Mr.. Nakajima's mother that
We were invited to a party at his resi-
dence. the pretty and e,ired part of
Tokyo, known as Tani Machi, or Valley
Street. We sailed out on foot, as the
distance from our party carrying gifts
done up In bandana handkerchiefs for the
old lady in whose honor the party was
given The children, on their nurses
backs. logged peaceably along side by
side.
We turned The corner of our street, then
went up past the temple, surrounded by
its verrnilion fence. and guarded by the
grand old trees which have stood senti-
mel there for centuries. and which have
witnessed many and wondrous changes.
Just here" remarked o Yone. one of
our number as we passed the massive
temple gates. when | was coming home
from school one day ] was terrified by
meeting a company of soldiers carrying
human head aloft on a spear point. and
shouting. Il was during he war of the
restoration, thirty years ago. when acts
of violence We're not uncommon. We an
shuddered at the thought as we passed
on our way.
On reaching our destination we found
the o.d lady in her best robes of black
lusterless silk with the family crest en-
broidered on the back and sleeves, wait
ing in the ''genka." or front door en-
trance. to welcome the guests who came
mourning in. each bringing present done
up in a gay piece of silk or a brilliant
bandana handkerchief. Our humble Of
fering was a basket OF oranges ana
box of yariegated sewing silk. Another
guest. who arrived at the same tltne'
made A present of line raw silk Just from
/ tho cncoons. which was considered a
very nice present
The old lady seemed young for her
years though the short hair Ga sign Oh
| widowhood), so neatly drawn back ana
,eld in a tortoise-shell clasp was streakAf'
with gray. She had a beaming face with
smile and a kind greeting Tor eStrS
one She shook hands with US In defer-
ence to our queer American custom, and
after We had removed our shoes drew us
in. while her handsome son and his pret-
/ ". gentle little wife came forward from
| side room to welcome us. We were theh
| turned adrift in suite of Japanese rooms
! filled with groups of people IN holluaS
were upstairs taking in the nne view OF
the surrounding country; others were
Dlaving game of Japanese authors sun
4 others were looking over photographs or
admfring the curios distributed around
the room. 4 group of ladies were gam
cred in front of the tOku no ma, or place
( Of honor. q raised dais at one end of the
principal room, where hung a beautful
/ kakfmono before which was arranged in
! a quaint bronze vase a single branch OF a
I fragrant plum tree. The ladies were ex-
claiming over the beautiful arrangement
/ Of the branch and calling each other at
tention to the graceful bending OF the
stem and wondering who was Mrs Max
! ajima's teacher in flower arranging.
/ Other groups were on the veranda watch
! ing their friends who walked in the gar
den under the Towering trees
| 1t was all very social and easy, and as
; We recognized friends here and there
/ long time was occupied in bowling 10
them and greeting them with the best
/ wishes Of the season. The gentlemen
! were, almost without exception. in Euro
! Dean dress. while the ladies were charm
! ingly dressed in the soft crepe costumes
of the country, the quiet though elegant
tints OF which are so becoming TO them.
We noticed one lady in European dress,
/ who looked very well. The cildren pres
I ent were nearly all OF them in foreign
/ clothes and looked very interesting, al
| though / much prefer them in their gay
/ native dress with the flowing sleeves
! and wide sashes and funny little CHG
/ mons fastened on the heads of the little
/ girls.
We were soon requested to be seated,
not on chairs, but in two long rows on
! the floor facing each other. Although
! the head Of the house and his wife were
1 not Christians. their old mother was
most jealous member of the congrega-
/ tional church here, and so, the fes-
| tiyal was entirely on her account. they
had invited all of her friends, besides
many of their own particular set Before
| the entertainment began. one of the pas
tors present stepped forward and read a
| short portion Of Scripture, after which
! he offered a fervent prayer in which he
| asked the blessing of heaven upon their
| gathering and particularly on her in
! whose honor we had all assembled. The
| same person then, in a simple speech
! went on to explain how that Mrs. Naka-
| jima, ST.. having arrived a. the age of
| sixty-one-which, in JAPAN is called hon
ke gairi. or a completed circle, and is
| consequently of a very congratulatory
age-her son desired TO gather the friends
of his mother and of the family to help
them celebrate this happy anniversary.
He also said that. while in old times
i such occasions were celebrated with
wine-drinking and carousing. they wished
| to celebrate il in a better way
/ The son then rose and expressed his
| pleasure at seeing so many of his hon
| ored mothers friends present, and said
| his only regret on this happy occasion
| was that his house was so small and
dirty he could not entertain them as they
! ought TO be entertained. He knew they
would be frightfully bored by the stupid
| amusements they would be obliged to
| participate in, but he begged them to
| endure the ennui of their situation a
| little while, as il would soon be over and
| then they could freely return TO their
| elegant homes and interesting occupa-
| tions. All this was said in the brightest
tone of voice and with the most win-ing
| smile imaginable. and seemed to create a
| pleasant humOr among the guests
Mr.. Nakajima then added that the en-
| tertanment would begin with a tiresome
game called fuku-hiki in which every one
would be requested TO draw folded bit
| OF paper from box, on which a number
would be found corresponding to a num-
Der of a certain unworthy gift, with
which he would do himself the honor to
| present them. ''The presents he added.
ARE not worthy the name, being only
| some rubbish / have collected, but which
may serve, ] hope, to create a little
mirth among those who have done me the
honor of entering my mean abode
The long line of guests bowed in unison
| to their polite host. who returned the sa-
lutte with profound obeisance to the
| floor. They then distributed themselves
| here and there once more, while the hero
| inc of the day with a bevy of fair as
| sstants carried the folded papers TO each
of the guests till all were served. Then
Mr.. Nakajim stationed himself at the
lower end Of the suite of rooms near the
door and began to call their numbers