The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-03
WATSON 6 co H. P. WATSON & co. H. P. WATSON & co.

organization whose missionaries make it a
rule to fit Christianity to each new people
rather than to reconstruct each nation to
fit Christianity. But missionary work is
long way FROM what l am writing about.
There is an equally marked difference be-
tween the manners and customs of Euro
pean and Chinese women. The fact that
kissing is considered a thing too dreadful
for words carries the suggestion that we
and the Chinese are not strictly alike The
fact that a girl or woman may not even be
touched by man-not even her brother
throws a strong light on another phase OF
with masculine babies harmlessly and tree
ly; but as soon as she is big CROUCH TO be-
gin the feet-squeezing process and TO pc
kept in women's quarters, apart from the
other sex, no masculine hand may so much
touch her cheek or fingers until she mas
20 be carried to the ''f1oWery, ana, after
that only her husband may touch her.
The ''iowery'' is the fiorally-decked sedan
chair in which she journeys as a bride 70
her husbands fathers house. she must pc
carried there because it cannot be con-
ceived that a right-feeling modest, respec-
able girl would deliberately leave her
parents and her home on her own feet and
of her own free will. Therefore her father
must carry her out TO the chair, or, II her
father is dead, an uncle must do 1t. Only
when there. is no other male relative big
enough and strong enough may her own
brother pick her up in his arms and carry
her out of the door of her home.
one does not need Sam Wellers double
million ,nlagnifying glass TO see thal Eu-
ropeans who wish to ingratiate themselves
Win the Chinese take up a bigger contract
than merely learning the chinese language.
1t is all very well for the Sydney man to
saw that a Chinese wife is merely bought
en- chattel--if he does not mlnd throWing
stones while he lives in a glass mouse. IN
China man may have only one VIE. Inc
other women he keeps are merely con-
cubines and the more he can AFFORD the
nTouder his wife becomes. 1t shows that
her husband is better of than most Oh MS
as Servants to a real wife, SO Inat the more
her husband has the easier things become
for her The concubineS are the pouSnteh
chattels When 1t comes to real Wife-get-
ting whether in China or Europe, appear
ances differ more tna fe nomes fo grief when
she fails to bear a son to ner huspanu.
Girl babies don't count. Nopody caves
them. as apples or grapes, to the credit OF
= ,nofher on the headstone of her grave, as
is done in Turkey. IL she mas no son slS
is practically though not Legally aegra ,.,er
shin his fathers tablet rises TO the place OF
bonor in the house, because if no one IS
worshiping a dead man tapiel ne cannot
carry on business in the spirit World. -.
T,hen again. Chinese wife is proudest
when her husband calls her his "httle,staIy-
at-home'' She is never called anyone IL /,
&c hicvcler' or little election canvasser.
mr. little theater fiend," as she might De IN
other climes. She stays at nome IN me MO-
. veli-ordered Chinese house. The front
building is for the man, the center one lor
the women. the rear one LOT TIE ne a,,a
building unless he gets permission, ana ms
wife does not go to his quarters without be-
ing invited. She goes into. the street very
seldom and only In her chair. She could
not walk on her little mangei Ieet II she
wanted 70. but even If she could she would
mt do ii. because 1t is not considered re-
snecfable to trot about out of doors ana 10
he stared at by men.
Therel that is the rneyest, vaguest glance
at a Chinese lady's ways Yet II begets the
idea that missionary "4lns , n aearss and
hrofhers in public and chase about as freely
a. fresh ar In mien's quarters and STRANGERS
houses, are not batting their hooks with