The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-10-17
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
<DR. HALSTED'S VISIT TO JAPAN &
what Texas Educator Saw in the Foweru s
KinudOm. .
SsASscSSSeNeSSSssSSSAssssy


never come into sympathy with the Japan
csc view oil life. The merchants meet only
ior business, where the strictest comneti- |
uon seems 10 prevent mutual sympathv
ana ON each side IL is the hardest elemenis
o. character that come into prominence.
from the merchants, then there is little
20 learn OF thingn japanese. To penetrate
ihto this totally new psychology one must
leave behind the beautiful Bay Of Yoke.
mama, possibilities OF talking English and
tiunge into the vast ocean OF unadultera,ed
Japanese life TO be found IN the sacred can.
ital, the vast city OF TokO, with more in.
habitants than Chicago and In area rival.
ing The Greater New York. Here no for.
cish lie Is TO be seen. not even a hotel
runner at the great depot One must man.
ase ms own bargain with the polite rick
snaw men who are anxious to deliver Won
on a run in their little two-wheeled he
nieIes to any corner you may wish Of this
vast sea Of houses.
The japanese hotel has no chairs M
tables, no bedseeads, no milk M h,,t,ar
no cnsese, no bread even nor nan %, .,,,.'
IL with shoes on. The exceedingly noli,a
attendants. who bow to the very ground
~ your approach, will take off your shoes
you wait before entering AID slip
80, " paii Oh straw soles caught by little
double string between the toes Win ~.
particular fresh and clean slinners vo,'
may dare to step upon the exuuistely elsan
nia,s ana rugs, where no shoe has eyer
trOuden or VIII ever trod. Instead M ask
phs you to sign a register, a delighffnl
cup OF tea Is brought YOU by a smiling
maiden and the entire hotel Is placed ora.
e!Vusiy at your disposal. II you are a rich
iorelgher ana order dinner, beautiful 1T
ue trays ana mats will be spread around
you on the floor and the whole repast viii
be daintily served to you nv n smillng
maiden, SO dressed as to seem a part of
some spectacular drama. The Fish, white
req ana brown, are served raw and eaten
Wllh chop sticks, for, of course, there are
no FORKS. no knives no spoons,
In the hotel Then follows a
course of boiled lily bulbs. and
then a course of yellow chrysa1thcmums
something that might perhaps BIT mistaken
Tor asparagus is bamboo shoots. and then
comes The root of the lotus. The drink ia
saki, made from rice and served warm
III order that the flavor OF bouquet may be
more completely appreciated. Dainty little
cakes, not real cakes, hut we have no
nearer word for them and sweets which.
perhaps. we must call candies, join the
inevitable tea at the end OF the repast
While the place of bread is taken by a
generous serving of the japanese rice, so
cooked that each grain stands by itself.
the mouth in large quantities by all Jap
anese with their chop sticks. The art OF
eating without knives, forks or spoons is
readily learned under the sympathetic and
hilarious teaching Of bevy OF pretty Jap
anese girls to whom the strangers awk-
wardness Is matter OF unfalllng glee ami
amusement but so deilcately. politely and
sympatletically INDUCED in that the
stranger conceives of himself as high
class comic actor achieving a great sue
cess.
This is a specimen Of how in Japan every
thing seems to go by opposites. No woman
wears Il hat or the thousands and thou
sands of women of every class. from the
mobiles to those who take the place OF draft
horses, no one wears stockings. The 1T
Gle white cotton slipper reaching 10 the
ankle Is split next the great toe and when
going out pair OF flat wooden soles raised
high above the ground are seized by
little projecting strip between the toes and
the walker clapters along on these wooden
platforms with the greatest imaginable
ease and dexterity.
Babes are carried tied to the back often
on the backs of children scarce more than
babes themselves. Thus carried the babes
fall asleep with their heads bobbing loose,
Seemingly in imminent peril OF breaking
their necks. but after all in real comfort,
and entering alphabetically when awake
into all the life about them. for in Japan
every one loves children and no child Is
ever whipped or even slapped.
In this vast city there are no sidewalks,
excepting in one short street. the Gina.
The roads resemble our macadamized roads.
and are so well watered as to be usually
muddy, which is no impsdment 10 the
Japanese trotting along on their raised
woodsa platforms. The nnumerable shops
open dlrsptly upon the streets, and as the
entire front always slides off OF japanese
houses. every enc lives in public. This
IS a great time saving to the tourist, since
he may see the most intimate domestic ar
rangements and family life without de-
scending from the seat OF his rckshaw
The frequent earthquakes In japan have
so influenced the architecture chat the
houses slide open usually at two sides ana
even in the hotels rooms are made sim
ply by sliding screens. This may in some
manner account for the remarkable polite
ness goodness, morality and happiness Of
the Japanese people, since everything must
he done Ia sight OF the world and subject
10 the tribal Judgment. As consequence
the Japanese Is freed from many OF the
temptations OF our civilization. The people
seem always perfectly happy Every duty
Is made a pleasure, each persoa seems 10 De
striving 10 give happiness unsslilsaiy 10
every one ABOUT, anu pHslncs9 lNHS'' % S.i
ried on as II il were an exciting picnic
This happiness seems contagious, as does
also the extraordinary appreciation o,
thinrs beautiful. which is spread aoroa
among all these wonderful people When
the cherry blossoms break out the who're
nation takes d holiday to be sp IN rap
tnrous admiration OF those beautiful PINK
fsirlps So. too our labor day is repiacei
Inv chrysanthemus day when ia %aoie "a
~ ~ goes Wild in expressing their adoring
ADMIRATION for the national flower Flowers
who's names TO us are unknown give
n,eosure to everybody. Parties are nAde
IN at might to see the moon rise Lana
sasnss are not only appreciated. bnt are
Sonied in miniature in the back yards anu
,be family sits out in the evening aiter
work IL over wrapped in admiration Oh tnls
Iandscape spread out before them. Az ilrs1
,be foreigner wc9ders how any great en- ,
,arnrise can be carried out in this lana
where the people seem happy children.
Rut a visit TO any of the public WORKS
:, Toxic. for example, the magniheent
bosoptal. shows how this highly Intellectual
ace Is abls 10 combine ioi
,hs most momertous enterprise, I'M,
.-,snItal Is perhaps unsufpasse1 "a
~ world Here rhe latss, nerman
iao 4, availahle for the sick OF TINS Nlft