Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-12

crying baby, like the scentless flowers and
the non-singifg birds described by veracious
pan, and II present appearances are relia-
Bile Will soon be as extinct as the dodo.
Altogether, the Japanese babies are most
attractive. In general makeup with
shaven crowns, variegated by hair tufts,
they look striking1y like the Japanese dolls
sold in America. Fastened to the back of
mother or elder sister or brother they bury
their noses in the back of the neck of their
carrier and inspect the world with black
and bead-like eyes. In Osaka 1 saw one
favored infant who was strapped to his
carriers back with his face turned outward,
apparently more healthful and reasonable
fashion.
Groups of children, with their bright-col-
ored dresses, their oftentimes sweet voices
and pleasing manners, are the delight of
the foreign visitors, and especially of the
amateur photographer.
Here the master of dancing school leads
his pupils, a score or more of little girls,
out for vacation romp in Shiba Park in
Toxic. The hair of Miss Flora McFlimsey
was never more deliberately dressed than
that of these children, and as to bright
colors in attire, in kimono, obi and all the
rest Solomon in all his glory was not ar
rayed like one of these.
Close at hand are some smaller children,
apparently of a rowing disposition, equipped
each with a charm bag to ward off acct
dents. and metal tag containing the name
and address of the prospective wanderer
to the end that he may be returned to his
nome II he is lost.
Here comes rushing along an avenue of
the park a whole school of boys out for
che breathing spell of a recess. They cut
up pranks, and laugh, and quarrel, and
| testify in every way to an overflow of ami
NAL spirits, just young America would
Gisport himself, except for the latter's dis
respect of his elders.
But not all the juvenile conditions are
| ideal. A great many of the heads of chill
| dren are scabby from eczema, produced
! probably bys shaving with dull and dirty
| razorS, to which the youngsters head is
| subjected until the age of five six years
| Is reached. No effort is made to cure this
| eruption because, it is explained, a super
stition attributes a disease-averting and
| health-giving influence in later life to the
youthful scabby head. Evidently there is
| also popular superstition which ascribes
some physical ILL., present or future, to the
blowing of an infants nose. however much
| 1t may need this delicate attention. Dainty
| handkerchiefs of children's sizes are made
| by the thousand in Japan, but they are
| used, 1t would seem, exclusively for export
| purposes.
In addition to the outward display of carp
| and banners floating over many a house
| there was an indoors exhibit in Nikko on
the boys holiday, which was in accord with
| the symbolism of the carp, as the type of
| force, power. the overcomer of difficulties.
| Images of generals on horseback and SOL
| diers on foot, wrestlers fighters of every
! grade and description, war flags and ban
| nerS. toy suits of armor, swords, bows and
"iio"s' anu the other implements of an
| Gent war, which have filed the toy shops
for weeks. are now displayed by the proud
| parents OF the boy in their home.
First Lesson in Jingoism.
| The most conspicuous of these exhibits
| are large, set pieces, representing warlike
| subjects such as Hidcyoshi on his throne
and the Empress lingo and her councillors
| This mythical empress is a model for
the boys in spite of her sex and figures
| conspicuously as the warrior woman
among the images of the 9Th of May, that
are used as object lessons to teach the
young the deeds of heroes, and to pro-
| mote patriotism.
The Empress lingo, the conqueror of
| Corea and the mother of Hachiman, the
god OF war. may be viewed as typical of
the national patriotic sentiment and of
| the warlike spirit of territorial extension
| Under Shintoism, the nominal national re-
| igion, emperors and expresses, lingo
| among them, are deifed and worshiped
| Thus in Japan, at least, Jingoism equals
Shintoism equals Patriotism and every
Jap is lingo.
In respect to things material and visible
Japan is a realization of the imaginary
| land of Lilliput. described by the veracious
CULVER. In national spirit and aspra-
| ton Japan is of Brobdingnagian proper
lions.
Every visitor to Japan testifes to the
accuracy of the first of these statements
The smallness IF things Japanese is the
foreigners lost vivid Impression from his
first to his last glimpse of the little brown
men and women and their proportionately
tiny appurtenances and BELONGINGS On
landing at Yokohama he is placed in a
| 1inrikisha or enlarged baby carriage, and
Is hauled to the hotel by bare-headed
and bare-legged male nurse while he in
stinctiVely feels for his rattle and nurs-