Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1899-05-06
FROM JAPAN.
Very Interesting Letter From
Prof E. H. Vickers.


the Country and the Treatment he
Has Received Dancing Girls are
Delightful Other very Pleasing Ex-
periences met by him-Unif0rm
Courtesy to Strangers-A West yir-
ginia Product is Appreciated i'm that
Far OF Land.
A letter was received few DAYS
ago from Prot. Z. HI. Vickers at To-
kio, Japan, which has made a record
in crossing the ocean The letter
was written on the 18th of April and
mailed at Toxic on the next day
reaching Morgantown seventeen
i days afterward. To do this it crossed
/ the Pacific Ocean and the North
American continent After this feat
Jules Verne with MS eighty day trip
around the world will have to take
back seat The letter which is a
most interesting one is as follows:
1t has been difficult for me to inn
agine that | have spent winter
there There has been no intense cold,
and the weather has, for the most
part. been little more hard than it
ordinarily is in April in your climate.
There have been green trees and
poisoning flowers through it all,
yerdure in real profusion. Market
gardening has continued without in
corruption in the vicinity, very like
in June at home Plum blossoms
were out a month ago, and the cherry
blossom season is at its very climax
at this writing. You cannot conceive
the real beauty Of the cherry blossoms
of Japan. They have variety, a
density, profusion of blossoms that
are scarcely conceivable TO one who
has not seen them. tbs for Japanese,
who love nature, the joyous season.
They wander out to the popular cherry
groves, stroll about, or loll around
drinking in the quiet joys to which
even the foreigner who beholds them
seems to remain in great measure
insensible. You must think of them
mot as Of other people whom yon have
seen, but as a gentle, amiable, rather
timid people, small of stature, tawny
Skinned, and clad in very queer gar
ments. The women and children
have peculiar grace and timid charm
and they are rather fond Of bright
colored garments, particularly at this
season.
/ have been very kindly received by
the japanese. They have special
Faculty for doing things to make a
guest comfortable and contented.
The President of the University,
Some six weeks ago. gave me Jap
lanese dinner at the Maple Club, the
finest restaurant in Tokyo where /
met some fifteen or twenty prominent
japanese. Two weeks ago Mr..
Fukuzawa, son OF the founder of the
KeiogijIku, and joint proprietor with
his brother of the leading Japanese
daily paper, s'The Jill Shimpo," gave
me an elegant dinner at the 'tTokiyia''
restaurant. 1 met there Baron Tos-
aFi, the wealthiest japanese, worth
near ole hundred millions Mr..
Obura, wealthy philanthropist, who
founded commercial school and re-
Gently gave it half million--Presi-
dent Tomanoto of the Bank Of Japan,
Mr. Takahoshi, Vice President of
same, and other persons of high posi-
tion. Last week / attended Cherry
Blossom Party and dinner at the SUBJ
urban villa of Mt. Obura. There
were nearly one hundred guests, all
rather distinguished. Among them
were Marquis Ito, the greatest of
Japanese statesmen, Gen Viscount
AOyama, hero Of Port Arthur, Wis
count Enomots, Viscount Watanabe.
My left hand neighbor at dinner was
Mr.. Soyeda, Vice Minister of Finance,
who speaks English well and was nv
interpreter.
The character of one of these din
ners is inconceivable TO a Westerner.
The chief guest Of honor always my
self except at Mr.. Obura's is seated at
the head Of the hall, other guests
ranging around the room to right and
left according to rank, the host at the
end. All are seated on cushions on
the soft mats either Japanese of Gypsy
fashion being permissible. A small
box filled with ashes and with char
coal embers 10 the middle, a charcoal
stove is placed between each two
guests. The service is performed by
sGeisha, trained girls. The food Is
brought from the front on large tray
aR1 placed in front of you. The
slsha kneels-Japanese fashion-im-
ediately In front Of you and remains
there throughout the meal, serving
you and anticipating you least walt
in the most graceful and charming
way. They are trained entertainers
and know how to amuse one who
cannot even understand the language
at least to some extent. The dinner
begins with cup Of tea, no sugar nor
milk. There are soup, raw fish Of
different varieties, cooked fish. pickles,
peculiar cakes, sometimes more soup
and sort OF porridge and rice with
fruit. Ii is all literally seasoned
with between drinks usually by
exchange Of cups between guests,
which Is here polite custom.