The silver lance., 1899-01-13

zS,GyA old. The youthfU
E[JTyR prince IL very IN.
\. @U telligent and srud-
NV les very hard. He
,,X'@ speaks English and
~ French. have
seen him several
times-once amcus
ethsTs At . grand military review held
On tho birthday OF bis father. the en-
peror. He wore a superb uniform Of
captain. and was mounted on q pretty
black pony. During the whole time Of
the review he was close at the empe
ror's side. and gave me the impression
0f being an accomplished horseman
vritss John 4 Cockrell, from Japan.
A japanese house has no tricks. no
walls. no chimneys, and no window
This sounds very funny, and 50 1t 10;
yet japanese touss IL both pretty and
comfortable. The most prnnipeqt thing
about It Is the roof. which Is maAe OF
large, heavy tiles and projects some dis
tance beyond the sides. The roof 10
'upYorted on posts, which not bur.
tsd IN the ground. as you J expe4
them to be. but rest up large hsf
stones. 80 that the house may rock 70
and fro upon the stones instead OF fall
ting. when shaken by an earthquake or
hurricane. The rooms are all on one
floor and are separated by light slid
ing doors. which can be pushed in and
ort when going from one room to an
'ther. or taken out altogether II 1t 10
desirable to make the room large.
The side of the house consists Of more
n fns< l.. - ~ rwh
payer, through which light comes. but
you cannot sec outside unless you put
your finger through and make hole
The 1oors are covered with soft. white
mats. which are pretty and clean, and
the low ceilings are made Of wooden
plauks.
japanese people. although the most
artistic people in the world, are also
the most simple In their daily itfe.
Their furniture eonsists of two or three
hsavy quilts. ealled futons. for each
zerson, and which serve for both bed
and bedclothes. some small fiat cush-
ions on which they sit, very small
tabIes-about six inches high. several
nj baehts," or fire boxes. and some
lamps. cups. bowls. wooden tubs and
baIcepans. These things, With, OF
course, clothes. which are kept in sort
nf chest OF drawers. and a beautifully
painted siiken scroll. which answers to
our pictures. arc the chief belonging
Of . Japanese family.
japanese boys are extremely brave
and patriotic; they love their country
with all tneir heart and would willing
iy give their Life to defend it A few
months ago. while the W.T. was raging
between Japan and China, all the big
boys of fifteen and sixteen, who thought
they were strong enough to carry a gun
aud fight, offered To enroll. Their ser,
vices, however, were not needed as "a.
pan had an army larger than was nec-
essary to vanquish the Chine1i. There
are in Japan several military schools
and great naval academy where |
young men are prepared to become OF.
acers in the Asmy and navy.
In Toxic there is a 6Sst-class uniyeY.
sity with departments of literature. Ian. |
guages. sciences. medicine, engineer |
ing, law, sic. The students arc also |
taught French. English or German,
AZ there are very few horses 10 Ja-
pan. men called kuroumaa are used to
drag along the carts. A small two. /
wheeled carriage, pulled by one man |
and sometimes by two. Is used all over
he country. Nost Of them seat only
one person. but some are largo enough
FOR two. They are called jinruksba or
The kuroumas are very |
strong men. They can run as fast as a
horse apd for hours al time.
There are now in Japsn many rail-
roads IKE our own. Educated Japan
ese who travel first and second class be-
nave in the cars just as we do; but the
common people who are not accus-
.omed to chairs in their houses do not
know how to use the seats. When they
enter a car they usually take of their
Ihoes and put them on the floor; then
hey climb on the seats and sit ON their
aeeIs.
The japanese children are undoubt.
IDLY more respectful toward their par
lnts than young people In any other
country. When very young they are
Aught that. in order to be happy In this
world and avoid frightful punishmea.
n the other, they must obey their ar.
.nts and older brothers or sisters. be
,entle and kind to tho younger ones
md polite to all. These good principles
ire taught in every family, and it con-
ributes much toward making the ia
,anese natives the best -natured. kind
al |