The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-07-15

been frequently consulted by them in cases
of dangerous illness, l was permitted to
visit the Taishakwan residence and to ex-
anime its numerous objects of interest.
Such an opportunity is so rare that it is
worth describing
To begin with, il should be remembered
that the family are Buddhists of the
strictest type Two immense golden fish
twelve feet long, adorn the highest corners
of the roof. The house stands upon a
conspicuous bluff, commanding the city,
the surrounding fertile plain and the en-
circling mountains in the distance.
have called it a house, but it is rather a
series of low buildings connected by We
randas all surrounding a japanese garden
on the side hill nearly an acre in extent
In this garden there is every imaginable
variety of dwarfed and Towering trees
and shrubs, and of landscapes in minia-
ture, really making a world in itself. Fam
lily life is strong in Japan, and often sew
eral generations dwell together under one
roof. In this household there were 10
members. We were met at the door by
servants. They summoned the two sons,
who at present have general superintend-
ence of the house and grounds. These
were pleasant hammered young men who
had been educated in the Buddhist schools
of the city and had never been far away
from home. According to Japan custom,
we took off our shoes at the doors and
then were shown around through the be-
wildering conseries of richly mailed rooms
in which everything was scrupulously
| clean
We went down stairs and up stairs, and
| through sliding doors innumerable until
we lost all sense of direction. There we
| looked into a most gorgeous Buddhist
| shrine where the master of the house pays
| his daily devotion. There we passed
| through room with the national bird
an enormous stork, carved on the ceiling,
| and stretched from one side to the other
| We were shown two rooms where the
Emperor and Empress are entertained
when visiting the city. In another room
the furniture was five hundred years cd
Aesthetic Art in Everyday Life.
| From the sitting rooms on various sides
and at various nights, we caught glimpses
of the garden end of elegantly attired Ia
dies of the household wandering through
| its mazes; and ever and anon had broader
views of the city and plain and mountains
| beyond. Aesthetic art could go no fur
| Their. Beauty and homely comforts were
combined in perfection. The sleeping
rooms all opened from the second story
| with sliding doors upon the sunny garden
| enclosure.
We were to take a train early On the
1
were sure we should miss it, But stll
we were led on and on, until at length we
! brought up in a house theater, richly or
| namented, and large enough to accommo-
date several hundred sitting on their feet
| in Japanese fashion. Then for the first
| time We saw chairs. Four were set ont
| for the benefit of the foreigners. and soon
a table was brought in and placed before
us, and we were served to some dainty
| cups of tea, which we hoped was ALL for
| there was still barely time to catch the
| train. But, no. there was more to follow,
| and it would not do to be so rude as to
| decline the proffered hospitality. One af-
| ter another of the ladies of the house
| hold (not servants) brought us successive
dishes of food cooked in foreign fashion,
until an hour had been consumed in par
| taking of them. We missed the train, but
| we had the pleasure of being waited upon
| by a succession of Japanese ladies from
| those of middle age and dignity, to girls
| of charming ways. not more than y years
of age. The last course was plate COW
| cred with envelopes containing eight gifts
| from which we were to choose at random
Mine was a small bronze image of the
god of wealth At the door, the ladies of
| the house surrounded us and assisted us
| in putting on our overcoats and shoes,
| and showered upon US their pleasant
smiles we rode away in our jinrick-
shas. We were not sorry that we missed
the train. G.. Frederick White