The age-herald., 1901-08-25
HOW THEY DINED IN JAPAN.
Baltimore Lady Describes the Feast's
 Pleasures and Tortures.

'T think probably the most enter taining experience we had in Tokio, said Miss Lillian Giffin, 1904 North Charles street not long since, in speak ing of her travels in Japan, was Japanese dinner.
 "We had been invited to dine at the Maple Club, and at the entrance a bevy of small servants went down on all fours in salutation, removed our shoes, and escorted us to the dining room, small apartment minus chairs, table. everything. We were expected to sit in native fashion on our heels on the floor, which was covered with faultlessly white mats. Our places were marked by circle of small, flat blue cushions. Sitting upon ones heels is a difficult position for foreigners to assume and almost impossible to main tain. With inward misgivings, but with a show of great ease, l subsided upon my cushion and for fully five min utes my troubles seemed over. Alas! soon numbness attacked my astonished members, then paralysis; finally move ment or inaction became alike torture. How long can I stand it? l thought uneasily as I looked toward my friend and in her eyes caught an answering signal of distress.
 "At that moment troupe of little serving girls-musumes-en with the dinner. First we were served with tiny handleless cups of tea and most beautiful confectionery, saped into pink and green maple leaves and dell cate rose-tinted waxen mysteries. They were works of art, but quailed Derore them, and for me that course was pure " ornamental. Before each Of us was then placed a lacquered table, about a foot high, holding several d1snes. have never been considered tall, put l felt awkwardly so for those surround. ings, especially that dolls table and those toy dishes.
 "At first glance I did not recognize a single acquaintance among the deli cacies, so began to take an inventory of them. On piece of glass were care fully arranged thin slices of raw hsh and small bowl of dark sauce. plate was divided in halves by slice of white and yellow cake made oi sweet and Irish potatoes. On one side of this barrier was a small piece oi boiled lobster. half a microscopic bird preserved cherries and chestnuts; or the other two sugar-coated Irish DO tatoes, one white. the other red. next uncovered lacquered bowl. Ii was filled with brown soup, in which floated pieces of fish. My neighbors were eating this with chop-sticks Tremblingly took up the bits of wood and tried to do likewise. With every movement these detestable chopsicks slipped in my fingers. I worked with desperate energy, but gradually the few solid portions of my soup crumbled to nothing. For fresh material had to turn to a gelatinous substance called soy, on which rested piece of broiled eel.
 1.-Two little girls served sake. the rice wine of Japan, from slender, long necked vases. Here was fresh trial The sake, which tasted much like dilut | ed sherry. was served hot. 4, felt proud of my fortitude when I had swallowed some with an unmoved countenance There were some very elaborate cere monial rules for drinking this wine which, it is needless to say, we did not observe.
 "One after another new and curious | delicacies were placed before me, unti a signal was given and the musumes rose and retired to the end of tht apartment. One side of the wall slit back and revealed picturesque groul of exquisitely dressed girls. They were the maikos, or dancing girls, and theil accompanies, the geishas. At first tho sight of painted, powdered, marvellous ly costumed dancers. trailing beautifu
 robes and waving, tinted fans, wa! charming, then the monotony of it i'm
 pressed me. It was not really dancing