Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1901-08-09
AS They Dine In Japan.

II think probably the most ente
] tanning experience we had in Toxic,
said Miss Lillian Griffin, 1904 Mort
f Charles street, not long since, in speal
ing of her travels in Japan. was
Japanese dinner.
I'VE had been invited to dine at th
Maple Club and at the entrance bev
of small servants went down on a.
foars in salutation. removed our saoe
and escorted us to the dining fopm.
small apartment minus chairs, table
everything. We were exf &c ed TO 81
in native fashion ON our heels on TIL
floor, which was covered with fault
lessly white mars. Oar PLACES wer
marked by ciIc!e of small, fit b.u'
cushions. Sitting upon one 5 heels II
a difficult .po lion for Foreigners t.
assume and almost impossible to main
tain. With Inward misgivinls, bat
with a show OF great ease. / suDsided
upon my cushion aud for fully five
minutes my troubles seemed over.
| Alas soon mum bness attacked my
astonlshed memb bers, then paralysis
fiuaily movement OF. .inactiou bee anne
alike torture. How long can | stand
it? thought uneasily as | iookek to-
ward my friei.d and in her eyes Caught
an answering signal Of distress.
"a that vunmant a troupo cf 1iffI,
serving gifls-musumes-entered with
the dinner. First We were served with
tiny hardleless cups of tea and mcst
beautiful confectionery, shaped into
pink and green maple leaves and deli
cate rose tinted waxen mysteries They
were works of art, but l quailed before
them, and tor me that course was pure
ly ornamental. Before each of US was
then placed a lacquered table, about
foot high, holding several dishes. l
have never been considered tall, but
felt awkwardly so for these surround
ings, especially that doll s table and
those toy dishes. cat first glance I
did not recognize a single acquaintance
among the delicacies, SO began to take
an inventory of them. On piece of
glass were carefully arranged thin
slices of raw fish and small bowl of
dark sauce. A plate was divided in
halves by slice of white and yellow
cake made of sweet and Irish potatoes.
On one side of this barrier was small
piece of boiled lobster, half microscopic
bird preserved cherries and chestnuts
on the other, two sugar-coated Irish
potatoes, one white, the other red. l
next uncovered lacquered bowl. 1t
was filled with brown soup, in which
foated piece of fish. My neighbors
were eating this with chop stick.
Tremblingly l took up the bits of wood
and tried to do likewise. With every
movement those detestable chop sticks
slipped in my fingers. l 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 a piece of broiled
eel.
1.-Two little girls served sake, the rice
wine of japan. from slender, long neck
ed vases. Here was fresh trial The
sake, which tasted much liked diluted
sherry, was served hot. l felt proud
of my fortitude when had swallowed
some with an unmoved countenance.
There are some very elaborate cere-
monial rules for drinking this wine,
which, it is needless to say. we did not
observe.
Zone after another new and curious
delicacies were placed before me, until
a signal was given and the musumes
rose and retired to the end of the
apartment. One side of the wall slid !
back and revealed picturesque group !
of exquisitely dressed girls. They |
were the maikos, or dancing girls, and
their accompanies the geishas. At
first the sight of painted, powdered.
costumed dancers. trail
ing beautiful robes and waving tiDted |
fans, was charming, then the monotouy |,
of it impressed me. 1t was not really !
dancing, but posing, and such neat,
exact posing that felt tss though look
ing upon mechanical toy and expected d |
every moment it would run down. All |
the while the wailing voices of the |
geishas rose higher and higher. while |
with an ivory striker their delca e
hands sounded the strings of the sami.
sens, a most disordant instrument. As
thelast plaintive no.e ceased the screens
were drawn and we resumed our din
uer. Other dances followed at inter.
walls until rice was brought Us as last
course and the japanese feast Wi S
over