Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-05

Japanese ladies have actors to fall in
love with, but the Japanese man has TO
fall back on the geisha. The ancient
greeks did not have actresses either.
Perhaps their plays were as dull Ton the
stage) as Japanese plays. which run their
banquets close. The ancient Greek was as
wise as the modern Jap; he did not want
to be separated by the footlights and the
cat-gut tortures Of the orchestra from his
goddess. The wisest of the ancients. like
the Japanese, did not hang about stage
doors, or send jewelry on the off chance
to actresses whom they did not know.
II you ask a man to dinner and take him
TO the Gaiety afterward, you spoil his din
ner or lose half the performance. Instead
OF going to the Gaiety, the Japs made the
Galety come to them. Japanese wives are
not taught accomplishments, but virtues,
Whlch are their only reward. The
Japanese man wants something more than
dH actress. The geisha is expected to he
excellent in that way, and to be at his beck
besides; when he is too idle to attend any
more to her dancing and singing, he beck
ons her to come closer and entertain him
with her Establishments.
Gelshas are not always beautiful: thew
are always elegant and clever; they are
the best dressed women in Japan-the Jan
aheSe DO not think it ladylikc for their
wives to dress well. Wives wear a SORT
OF halt-mourning and no wonder. The
selsha begins training for her future hon
ors early. Girls are chosen for cleverness
at z or s years old-beauty is only consid-
cred skin deep for q geisha. They ara
trained in dancing and singing and the art
Of conversation.
The latter is most important; a geisha
has constantly to be bandying wit with
sake-fuddled admirers and to switch lovers
on or OF. She is expected to sing and dance
ana play. Any music hall artist in London
would promise to shoot herself il she
not do better with a weeks p~ractice
But the training of these geishas extends
over four years, and is perfect of its kind
The popular geisha, like the popular
actress, is much courtcd; she often makes
a brilliant marriage.
No Japanese could understand THE Sec
end Mrs. Tanqueray." Women with pasts
married every day there; their pasts
are no objection, but they have to be pasts
when they marry; in that divorce-monger-
ing lahd caesars wife ceases to be a wife
II she is not above suspicion.
1t is hard for Europeans TO take tbe
~ iOuolS, u all lDelf ACCOMPLISH
nents' They look like children, and are
'hiIdren-when they are not cats. 1t Is
Easy to recognize the geisha; she looks like
angel with wings of rich brocade. a
'halk face, geranium lips and flowers in
ler glossy hair. The geishas NAV often
seen in 'rikshas with their duennas. The
uses in the Yoshiwara are glorifed tea
l1uses' and may be used as such. They
'mlnd one of the Arabian Nights.
but tea houses are apt to be lovely: if is
h'lr business, except those which 90 in
or the dull respectability of being inns,
, Tea mouse isn't tea-total. 1t is gener-
NY not a house at all, but a garden fuII
u summer houses and quite often consists
nothing but a roof and a view. Won
an never get to a view in Japan without
'aSSihg through a tea house, and your wav
5 blocked by gay little mousmees. who
,uD their knees together and bow and kiss
heir respects and give you tea.
They don't sell it, but you give them n
jhal-dal tea p~resent-three half-pence