The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-01


~ trousers of tn e
Chinaman, or the blue tunic and leg
gings of the Japanese, by some uncon-
scious instinct the toiler has chosen
to wear that deep, full tint of blue
that best harmonizes with the brown
earth, the green foliage and the gray
rocks. The tint grows more lovely
under the rays of the sun and in the
pelting Of the rain. But the Japanese
coolie adds to this color a jaunty
picturesqueness of line that belongs
to no other Of these national mani
~feststions in costume.
Even the Coolies Rainent Is Pic
turesque. =
The coolies clothes rival the famous
kimona OF his native land, although
without the kimona's foreign reputa-
ton. The coolie has the further dis
tinction of belonging to the only class
in Japan that Grapes its legs, for the
"hakoma," or gentleman's divided
skirt, is seldom seen in public. Any
body who has ever observed a young
Japanese gentleman riding his bicycle,
kimona streaming out and his bare
legs pedalling, or who has watched how
they stow away the legs on the seat
of a railway train, instead OF resting
the feet on the floor. knows that, how
ever discreet the kimona may be IN
walking, il is very indlscreet at other
times.
The coolies trousers seem to be
fashioned on his legs, they fit SO
closely, but some hidden f~astenings
permit them to be rolled up under hi.
tunic, If his work demands. Both
garments are of cotton. 1t is the tuniC
that gives distinction to the costume
Every Japanese Workman Label:
Himself.
Every Japanese has his crest. Witt
this he signs all his transactions. Thi:
crest is stamped in white on the back
of his tunic. On its lapels are the in.
dications of his trade or employer:
trademark, in the id%eographs o.
Japan, which are in themselves orna.
mental, and make our alphabet seen
a prosaic, homely convenience. WheI
the coolie is at his work he tuck.
one end under his sash. and this re
veals a facing Of lighter blue, which
is lust one OF those touches tina
French dressmakers give to their mos
artistic creations.
This IS one of the many indication
that these Frenchmen of the East ar
the most artistic people IN the world
The crown of this costume is tn
folded strip OF cotton cloth that tn
coolie folds over his head. They ar,
stamped with designs so attractiv
that the foreign women buy them to
bureau and buffet covers. When tn
coolie is hard at work, he binds tn
slip tightly around his brow, and
suggests some laurel-wreathed Angus
tus, or some triumphant Greek athlete
. But the coolies object is merely t
keep the perspiration from runnin
into his eyes.
Uniformity of Color and Repetitio
of Line.
On his feet he wears straw sandal
with a string Harvesting his great to-
He wears a pair out every day, BIT
since they cost only the fragment {
a cent he car afford it. A gang {
coolies unloading a junk of rice is
moving picture; the more interestin
because it is one that has not bee
sung and written about. Unquestior
ABLY this picture IS heightened by II
: uniformity of costume, as we'll as b
its individual attractiyeness. The a
tistic value of uniformity of color an
repetition OF line permeates all Japa'
For obvious reasons. in the cotto