The Washington times., 1904-01-17
GENTLE CHILDREN OF JAPAN

their dolls strapped on their backs. Thus
entertained and with plenty OF COM
pany. "A Japanese chilA has very little
cause for complaint.
Carries Child on Her Back.
Indoors. the mother performs all her
household duties with the baby on her
back Our manner of carrying a child
IN the arms seems very wasteful OF
time and strength to a Japanese mother.
who keeps her arms free and cares for
her baby at the same time
Meanwhile the baby learns TO cling
with its toes and fingers like little ani-
NAL. II unconsclously learns what its
| elders know. and the precocity OF the
JaDanese children in taking care OF
shops. in selling and carrying on that
exercise of mental shrewdness which
farmers call a dicker. is the sstonish-
ment OF every foreigner.
All boys and girls I'm Japan have the
same birthday. regardless Of dates OF
birth. These the whole country unites
in celebrating.
The girls birthday is called the feast
of dolls. and takes place in March on
that day all the dolls of the family for
generations back are brought out and
ranged on a red-covered shelf
Among these are the Emperor ana
Empress Little lacquer tables are put
before the dolls. and for three days food
is served to them.
Japanese Are Great Visitors
tremendous amount OF visiting goes
on, and the streets are filed with gayly
dressed children going TO see one an
others dolls. and sharing in candy and
rice cakes. At the close OF the festival
the dolls are carefully packed away
with new additions to their company.
There is a common belief that II dolls
| have enough companionship. in time
they will acquire souls o Tara had a
bare-poled doll. which she cared for
in hot water.
Wherefore. o Tara" I asked 1T
has eyes, but sees not"
mo, Augustly Honorable foreign lady.
But II o Tara loves enough. baby see -
The boys birthday is May 5. and is
called the Feast of Flags Sacred to the
boy is the carp. the fish OF greatest
strength and courage. II alone can leap
waterfalls and travel up stream.
The country bristles with nagpoles.
and from each wave brilliantly colored
paper fish. These fish are made dou-
bic, and the wind entering the wide
mouths swells them out until they
seem TO be swimming I'm the air
Each pole viii have half a dozen FISH
OF different hues. and the color effect
OF this forest of gay masts viewed from
some friendly hill is one OF those beau
tiful results that this artistic people
know so well how to produce
Toys Are InnumerabIe.
The children enter into almost every
form of japanese life When the mother
goes to the temple TO pray she brings
home gifts for the children. Many of
the temple grounds are like a continual
fair. with toy and candy booths and
open-air entertainments.
japanese toys are innumerable and
cheap. One sen is half cent. Ten rim
make one sen; many of these toys cost
no more than one rim.
Here IS o Saru, the Honorable Mon
key. He is of red cotton, concealing a
bamboo spring. Press the spring and
he runs up pole. This costs two rim.
| A box Of soldiers. samurai in fun armor.
costs rim.
One of the simplest toys is the tombo
/ or dragon fly CINE two pieces OF
wood shaped like a T. The upper bar
bis daubed with color.
] BY twisting the lower piece and sud
/ denly letting go. the toy darts into the
air. dipping, rising. lowering. in it's
rapid motion. looking like a dragon fly,
and making the same humming sound
The children. too. are in the temple
grounds initiating their parents devo-
tons by shooting prayer arrows, firing
rolIed-up prayer papers. as our children
throw spitballs. piling up votive stones.
and sending paper prayer boats. touched
off with a match. 20 burn on the tenn
pie ponds.
Expert Hairdressers.
Hair is to the Japanese almost what
the toga was to the Roman. The gun
trigger style OF hair dressing for men
has gone down before Western civiliza-
ton. The boys wear their hair short
and a shock Of hair is TO the little boy
what breeches with pockets are to our
children.
All the girls wear their hair in the
same way until they are married. Even
! little girls require a hairdresser for
NONIE DN DOPIM(