New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-10

New Years Day and the boys and girls each
have another birthday besides The girls is the
third day OF the third month. which would be
March 3. and the boys. the fifth day OF the fifth
month, which, OF course, would be May 8. The
moment a blinking, Acknowledged Jap baby is
born, he. or she. is year old. When New Years
Day comes he IS two years old Even II he was
born the bell in the temple ringing the last
stroke before midnight Of New Years Eve. he
would be two years old when the first stroke Of
New Years Day rang out on the air. Everybody
has good time this great birthday. The fun
is supposed TO last two weeks
The girls their birthday get out their dolls.
You have seen japanese dolls with pink cheeks.
queer fiat eyes and little circle Of bristly black
hair glued the back Of their heads. Well. they
have big and little dolls like that Some Of the
dolls look so much like real babies that you have
TO look twice TO whether they real
make believe. The girls carry their dolls fastened
on their backs, just their mothers once car
ried them. Little girls and boys the world over,
when they can have half chance like to do Just
"grown-ups' do.
On the boys birthday the air Is full Of strange
nsh which look as If they were trying 10 swim
against the wind. They are on top OF poles and
every boy Is holding one OF these up. The FISH
OF paper. The wind blows through them. making
them wrigEle back and forth. as If they were
tually swimming.
The japanese mother delights 10 shave the head
OF the little Jap" at least she acts II she
did. She begins TO shave his head there
Is enough hair there TO shave of. And then what
q funny way she shaves him! Perhaps she will go
all his head except one spot. at the back Of
the neck. Here she will leave little tuft Of hair
like a small Uncle Sans chin whsker. A little
later she does with his hair what is done with
dogs and what gardeners do with some shrubs
the lawn: she tries TO cut it IN queer shapes. IN
order 20 see which is the most becoming. Some
times she shaves the top and leaves the hair grow
ing around the edge IN a ring. like 4 little monk
Sometimes she shaVes the rim and leaves a circle
the knob OF his head at the back. just you
hair the small japanese dolls. And again.
sometimes she will leave only scalplock and two
lovelocks. In these different ways, just
American mother twists the hair Of her little girl
he goes TO school, which he does when he is five
six years old.
The little girls. Just they are able to
do So carry their baby brothers and sisters about
their backs. Il looks funny enough TO a little
girl carrying baby almost as large herself on
her back and playing hopscotch at the time.
You wonder how the baby stays on, If he is not
heavy for the little girl 20 carry. and how she
bounce about with that plump little shaver
her back And more than all. you wonder why he
does make a fuss about it. for he seems
pay no attention 20 what his nurse IS doing. He
TO be staring up at the sun and in danger Of
becoming blind. but you look more closely and you
sec that only his eyes covered by his thick
eyelids. but he is actually asleep. His head rolls
around but he does not wake up as his nurse takes
q hop.
Il is surprising how many games like ours the