The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-08-31

1 J distinctive features of Jap
sSfor anese life which will strike
the observer with wonderment as soon
as he sees them looming along the road
way. or hears them scraping the gravel
with an irritable squeak that makes
his very nerve shudder. Neverthe-
less. awkward though the shoes ap-
pear. they are of a kind constituted
to make feet as hard rs sheet iron. and
ankles az strong as steel girders.
The shoes are divided into two va.
~rieties; the low shoe is called the
"komageta.' and is only used when
the roads are in good condition. The
high shoes. named "ashida." are worn
when the weather is rainy and the
roads are muddy. Both kinds have
q thin thong attached to the surface
to secure them to the feet. which are
therefore not covered as if they were
in shoes. but are left exposed to atmos.
pheric conditions. The "komageLa" re-
semble somewhat the Lancashire clog,
and their construction merely entails
the carving of a block Of wood to the
proper size. The "aShida." however,
are of more complicated design. They
have two thin pieces of wood. about
three inches high, at right angles to
the soles. and occasionally, in the case
Of priests or pilgrims, only one bar
attached.
Some of the "geta" worn by little
girls are painted in many colors. and
others have a tiny bell hanging from a
hollow place at the back. which, as it
tinkles in a mystic way, heralds the
approach Of childreh The superior
makes are covered with mats. made
of panama. The highest price amounts
to about 10 yen or S.. while the cheap
est is less than 10 sen, or q few cents;
but then the ''geta" will not last longer
than a month, and onc out of repair
can never be mended.
Learning to walk on a "geta" is an
exceedingly difficult process. Indeed,
it is far easier to acquire skating or
silt walking. The average child in
Japan takes about two months before
being able to move along on the ma
tional footgear, and the little ones re-
peatedly slip from the wooden blocks,
falling to the ground, which seems to
their miniature i%maginations a consid-
cradle distance beneath them. AL
though foreigners usually take with
nolinocc RI tho n11cfnnnc of 1on0n
they are absolutely unable to manipu.
late the perilous 'geta."
A curious story is told Of q San
Francisco merchant who was invited
to attend a fancy dress ball. He
thought it would be quite the correct
thing to attend in Japanese costume
and wrote to a friend in Yokohama
to send a complete suit Of the costume
Of a gentleman Ct high class. On re-
ceipt Of the costume he was immensely
surprised at it's extensive variety. He
mastered all the i%ntricacies Of the flow,
ing robes, but when he unearthed the
"geta" he was completely at a loss to
understand it's use. Having only just
arrived in the country. and not being
over observant, he had omitted to no.
tice the foot arrangements Of the peo-
pie. After much earnest c%onsidera-
ton. he was suddenly seized with a
brilliant idea. "Ah," he exclaimed in
his desire to extol everything Japan
csc, this wooden block has got a very
lovely shape, it is very beautifully
carved and artistic. Therefore. it must
be a kind of decoration to be worn
on the shoulders like epauiettes." And
so the merchant went to the ball with
a "geta' on each shoulder instead Of on
each foot!
Some parents allow their children
to play barefoot in the streets, but
when going out with their elders, or
paying visits, it is essential that every
one, from the smallest to the tallest,
must mount the wooden clog. and pro
pei themselves in this odd fashion.
The dislike of the Japanese children
for the activity of outdoor games is to
be mainly attributed to the awkward
encumbrances with which their little
feet are loaded. For instance. one sell
dom sees Japanese children %gambollinG
in open playgrounds-they have yet to
learn the ~feverish pleasures of hide
and seek" or FOUNDERS" while such
a thing as top spinning or football
never obstructs the roadways.
Singular superstltions are associated
with the "geta.' which at times are
decidedly useful. When a host desires
that a too attentive caller should de-
part, he induces somebody to burn
l1oya, which has a peculiar odor, upon
his shoes, which are outside the door.
The guest will Immediately take the
hint, and simultaneously his leave.
When a thong of 'geta'is accidentally
severed on the return from the visit to
a sick person a firm belief exists that
the patient must die. The japanese,
however, dearly love the "geta," and
although civilization may teach them
to win battles, it will never induce
then to wear leather boots!
The Woman of 1t.