Smyrna times., 1904-04-20
"Secret' Mourning That Every One Knows of
and Respects The Quaint Toilet of a Ma
samphO BelIe--A Strange Headdress.

If her husband had died on his Jour
ney the basket would have been nearly
full by this time; every one who has
any regard for her would have added
a drop or two, and her mourning would
have been as intricate a performance
as a case in international law Even
as it was the tear basket was STEPPED
in incense and many heartbreaking
songs and proverbs walled over it.
Weep fOwers-that is, any sort Of
bloom that withers soon - may be
pressed and strung around the basket.
The wing of Il wounded bird may dec
crate one side; a motherless child may
imprint kiss upon it for the good of
the spirit.
do men ever wear the tear basket
for wOmen?" once inquired.
"Oh, mOonface, you are curious so
much" was the reply. Women never
go away from men in How'll"
But they die"
"Yes, and then vera often the good
men wear the tear basket in secret
mourning"
There is much secret mourning in
Korea, and it is like the Irishman's
secret-everybody knows it and re-
spects it, A woman who has loved
the wrong man may wear secret
mourning clothes for him and don the
tear basket filled with tears of per-
sons who have not deigned to speak to
her in the lifetime of the loved one.
AT certain hours she may wall round
his grave and leave the best of every
thing to eat on his tomb for his hun
cry spirit The worldly mate of the
| departed looks on, and often it seems
she is tiattered by the performance. A
slave may mourn secretly for the
| queen, and anybody who wants to
may sympathize without hurt for a
beheaded criminal.
Next to the tear basket the heart
cloth is the quaintest symbol of How'll
| emotions. One is never permitted to
know of this precious ornament I'M
less it is worn for his or her sake In
old Korea it was placed over the heart
of the beloved before being worn in
! any other breast One heart cloth Of
ten does for a whole family, being
worn by different members in turn.
Characters representing poetic say
ings are appliqued upon it, such as:
without thee l dwell with the spir-
it of the withered tree"
MY heart beats only to thine"
"Ahu-peace"
'The sun will come again."
In some parts of the country heart |
cloths are placed over the body of |
the dying and then given to the shang-
goo, head male mourner and the loo
foo, leading female mOurner.
MasamphO is a quaintand picturesque
town, nearly as much so as Fusan. |
from which it is not far removed. One |
or the sights of Masampho is her shop |
ping district, which consists of in |
Vulnerable mats spread out on the |
ground, upon which are exhibited the
wares OF their owners, who squat be-
side them.
But the chief joys of Masampho are
her deliciously strange little women
the never to be forgotten Masamphon-
csc, wild eyed, glossy haired dump
hngs, with cherry lines for mouths.
who waddle around and about. ouack-
Ing in fascinating tones.
The Masampho bellies toilet is worthy
of the time she spends upon il Her
face is washed with honey oil instead
of water. Sometimes she Sits a fine
powder scented with her favorite flow
er over II.
She may stain her complexion to suit
her fancy, but generally she prefers
1t to be the natural color, which is n
beautiful ecru. Though she NAV never
De seen by man, save husband or fo.
Their, during curfew time or woman,s
hours-S p. IN. and IL. m.-sLe may 90
out freely visiting friends and rela-
yves. Her hair is brushed with q
fragrant bunch of switches and glued
INTO many different forms. Sometimes
II makes a butterfly or tortoise and
at other times lot of leaves or n LITTLE
sampan.
When it is properly shaped. bip iado
Ut glass pins are stuck in. The only
cap she ever wears has no crown. Tie
Dack Is shaped like helmet and thera
are TWO long tassels hanging from the
lorehead and neck brim. Her cotton
IOuserS are as full as a divided skirt
ana become narrow at the ankles
where they meet little socks made Of
grass and picturesque shoes. Her skirt
Is very full and shirred at the ton int
an eight inch band. This fits tightly
around the chest and under the arms
Inc jacket worn is not over seven
lnches In length and runs the gauut
OF Korean blues and greens. which arc
somewhat the tints of the peacock,s
tail. P"0O'A
IL OF the common people, she NAV al.
low her small feet and ankles to show
put II OF noble blood her skirts must
sweep the streets. All women carrv
with them long cape, so that If nv
any possibility they should meet n
man they may throw it quickly over
sneir heads leaving only a slit in from.
Ior the eyes.-New York Post.