The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-02-28

1 dollar. They are the typical yankees of the east. They are enterprising but they are tricky in trading and not to be relied upon"
 In the Japanese army, the most modern methods have been adopted. Its officers have been trained in the military schools of Europe and in this country, and the best systems of the best regulated armies of the world have been adopted. The sol- diers are the few among the Japanese people who wear shoes. They are clothed and equipped similar to our own army of America. The great masses of the other people of Japan continue to wear sandals and dress in the primitive costume of that country, the kimona. They likewise con- tinue to live as they did in ancient days. Their houses have neither chairs nor beds and their meals are served on the floor and eaten with chop-sticks from lac quered trays and china bowls. Every Jap anese house has its floors covered with mating and no one can enter a house in Japan without first removing his or her shoes or sandals.
 I remember on one occasion, going to dinner given in my honor by promi- nent young marquis of Japan. The young man had been educated in England and spoke English 1uently. There were pres ent five others beside myself, all of whom were prominent in official circles and each one of them bore title. The dinner was at the Maple club in Tokio, one of the most beautiful club houses in all Japan. But in it there were neither chairs nor tables. It Is rather embarrassing for one who does not understand the art to sit on the floor with his legs doubled up under him and eat with chop-sticks.
 was advised before going to the dinner. which was at o'clock in the afternoon, that I should wear Prince Albert coat and a silk hat. As l entered the. club building. four little waiter girls or mus mees, met me and endeavored to explain something in Japanese to me, which of course did not understand. They final ly took me by force. sat me on the floor and removed my shoes. Then was led into the banquet hall in my stocking feet and Prince Albert coat to sit for five hours on the floor with my legs in an un- pleasant cramp and the tails of the long Prince Albert coat wrapped about me. During the progress of the dinner there were music and gesha dances and many forms of amusement and acts from popu- lar plays by geisha girls who were trained for just this form of entertainment. The dinner of course, was a novelty and I en- joyed it, but being simply armed with chop sticks, had difficulty in consuming the full amount of food which my appe- tite crayed. Many things placed before me went untouched I remember espe- six inches wide placed artistically upon an open board and garnished with green sea weed or some other delicacy Not having had the courage to attempt an as- sault upon this fish with chop-sticks, it went untouched. After the dinner, when package in my jinricksha. After arriv- ing at the hotel opened this package and to my amazement found it contained all the foods which had been placed before me which had not consumed Upon in- quiry I learned that when a Japanese honors you with dinner, that which is placed before you is for your consump- .tion, either during the dinner or at your home thereafter. and polite custom re- quires that one shall always take with him that which he does not consume dur ing the progress of the meal