The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1904-07-27
JAPANESE FooTGEAR.
That Makes the Feet HARD
and Ankles Strong
.rors ARE OF TWO VARIETIES

5 Ia Called ShOmaEetA
BE N' nigh "Ashida" - Learning
anu on the Former a Very
10 ,. process - Curious super
.t,,ion. Associated with e'"
r,onese shoes, or "geta," as
the o@ % lied. are one Of the singular
hey a.! .,,,+tvo features of japanese lie
J olS0T will strike the observer win
Thicn ,,on+ rs soon as he sees them
VOna iaa along the roadway or hears
e 9s.,, scraping the gravel with an lrrl-
l lsn squeak that makes MS very
SDe shudder. Nevertheless, awk-
leNe' Enough the shoes appear, they
VaIu kind constituted to make feet
!. hard as sheet iron and ankles as
: n'i 80 steel Orders, says the Lon
lom n,s ,hons are divided into two varle-
~ r,no low shoe is called the "koma-
peo ., and is only used when the roads
E ~ n GOOD condition. The high Shoes
Iamal "ashida," are worn when the
paln teor is rainy and the roads are
Ca" a. Both kinds have thin thong
p4ocbpd to the surface to secure them
'''. +ho feet which are therefore not
.aroa as if they were in shoes, but
Fre left exposed to atmospheric condl-
tons The "komageta" resemble some
Lha+ the Lancashire clog, and their
onstrnction merely entails the carving
b - nIocz of wood to the proper size.
H. "ashida." however, are OF more
,r,,l;cotpd design. They have two
H. ,iecps of wood, about three inches
Erh at right angles to the soles, ana
TooasionalIy. in the case of priests or
b,rrims only one bar attached.
Some Of the "geta" worn by little
krIs are painted in many colors ana
Stbprs have tiny bell hanging from a
bolIow Mace at the back, which, as II
frtIos in a mystic way, heralds the
6nnr,acb Of children. The superior
bakas are covered with mats made OF
Dqnoma The highest price amounts
u about 10 yen, or So, while the cheap
H. is less than 10 sen, or a few cents;
1 MT then, the "geta" will not last long
h than month and once out OF repair
ban never be mended.
Learning to walk on q 'geta' Is an
Exceedingly difficult process. Indeed
n is far easier to acquire skating or
stilt walking. The average child In
1apan takes about two months before
heinz able to move along on the ma
honaI footgear, and the little ones re-
beatedly slip from the wooden blocks,
Falling to the ground, which seems to
heir miniature imaginations cOns1d-
Eable distance beneath them. AL
fhOugh foreigners usually take with
Badness to the customs of Japan, they
IRE absolutely unable to manipulate
DE perilous "geta."
A curious story is told of a San
IduCISCO AelCuduL WIZ W 40 Al 1914
d attend a fancy dress ball. He
Bought it would be quite the correct
hing to attend in Japanese costume
md wrote to a friend in Yokohama to
send complete suit Of the costume of
a gentleman of high class. On receipt
n the costume he was immensely sur
prised at its extensive variety. He
haStered all the intricacies of the flow
ng robes, but when he unearthed the
geta' he was completely at loss to
understand its use Having only just
arrived in the country and not being
EerobServant, he had omitted to no
Ne the foot arrangements of the peo-
re After much earnest consideration
" was suddenly seized with brilliant
pea "Ah," he exclaimed in his de-
5lre to eXtol everything japanese, this
|Booden block has got n very lovely
Hape 1t is very beautifully carved
spd artistic. Therefore it must be a
Ahd Of decoration to be worn on the
HlouIderS like epaulettes." And SO the
@eFchant went to the ball with 'geta"
"a each shoulder instead of on each
Dot
some parents allow their children to
~ barefoot In the streets, but when
|PIAS out with their elders or paying
|.'SiS II Is essential that every one,
#Vm The smallest to the tallest, must
E@Ouht the wooden clog and propel
.1eulSelyes in this odd fashion. The
4SIlKe OF the Japanese children for
ACTIVITY of outdoor games is to be
~dIhly attributed to the awkward en-
r~orances with which their little feet
4 loaded. For instance, one seldom
II Japanese children gamboling in
~ Fairgrounds. They have yet to
~ tne feverish pleasures Of hide
seek or FOUNDERS" while such a
's DIS top spinning or football never
GSructs the roadways.
angular superstitiOns are associated
- lhe "geta," which at times are de-
su'y useful. When a host desires
100 attentive caller should de
lie induces somebody to burn
IA which has a peculiar odor, upon
Shoes which are outside the door
suest Will Immediately take the
anu simultaneously his leave
~ lhong of "geta" is accidental
M severed on the return from, tho ,-isii