New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-09

tempt to SET UP separate establishment, a, ~.
own expense. He provides for them under IT..
roof. and his wife is expected to wai- n, e.
dutifully. and also to act as lady's maid 70 ~
mother. The mother-in-law is power 4, A.,
household. and seldom for good ends Uor,.
are not expected to marry for the saks OF a..
ting husbands. but because an unpaid servant.
needed in the family. Marriage is so arduo,-
an occupation for women that it is necessary .,
make IL compulsory. The parents choose br.-
bands for their girls because they would bs -,
long about it if they were left TO them,.lv.
1t is disgrace for woman to remain un,,s
ried and it is bad form for her to resis. IN.
paternal choice. The daughters OF the welI-,o-d,
families continue TO go to school until they A.,
married. and they learn the etiquette OF ar.
ranging flowers so as to express delicate sent,.
nent. and many other polite accomplishment,
Until recently it was not considered proper fos
them to know anything about music
The Japanese dude" is described with nu,b
vivacity bv Mr.. Sladen. This fine creature Is no,
such a fool as he looks He will go great dr.
tances to see a particularly fine peony Bios.
som; he Will order the best dinner within hi,
means at his favorite teahouse and perform.
ance Of geisha to accompany 1t: but he prefer,
singing girls to actresses and does not hang
about stage doors and waste his diamonds; ana
II he knows any reCTeatiOns except children's
games. he does not play in public either BILL
iards or cards. He does not hunt. nor does
he cars for national sports. nor does he take
exercise in any form. he is apt to go into poll
tics as the best avenue 20 promotion and tina
easiest way of earning living; and he also
accepts the army convenient profession
japanese swell with fl 900 a year Is rolling
in wealth. There Is only one man In the En-
pire whom. according to Mr. Sladen. an AmerI-
can would call rich. This IS the owner Of thu
copper mines dude can live in great styls
on surprisingly little money. Servants cost only
six shiIlings a month. and the constant tea
supping is not an expensive diet The only
form Of extravaganza into which dudes ars
lured is the dinner party in teahouse. with
the best geisha to perform IN song and dance
They can spend as much money on a singl.
party OF this kind they would dispense In
an entire year at their own homes.
Mr.. Sladen. without seeking TO make spcr0
Of the Japanese. brings out many amusing con.
trasts between their progressive life and mod.
ern manners IN Western countries. In reality
the feudal princes. who have been transformed
by Imperial edict into puppets with titles, hate
foreign ideas and Institutions. but they know
that the power and prestige OF the empire IN
the East. as well as in Europe. cannot be MAN.
tanned and enlarged without systematic irnita-
ton OF the civilized order So they playing At
European usages and at their ease before
foreigners. and they show much cleverness,
tact and dignity IN acquiring at short notice.
and with little apparent effort, customs which
are Numerically opposed TO all their notions
OF practical utility. good sense and propriety.
Mr.. Sladen congresses into this volume great
mass Of interesting information about Japan.
The religious observances and shrines. the
val service. the cities. the gardens. the pop
ular amusements. the fairs and festivals the
literature and the art of this wonderfully inter-
estlng people are described in detail; and be-
cause he has light fingered style and pleas
ant way OF seeing the Iudicrous side OF every
day life. he entertains and never wearies his
readers. He leaves much that IS OF IN
tense interest to the modern mind unsaid but
there Will be better opportunity for him. or
some other equally keen observer OF Western
civilization IN the Far East, when great ma
tional crisis has been met and the prestigs and
ascendancy OF Russia have been challenged
without disaster. 7. N r.