Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-03-30
gold head band and ornaments. ana
such beautiful coral necklace and
earrings. New York Tribune.
THE JAPANESE YOUNG WOMAN.
The Wife 10 Simply Housekeeper,
Head Of the Establishment.

7edo OF the establishment.
In Japan the young wife, when she
enters her husbands home, is not, as
IN our country, entering upon a new
life as mistress of house, with abso-
lutte control over her little domain.
Should her husbands parents be liv-
ing, she becomes almost as their SER
wants, and even her husband is unable
to defend her from the exactions of
her mother-in-law, should this new
relative be inclined to make full use
OF the power given her by custom.
Happy is the girl whose husband has
no parents. Her comfort in life il
materially increased by her husbands
loss, for, instead Of having to serve
two masters, she will then have to
serve only one, and that one more
kind and thoughtful of her strength
and comfort than the mother-in.law.
In Japan the idea of wife's duty
to her husband includes no thought
of comranionship on terms of equality.
Inc wife is simply the housekeeper,
the head of the establishment, to be
honored by the servants because she
is the one who is nearest to the mas
ter. but not for one moment TO be re-
garded as the masters equal. She
governs and directs the household, NJ
1t be large one, and her position is
one of much care and responsibility;
but she is not the intimate friend of
her husband, is in no sense his conf
fdante or adviser, except in trivial af-
1airs OF the household. She appears
rarely with him in company; is ex-
pected always to wait upon him and
save him steps, and must bear all
things from him with smiling face
and agreeable manner, even to the re,
ceiving with open arms into the house
hold some other woman, whom she
knows to bear the relation of concu-
bine to her own husband.
II the maiden's lot is to be the first
daughter-in-law in large family, shc
becomes simply the one of the family
from whom the most drudgery is ex-
pected, who obtains the fewest favors,
and who is expected to have the pleas
ATTEST of tempers under circumstances
not always altogether conducive to re.
pose of spirit. The wife of the Oldest
son has, however, the advantage that,
when her mother-in-law dies or retires,
She becomes head of the house and
the head lady OF the family, a position
for which her apprenticeship to the
old lady had probably exceptionally
well fitted her.
SO rigid are the requirements of
Japanese hospitality that no guest is
ever allowed to leave a house without
having first been pressed to partake
of food, If it be only tea or cake. Even
tradesmen or messengers who come
to the house must be offered tea. and
If carpenters. gardeners, or workmen
OF any kind are employed about the
mouse, tea must be served in the mid
die of the afternoon with light lunch,
and tea sent out to them often during
their days work. All these things
involve much thought and care upon
the lady of the house.
Still, the life of the average woman
is quiet one, with little to interrupt
the monotony of her days with their
never-ending round of duties, and to
the most secluded homes only an occa-
sioRal guest comes to enliven the dull
hours.-From Japanese Girls and
Women" by Alice Mabel Baron.