Evening star., 1904-03-26
What the Rve1y Day Manners
and,Life Mean.
CUSTOMsAND COSTUMES
Go-BETWEEN MARRIAGES, WED
DINGs AND. DIVORCES.
Gardens Around Suburban Homes,
With Charming Ef-
fects.
Written for The Evening staI

Written for The Evening Star.
Whatever the result or the rights Of the
war now in progress. public sympathy
seems to be on the side of the Japs. An
enthusiastic admirer of these orientals has
called them ''the most cultured. amiable.
gentle, polite. refined, clean and sunny
tempered people on the face Of the globe"
Much of the extravagant praise accorded
the Japanese is doubtless due them, and
for even less ardent admirers Japan is
| synonymous with everything beautiful and
gay, with fans and laughing girls. warm
hearted. irresponsible little beings who
spend their life dancing and making tea.
About Russia, on. the other hand, there
hangs an atmosphere of gloom. oppression
and Siberian exiles.
In reality this thin ice of Japanese gayety
often covers a black pool of tragedy which
| is emblematfe of woman's lot in this coun-
try, western ideas in the educational line
have been making themselves felt for sew
eral years. and the social status of Japa-
nese women is undergoing q wonderful
transformation. although there is heap of
tradition to block the way. The emperor,
who publicly recognizes the equality of his
consort, has been taken as guide by lesser
japanese. who are beginning to give their
wives and womankind the position and
treatment they deserve.
II lS strange IN q lana Wnere knight
errantry is not past, where the samuraf, or
knight, Is thing Of flesh and BLOOD where
there could very well be Japanese King
Arthur to understand why this lack of
chivalry toward women should exist. But
the Jap has his faults fdealize him as we
Will He is unsatisfactory in commerce, he
Is arrogant and narrow in many ways,
though most of his faiiings lean toward
virtues sake. which makes it possible to
dub him what Chaucer has called very
perfect knight"
They Love America.
1t Is difficult to imagine that a people so
up-to-date with our modern life only began
their enlightenment few years ago. AL
though they love everything American"
they are far more romantic and pic
turesque nation than their western model.
1t is also stranger that a poeticai people
who before they adopted the English mode
OF reckoning the year composed their cal
endar according to the season of flowers,
should have no loye-making to tone down
sexes. Dc
Indeed. courtshfp and the selection of a
wire are singular affairs in this country
where marriage Is as much a matter Of
course in a woman's life as death. Sixteen
is the age at which girl is supposed to
marry. When a young man makes up his
mind to take unto himself wife he asks
married friend to keep his eyes open and
find an accomplished and beautiful maiden
who would be willing to be his wife This
agent having made favorable selection
among their mutual friends, the wouId-be
benedict approaches the girls parents on
matrimonial thoughts intent, and If they
look upon the marriage a consummation
devoutly to be wished party is arranged
at the home of common acquaintance,
where the young people. meet
When "Barkis is willin'" presents are
exchanged. These constitute the betrothal.
and the marriages soon follows The
with bringing about a meeting of the par
ties. He makes all prenuptial arrange
ments and is held responsible for the sue
cess Of the venture. Should divorce be-
come necessary at any time he must take
charge OF the proceedings.
Share Joys and Pain.
There is really no marriage ceremony,
either legal or religious, in Japan, the only
act which legalizes the union being the
| formal drinking Of native wine from a
| two-spouted cup. which is presented to the
bride and groom in turn. This drinking
| from one cup symbolizes the equal sharing
| of the joys and sorrows Of married life.
At the ceremony, which takes place at the
| home of the groom, to which the bride has
been led by the go-between maid, no one
| Is present except the contracting parties,
the friend who has arranged the affair and
| a maiden who presents the marriage cup
| to their lips. In the next room have been
| join the party, and feast is then enjoyed.
Three days later party is given by the
| brides parents. These festivities begin in
| the afternoon, when a fine dinner Is serv-
| ed. The entertainment afterward consists
of music and dancing by geisha girls until
| late at night. The bride, with her mother,
appears as hostess, and must remain un-
| der the parental roof until the last guest
| has gone. In this land of queer customs
| the young people are not supposed to set
I up housekeeping for themselves, but form
| another branch on the grooms parental
| tree. In three months they are expected to
give an entertainment announcing their
marriage A rather superfiuous announce
ment, 1t would SEEM
Just Like Us.
The size of the trousseau and the number
| of household goods a bride brings to her
| new home show the estimation in which
| she is held by her parents. The kimonos
and obes in a brides wardrobe are often
sufficient in number to last all her life,
| thanks to the handsome materials and un-
changing fashions of Japan. The fact of
| the dress question and fashions being set
4 tied for all time, 1 think. gives to the
Japanese woman her serenity and sweet
! temper even more than absence of emotion
which is such prominent characteristic in
| her mental makeup. Then the japanese
housewife does not believe in too much fur
niture, and very few ornaments are found
| in her quaint little dwelling, which reduces
| housekeeping and cleaning to it's simplest
element. But 1 think these oriental little
| housewives would love regular round of
| western spring house cleaning, as cleanliness
| is sort of mania with the Japanese, and
| the little Jap ladies hate dirt and dust of
any kind. They even make the men take
their boots off when they enter dwelling.
a concession few European husbands would
make to their Wives idea of neatness. The
| majority of Japanese women are decidedly
pretty, and theft becoming dress certainly
enhances their Beauty 1t is to be hoped
that national costume will be always uni
yersally worn by the women of this land al
/ least. 81
Significant Customs.
| Speaking of wsaringi apparel. there is a
particular way to cross the kimono which
carries much Significance This garment
worn by woman in Itfe is folded from left
to right and in death Is folded from the op-