The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-13
SMILES OF JAPANESE
IN FIERCEST BATTLE
DEMORALIlE RUSSIANS

CONCLUDED FROM PAGE l, PART p
expression of merriment is. While boys are
not forbidden to guffaw, they are MADE 10
understand that IL Is not nice. Girls giggle'
Of course, but not as loudly as their Occi-
dental sisters; at the same time, they try
to keep "a straight face"
observation-disclosures may be an
American advertising dodge-it Is certainly
a Jap Institution. The Jap, OF all nations,
recognizes that a smiling expression is the
pleasantest both for the pretty and the
homely face, and being extremely ponte,
makes IL a rule to smile.
The child always has a smile for parents,
teachers and friends, and the practice
grows into a habit that rules mems and
women's lives.
GLOOM IS IMPOLITE.
The Jap deems it impolite to force his
personal feelings upon Others. The knowl-
edge or mere suspicion that a countryman
experienced bad fortune might make his
neighbor unhappy, and the yellow man
tries TO confer bliss upon all. Hence he
considers it a duty to smile. I'VE smile upon
our friends to increase their happiness and
their love for us, and upon adversaries to
forestall giving them pleasure by looking
morose,' said a noted Jap.
ar English woman, who resided in Japan
many years, says: Once a poor native girl,
having lost her baby, could not restrain her
GCAA "a 49, 800
her cheeks. But 1t lasted only a few min
utes. Then, drying her face, she smiled
quite naturally and whispered: Pardon my
~selfishness; 1 was overcome. / didn't mean
TO be diScOurteOuS."
II am sure if news of a great war dis
aster reached here you would see only smil-
ing faces" said the British consul to her.
In 1891, after the horrible earthquake,
Toxic was as serene and smiling as ever in
her happiest days. and when / visited the
destroyed cities, Gifu and Aichi, l saw
little children sitting on the ruins of their
homes smiling, though shivering with the
cold and suffering the pangs of hunger"
Another foreign representative said:
Most of the difficulties foreigners have
with their native help are due to the lat
ter's habit of smiling when delivering some
unpleasant message, or when being rebuked
for some fault. The Britisher or American
who is told with a smile on the lips of the
perpetrator that his favorite porcelain vase
or bronze is wrecked is likely to get out of
patience, and il is irritating TO see one's
discharged valet withdraw with a broad
grin. The poor devils may be frightened
half to death or sorry beyond words, but
they know only one form OF politeness, that
of wearing the smile-that-won't-come-off.'
That the habit is f~ostered and improved
upon in the army is only natural. Soldiers
must have fortitude, pain, certain death
even. should have no terror for them. There
can be no better mask than evident COM
posture, rejecting a serene and even happy
state of mind. If this expression, originally
founded on courtesy, serves to discomfort
and fill with awe the enemy, so much the
worse for-the enemy.
The report of the Russian MILDLY is very
significant; ii is altogether likely that the
ignorant and superstitious hordes of the
Car assume that withcraft is at work
when they see their adversary smile as he
deals or receives the death blow.
HENRY BAUM.