The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-20
JAPAN IN PEACE.
The Japs the Happiest People in the
 World.

Revue de Paris.
 Ane people of Japan are the gavesf in
 .ne world, for all that they ignore com.
 pIeteiy the greater portion of Euroraa :,
 anusements and sports. The Ru6dhis,
 respect for life denies them the niasss ure or hunting. They have no eoncey.t ss '
 .oons. society life and the little entov-
 llehts that tickle the vanity are utterIv
 panese VI the Sa-
 .s lnelr recreations are traditional. By
 are preferred, and by all other cIa ssss shs
 national theatre is the favorite. whils inc circus where wrestling matches "a m
 is also largely patronized.
 put the Japanese recreation nar excaI-
 ,ehce IS walking. To take a walk a Ia 1aponaise Is to go ahead and be deIigh,ed
 Wlth the ever changing scenery to he- come attached to creatures and fh,rg~
 70 the throngs, to the buildings. to ths
 .enpies. to the forests, to the animals Io
 tne movers. the rocks and the clouds.
 "dpanese walk first through the SSa s or thelr cities, especially Toklo. a<t.o soya ana hioto. They seem to take extreme pleasure in the spectacIes nras sented before their eyes. The areater nor.
 tion or them travel with their families
 Ine ola people are treated with the great est considera tion. The little cbiidrar
 dressed In bright cofors, are carried o,, the backs of the fathers and mothars
 hourounas 0ittfe push carts) are stserea through the crowds. The Guechaa ldanc-
 ns girlsl appear in the loud Costumes which indicate their profession. They move along with Joyous air and every pooy admires them. On both sides of the streets there are some great bazaara and many little shops Their paper ianterns give out a strange light. like that of an lmpressionist picture. The women ex- anime the stuffs for sale and bargain Just Tor fun. In the illuminated gar oens the visitors take ice cream made of crushed Ice, fine sugar and soda.
 But the Japanese gayety Is especially
 nahlIested at popular festivals and these are frequent. Very often the feast Is purely local. On the occasion of some an- niversary processions move around a temple; the streets are Illuminated and decorated: little multicoiored flags are suspended between the houses; and paner lanterns with harmonious coTors sur mounted by little umbrellas made of red or blue paper. are hung before each door The streets assume. especially fin the evening, a strange aspect. A real artistic sentiment applied to materials of the commonest kind, such as paper, wood stones feathers and straw, produces charming and fragile objects of beauty which are admired by all. rich and poor during several evenings
 At Yokohama I witnessed thA annua1 feast of boys. On that day the Japaness stick up bamboo poles in front of their houses. On the tops of these poles are attached enormous paper fishes of the most brilliant colors, and these fishes swell out and futter in the breezes. The number of fishes attached to each nole signifies the number of boys in the house. In this way the parents express the wish that their boys may be able to ascend the current Of life. overcoming all obstacles. just as the carp goes up the rivers in spit of the current. All the inhabitants go to the tops of neighborins hills to en- joy the queer spectacle of the city sur mounted by these slgular fishes. Abund- ance of healthy and cheap amusements Is one of the characteristic traits of Japan. csc life.
 The Japanese are singularly fond of long walks in the country They admire all the changes which they find in the scenery-all the different colors of the land and the clouds. the reflections of the moon and the brilliance of the snow. They follow with the eye of an artist the move ments of an animal, of a bird or even of an Insect. I have seen Japanese of a very humble station in Hfe standing for several moments admiring the storks gliding among the pine trees, and the lan- terms of a public garden. They know how to take an interest in things to which the most sensitive Europeans are indifferent For flowers they have a particular devo- tion. The most popular festivals, the na- tional festivals. are celebrated not as they are among us. to mark the anniversa- ries of bloody battles or of wretched lev olutions.' but to welcome the appearance of certain flowers They move along in Joyous bands. from the beginning of the month of February. to admire the blos- soms of the plum trees, and to enjoy their odor. which Is celebrated in their old songs. They go to see the cherry trees in blossom. at the beginning of April. the azaleas, the glucIsu at the beginning of May and the lotus In the month of Au- gust. In autumn the red leaves of the maple trees become the objects of their delight The first week in November is the time for the chrysanthemums.
 In the suburbs Of the great cities each village Is remarkable for the number of its flowers The public and private gar dens of the Japanese are altogether diff ferent from ours. They have gray@lled walks bordered by pines and naples. There are immense trees dwarf trees and shrubs. chosen for the colored of their leaves or flowers. There is a lake, there are streams. bridges. rock work, stone lanterns and tiny Shintoist chapels. all of which form the indispensable elements of a Japanese garden. They are arranged like picture. following the rules of re- fined aesthetcism dating from the nf- teenth century and varying according to the different schools. In the garden of tea house of Osaka a Japanese friend said to me: Tn two weeks all Osaka will come here in the morning to witness the opening of the Iris" Frequently in some spot famous for