St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-05-13

slY M.
In tests at Sandy Hook it withstand
inch, driving its hundted-pound prof.
wise is a model Of hygiene, though too
friable for use in the army.
simple and sufficiently varied, max
ing its staples of rice, fish, beans and
eggs, with few vegetables and fruits.
Pastry and rich candies are unknown,
opium is prohibited smoking is of the
nildest tobacco in the minutest of
pipes, and rice-wico is the only in
toxicant. This combined simplicity
and moderation contribute not in
considerable share to the remarkable
vitality of the people and to that
healthiness for which the army and
navy are distinguished. There is eX-
Everything is carefully trimmed, sea-
soned and cut up before cooking, so
that the eater can readily manage
with pair of chcpsticks, and thus
dispense with the litter of table silver
and vessels and covers which CONNER
cialism and luxury and fancy combine
to place in eyer-increasing number
dpon the western table That Japan
ase enjoy perhaps the best teeth in the
world is partly cause, partly effect of
such food, such cooking and such eat
ing.
This simplicity SO noticeable in the
house, furniture, clothing, ornaments
and food of the japanese extends like
wise to activities where the mental
factor predominates. For example, in
their amusements the japanese plan
games and sports, not unlike our own,
but without that mania for gambling
that besets the peoples of China, India,
and, in less degree, those in Europe
and America. The haneful practice is
known in Japan, but is prohibited
with success, and moreover is not
reckoned respectable. The same abili-
ty to win satisfactory pleasure from
simple conditions appears in the Jap
anese enjoyment of their numerous
festivals, wherein holy day still means
holiday. This is en often-obserycd
trait of the japanese; and among 9TH
ers, Maj. Gen. Palmer writes: Sure
ly, for happiness, gentleness and So
briefly, for soft-voiled and always
cnoi1inr III, oft for, I,1ocSn1
ty of inhaling healthful enjoyment
from the simplest 1hings-no other
country can even profess to show the
match of festival crowd in Japan"
What an asset to the mental wealth
of a people is this blessed quality"
compared with the obtuse tempera-
ments of the average Britisher and
German and Russian, which must be
raised to festival pitch by deep pota-
tions of ardent spirits!
If the simple life is to De at the
same time sufficient life. then a
prime element in its composition must
be supplied by that sense for beauty
which revels equally in nature and in
art. Here the japanese enjoy a clear
title TO prominence AS for nature,
practically the whole population of q
city turns cut several times in the
year for no other purpose than to visit
places noted for certain kinds of bios
som. The principal flower-festivals
for Tokyo celebrate the plum in Feb
ruary and March, TIE cherry in early
April, the aZalea in middle April, the
peony in early May, the wistaria in
June, the convolvulrs in July, the lotus
in August and the chrysanthemum
and the maple Qeaf) in November.
Visitors stand or sit to gaze long and
keenly at these living and fragrant
jewels Of vegetation. and point out
this or that distinguishing quality, not
only of bloom but also of foliage,
with critical judgment A famous old
plum tree. just outside the palace wall
in Kyoto, is called tree of the re-
turn because a former mikado, after
stopping to admire it and passing On,
turned back under constraint to ad-
mire it ''some more.''
1t is small wonder that so ardent
love of nature should have impelled
the Japanese to transcribe onto pa
per the varied beauty of peak and
pine, of stream and fish, of field and
flower which they see before them.
Hokusai was spokesman for his peo-
pie when he declared that he paint
ed nature because its myriad objects
all seemed joyous to him; and E. Won
Hartmann, that prince of pessimists,
was able to give no better counsel for
the blues than is implied in this Jap
anese sentiment. No national art
equal to the japanese in combined
force and grace is at the same time so
simple. Rarely is the picture a COM
pleted whole, but rather bit, an im-
preston, a suggestion, a concordance;
which, however, amply sufices the end
of art, inasmuch as it stirs an emo
ton, while it delights a sense for
the very simplest: A brush and pa
per and ink Tor water COLOR that also
serve the letter writer; and indeed to
write, to draw and to paint are all
expressed by the same japanese word,
kakeru. When finished, the picture
even though it be masterpiece, is never
framed, but is simply mounted on
stout paper and rolled upon stick
with a second stick to stretch the pa
per when hung up. Originals are az
common in Japan as copies with us,
while the color block-prints of Japan