The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-01-30

'-Att-ff the Af-~- guess +ls5flEtAE t.Ett
@".nr prize. Ine tea eeEen0ts a
sRered at least sae useful parpoe
= furnished All innocent w.y ~ kslI-
Ing time. anu the lords ~ that d-zs
seem - have hAI an abundance of
time ou their hands. The daugh-
iers OF tEc upper classes were trained
ie perform the ceremony ana ll@-
played much skin herein. Even 10
thiS day II IS regarded aS CA. of the
accomplishments ana young ladies per-
Lact themselves la il much ae n.r
daughters learn music and singing
At hogoShina, Coy. Chik4mi ons of
Tile most scholarly mon whom / hay,
met here. had ms daughter perform
| for my instruction a pari of the cere-
| 4oAy. time not permitting more. NJh
charming grace SHE prepared. poured
aHt served this japanese nectar. each
motion being according Is tne rules 81
| the most approved sect, for there are
| Sects among tea drinkers
The thcater IS an ancient institution
| here. although until recently the ac-
| tors We're considered beneath even the
mercantil -',ss. Their social stand
ing has been somewhat improved since
| the advent Of western ideas. The tine
dtcr building j. very plain a. com
pared with ours or even With the
/ better class of homes here They are
always on the ground floor and have
Il circular, revolving stage within the
to change the scenes instantly
The plays are divided into two
kinds. historical ones reproducing old
Japan and modern plays The per
forlaance often lasts through tine en-
tire day and evening. some of the au-
dience bringing their tea kettles ana
food. Lunches fruit, cigarettes and
tea are also on sale in the theater.
The people SIT on the aoor as they a.
in their homes and at public meet
ings. one Of the side aisles is raised
to the level Of the stage and the ac-
tors use it for entrance and exit
In this connection a word should
be said in regard TO the geisha girls
WHO have furnished suct ample ma
terial for the artist and the decorator.
They are selected for their beauty and
trained in what is called a dance. al
though it differs 50 much from the
American dance as scarcely TO be de-
scribable by ha term. 1T is rather
a series OF graceful poses in which
~ay costumes dainty fans flags, ScarfS
and sometimes parasols play part.
The faces of the dancers are express
Sionless and there is no exposure of
the limbs. The Geisha girls are often
called IN to entertain guests at a pri-
vate dinner. the performance being be-
fore, not after the meal.
Our first introduction to this ma
ticnal amusement was at the Maple
Club dinner given at Toxic by 4 So
ciety cop posed Of japanese men who
had studied in the United states, The
name of the society is a japanese
phrase which means the ''F'ricnds Of
America. The Mapl" Club is the
most famous restaurant in Japan, and
the Geisla girls employed there stand
at the head Of their profession Dur
ing the dancing there is music on
stringed Instruments, which resemble
the banjo in tone, and sometimes
10 tr,II, 1,f
sha girls displayed American and
Japanese flags We saw the dancing
again at an elaborate dinner given b.
Mr. FukuHaN-a, editor of tn" Fiji
s;himpo. Here also the flags Of both
nations We're used.
In what words can | adequately de-
scribe the hospitality of the japanese?
/ have read, and even heard, that
among the more ignorant classes there
is d decided anti-foreign feeling aud
II is not unna turaI that those who re
fuse to reconcile themselves to ia
pans new attitude should blame the
foreigner for the change. but we si.d
not encounter this sentiment any
whore. Never in our own country
have We been the recipients Of more
constant Kindness or more consider
ate attention. From Marquis Ito
down through all the ranks Of official
life we found everyone friendly to
america and to us as representatives,
Of America. At the dinner given by
Minister Gliscom there were present.
besides Marquis Ito, the leader OF the
Liberal Party. Count Okuma, the lead
CT Of the Progressive Party Che oppo-
Sition party) and q number Of other
prominent Japanese politicians.
At the dinner given by Consul Gen
craI Miller ct Yokohama Coy. Sufu
and Mayor Ichihara were present.
The State ana city officials wherever
We have been have done everything
possible to make our stay pleasant
The college and school authorities
have opened their institutions e rs
and many without official position
have IN unmistakable ways shown
themselves friendly. We Will carry
away with Us {. number Of handsome
presents bestowed by muniCipe litles. /
colleges. societies and individuals.
We were entertained by Count Oku- |
lYla soon after Our arrival and met /
there. among others. Nj. kato. Of the I
state department. and President Ia- /
toyar?a. Of the Waaedd University, /
and their wives The Counts house +
is half European and half japanese, I
and his garden IS celebrated for is /
beauty Al Niscount LanC's We Sa& {
a delightful nit OF home life. lie rs
one I'll che few daimios. or feuda h
lords, who has become conspicuous +
in the politics of .japan. and @e soon
discovered Tho secret # his success.
lie has devoted himself TO the inter t
ests Of aGriC uiturc and spent ms time I
in am earnest and Intelligent effort tot
improve the condition Of the rura +
t1c is known as The +
Farmers Friend" His house is atI
the top Of q beautifully tcrTaced Bill. +
which Was once a par q Ms leaaei ...5
estate He and his wife and six chill 7,
Grcn met us at the bottom OF the nil
on olIl. arrival and escorted rs - tTe /
bottom on Our departure. The chll- 4