Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-09-09
Women of the Orient.

Mrs. Arthur Macarthur, wife of Major
General Macarthur, gives her Impressions
of the woman of the orient in interview
In the San Francisco Call. Mrs. Mac
Arthur accompanied her husband during
his official tour OF Japan, China, Siam.
lava and the East Indies and enjoyed ex-
ceptional opportunities for observing the
people and their mode OF living.
''Of all the people OF the orient" she
said. none interested me more than the
people of Slam, for they and their country
are In a stage OF transition. They are COM
ing out into the light of thorough civiliEa-
,tion, these shut-in women, and 1t was
fascinating, indeed. to study them. We
saw few enough OF the ar 5tocratic members
OF the fair sex in Siam, for most OF them
are closely housed. The queen is never
met socially. She lives in a lne palace
Of her own. but receives no one there, and
Il never present at court functions. One
occasionally sees her taking her afternoon
drive. but she greets no one. she is the
mother OF the crown prince. but her SUI
premacy over the many other wives OF the
king is uncertain, resting entirely on the
continued existence OF her son. Slams lit
tie princesses have a musical and attrac-
tive accent They were dressed In gay and
elaborate bodices fashioned much after the
lines of our own. But at the waist line
the resemblance TO European garments
ceased, for the skirts were fashioned of
long piece of cloth hung around the waist
as far as the knee, the back width being
drawn through the legs forward and
caught up into the belt line, forming an
odd sort OF compromise between loose
petticoat and riding breaches. They wore
the prettiest sort OF silk stockings and
or9 Of Ia htfA ma cd
with Jewels OF the most splendid sort. were
delightful to behold. Their headdresses.
characteristic of this people, were strange.
indeed. for II lie custom as sacred to them
as the pigtaii IL to the Chinaman to wear
the hair cropped of to about four inches
in length and brushed out about the head.
forming a sort of halo that resembles at
distance the exaggerated French pompa-
dour. But alas for Slams daughtersi
They will chew the beetle nut. which
blaclSens their mouths and teeth.
"All eastern women have splendid hair,
very long and thick, coarse IN quality, but
nevertheless pleasing The siamese women
would have as good hair as their eastern
sisters did they not crop II in their startling
way. These new women of Siam whom we
met at Prince Chiras were charming little
creatures. with fascinating manners and
tney cndttofed ike little Dir0S, tneir small
talk being much the same as that Of our
own society danes To appreciate what
q forward step In Siam was represented by
that ofhciai dinner at which native women
were not only present but taking their
part freely one must contrast 1t with the
fact that we. though Official guests did not
greet nor meet the queen.
throughout the whole east the NOLAN
medan women go heavily veiied, their dress
resembling that Of the Ku Kiux Khan which
we occasionally see pictured. Their heads
and forms are hung with sort OF sheet
with Sits for the eyes. But in Java the
women Of this faith do not enshroud their
faces IN this manner because the weather
10 too unbearably hot for such trying
robes" ~ h%.ltF siNs
II was to the maids and matrons OF
Java that Mrs. Macarthur awarded the
palm OF beauty "Not beautiful OF feature
they are magnificent in form. Their arms
and necks and their whole figures are the
most superb have ever seen. Posing idly
with the peculiar grace that is born OF
physical perfection. they seem like statues
In ebony. the dream OF an ideaIizing artist
Their one article of dress IL a sarone, which
Is merely a two-yard pleoe OF cloth sewed
together with hole for head and feet All