The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-03-06
Around the World With Viii.
liam Jennings Bryan.
Continued trom Page one

long pipes, Mingled with them
were coolies carrying immense
packs on their backs Or lead
ing ponies, oxen or COWS laden
with hay. wood or fagots. We saw
more idle men in two days in Korea
han we saw in Japan in a month.
While II coolies seem to be indus
trious and carry astonishing weights,
there seems to be a deep-rOOted con-
tempt for labor ever among the mid
dle-claSses and a contractor told rs
that in the employing of the coolies
it was necessary to pay them every
day because 1t weeks compensation
would have to be spent before they
would return to work. An incident
will serve to illustrate the feeling in
regard to labor OF any kind. In max
ing a purchase we wanted two things
tied together With q string. We called
the guides attention to it: he handed
the things to his attendant and the at
tendant handed them to the shop
keeper, who did the tying. We were
also informed that the Koreans lack
the power of organized cooperation,
Each one works for himself and car
ries his burden on forked sticks strap
ped to his ack In walking he uses
what seems like Il staff, but it's re2i
! purpose is that of a prop for his/load
when he stops to rest.
The Sh~opkeeperS of Korea haN the
OIltllld ldSIc 1OI DdISdlIluS 10 d
marked degree and always ask a great
deal more than they expect to receive
finding, apparently, intellectual rec
redtiOng in haggllng We the price. In
making a few small purchases we We're
very much amused at the spirited dis
cuSsions which took place etWeen
our guide and the merchants. Followed
by a crowd of interested spectators.
! numbering from twenty to fifty, We
moved from shop to shop. The Ven
dor would announce a price as If his
were a One-price store. The guide
YOU receive the announcement with
absolute contempt and the wordy war
would begin. The byStanders took sides
| and joined in the fray; the clerks and
members of the storekeeper's family
| locked to his aid while the crowd
elbowed each other to get near the
| scene of action. Usually the guide
would start toward another store be
fore an agreement could be reached:
sometimes less than half the origioal
price was settled upon and in the
calm which followed the storm every
one seemed satisfied. We heard of
| instances where One-eighth OF the
price asked was finally accepted, but
either the merchants with whom we
dcait were more reasonable or our
guide yielded too soon.
$
The Korean houses are entirely diff
ferent from those of Japan; they are
not so high. nor so large. but are more
warmly built. They are usually con
structed Of stone set in mud and have
poorly matched roofs of straw; oCca-
s~ionaIIy tile is used. often the earth
supplies the floor eXcept for the little
sleeping rooms which have floors Of
stone covered with oiled paper. These
rooms are heated by Tue under the
floors which conduct the fame and
smoke of the chimney which opens
on the side of the house. Leaves, flag
OTIS. coarse grass and all sorts of trash
are used for fuel anG these stone floors
heated twice a day. keep the small
rooms quite comfortable.
The people sit on the floor. as in
Japan, except that they sit cross-leg-
sed instead of sitting on the feet. and
sleep on mats spread on the floor at
day.
While in Seoul we were, through the
courtesy Of Rev. S. +. Moore. one of
the missionaries. invited to the we'd
ding of two Korean Christians aud
latter the ceremony had a nance to
iuSp.rt the house of the Eroom'E
father. 1t was neat and clean. but the
houses generally as seen from the mar
row streets are dirty and uninyitin@.
one wonders where the Inen keep
the long White coats of which they
seem so proud until he IS mfor1nc I
that the wives wash ana IroH item al
: night while the lord of the houSehold
sleeps.
as a truthful ~chronicler record thai
the Young man whom we saw nlarrieJ
(they marry young in kcrca ana the