Omaha daily bee., 1906-09-23
JAPAN HAS THE SIMPLE LIFE
College Professor and wife Manage 20
Live Pleasantly ON $3.50
Year.

A land where a college professionally
Gated in Amerlca-can support wife and
save money on a salary of 500 year may
be said to have achieved the simple life.
The house in which the professor lived
in Kioto is described by writer in the
Craftsman as a wooden structure twenty
four feet by twenty-five, a plot of land
thirty feet front and nifty feet deep. II
was shut in by an artistcally made bamboo
fence FIVE feet high. The fence was solid,
so no prying eyes might see in.
Stepping down from the rickshaws we
passed through the gate to the vestibule
There, leaving my shoes. and my friend
and the maid their sandals, we entered
the house In stocking feet
The first room, a six mat one, was nine
by twelve feet. 1t was divided by sliding
screens from the one next the garden, a
corner room twelve feet wide and at that
time twenty-four feet long. Through the
center of this large room were the iron
grooves in the floor and overhead for the
sliding screens that at night would divide
II into two sleeping rooms, but the day
was warm and fair the screens had been
lifted out and stacked away, leaving an
unbroken space.
Sinking to the knees in the soft cushions
laid on the floor. we awaited the arrival Of
| our hostess A patter of light feet, the
sliding Of a screen and she appeared. Rest
! ing our outspread hands before us on the
straw mats made deep reverences in
response to the bows of cordial greeting
Having brought with us. as gift, a box
| OF sweets. tied with the red and white gift
string and the slip OF paper folded like an
arrows shear. we slid It gently toward
| the little woman. She received II graciously
but, according to etiquette neither touched
| nor opened the box.
| When formalities were over and we were
! pleasantly chatting In walked the husband
I and professor. Just back from college.
The little wife drew. out her tiny pipe and
took her three puffs from It, while the pro-
lessor smoked his native cigarette as we
| talked.
IT pay twenty yen $40 a month rent,
said DR.. Magai '"That is high rent for a
| professor. but we are so near the college
| that can walk back and forth, saving the
| cost Of rickshaw and OF getting my lunch
con away. To build such house as this
would cost about $500. and the land IL
| valued at $500
"Our one servant does all the work. and
we pay her thirty yen year. To be sure
| my wife gives her klmono now and again
but they cost only yen apiece. She lived
with my wife's mother and is trained sc
she can make up ripped garments and dc
| all necessary sewing When my wife ha:
guests she prepares and serves the mea
so well, we need only buy sweets" r-
Can she wash?" ! asked
| "Our wash Is small she can easily dc
It," he replied. with you II would bt
necessary to send your clothes to laundry
| as do my foreign garments" ~
Then remembered, that in q Japanes'
household there are no tablscIoths. nap
kins, sheets, pillow cases or curtains to bt
done up. for none of these are used. The
| meals are served on individual lacauei
trays. and each person carries in his sleeve
paper napkin that IL destroyed wher
! solled.
The bedding consisted OF fulon4s. heavy
wadded comfortabies. One laid on The
floor served as a bed and a second one
furnished all the covering necessary.
Pillows were curved wooden blocks cl
hard rolls of rick husk, and over these each
night was tied a sheet OF fresh white parer
The Japenese take so many hot baths, two
a day being the usual number, that theil
garments do not become soiled as 10 ours
When their kimonos are dirty they either
wash them intact In tiny tubs before which