The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-02-09
JAPAN has The SIMPLE LIFE
COLLEGE PROFESSOR AND WIFE
CAN LIVE ON $3.50 A YEAR.


One Servant Possible on the In
come Named-Some Japanese Do
mestic Economies.
A land where a college professor
educated in America-can support
wife and save money on salary OF
$500 a year may be said to have
achieved the simple life.
The house in which the professor
lived in Kioto is described by a
writer in the Craftsman as wooden
structure twenty-foIr feet by twenty
five, on a plot of land thirty feet front
and fifty feet deep. 1t was shut in
by an artistically made bamboo fence
five feet high. The fence was lodi,
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
fest wide and at that time twenty
four feet long. Through the centre
of this large room were the iron
grooves in the floor and overhead for
the sliding screens that at night
would divide it into two sleeping
rooms, but as the day was warm and
fair the screens had been lifted out
end stacked away, leaving an untrok,
Ell space.
Sinking to our knees on the Soft
cushion laid on the floor we await
ed the arrival of oar hostess. A pat
ter of light feet, the sliding of a
screen and she appeared. Resting
our outspread hands before us on the
straw mats we made deep reverence5
in response to her bows CT cordial
greeting.
Having brought with us as a gift
a box of sweets, tied with the red
and white gift string, and the slip
of paper folded like an arrows sheaf,
we slid it gently toward the little
lady. She received it graciously but,
according to etiquette, neither touch
ed nor opened the box
When fOrma!ties were over and we
were pleasantly chatting in walked
the husband and professor, just back
from college.
The little wife drew her tiny pipe
and took her three puffs from it, while
the professor smoked his native CT
gazette as we talked.
II pay twenty yen ($10) a month
rent" said DR.. Magai THAT is high
rent for professor, but we are 50
near the college that can walk back
and forth, saving the cost of rick
shaw and of getting my luncheon
away. To build such a house as this
would cost about 5000, and the land
is valued at $500.
Our one servant does all the work,
and we pay her thirty yen year
To be sure, my wife gives her kim
ono now and again, but they cost
only yen apiece. She lived with
my wife's mother, and is trained so
she can make up ripped garments and
do all necessary sewing. When my
wife has guests she prepares and
serves the meal so well We need only
but sweets"
Can she wash" I asked.
Our wash is so small she can
easily do it, he replied. with you
it would be necessary to send your
clothes to laundry, as | do my
foreign garments
Then l remembered that in a Jap
anese household there are no table.
cloths, napkins, sheets, pillow cases or
curtains to be done up for none OF
these are used. The meals are served
ON individual lacquer trays, and eac.l
person carries in his sleeve a paper
napkin that is destroyed when
soiled.
The bedding consisted of fulones,
heavy wadded comfortables. One laid
on the floor served as bed and a
second one furnished all the cover
ing necessary.
Pillows were curved wooden blocks
or hard rolls of rice husk, and over
these each night was tied sheet
of fresh white paper. The Japanese
take so many hot baths; two day
being the usual number, that
their garments do not become soiled
as do ours. When their kimonos are
dirty they either wash them intact in
tiny tubs before which they crouch
or rip them up and wash out the
pieces.
Their drying process takes the place
of our ironing, for they never use an
iron. The ripped pieces, very wet,
boards.
These boards are then stood against
the sides of the house in the sun and