Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-05-27
Aristocratic Women
of Japan,

The gIamor Of Japan lies IN its cute
little women and the diminutiye bits Of
childhood that live In the picturesque,
doll-like houses Of the Mikado's country,
where even the Jap grandees have nova
days three and sometimes four STORED
brick mansions TINT would not look ont
Of place In some busting American city
And these mansions are now coming to
be fitted up with electric lights, IRE
places. telephones and artificial gas. But
the strangest part Of an thiy new japan
csc life Is that only the Jap nobleman
lives In the new Kind " houses.
His dainty little wife still inhablts his
old original japanese home, which Hes
behind the big brick mansion and 10
which the japanese nobility stu i've the
old kind OF japanese existence. The home
life OF the Jap Is the old style Of house.
He entertains English and American Wis
ltors Of Importance In the new brick man
sion. but his wife lives ana bis children
are born Just as their ancestors were-in
a doIl-like house Ia which the partitions
are made Of paper and one sits on tne
floor 10 eat or rcclines on hard mat
when Il Is time to 20 to bed.
ne hEALkEH hVltlai ~ tAN ." NtA1FN'A y"
pass through the brlck mansion 20 the
real home Of the Japanese nobleman is
very intimate indeed Every Japanese
woman Of social Importance has Der
day" on which Europeans are Invited to
the brick mansion. where they are enter
tanned just as n they were 10 New York
or Paris Real friends are asked to visit
my Lady Japanese In her japanese house,
where she mutt take OF her shoes In the
old oriental style and where tea II drunk
sitting on the mats
When the Marquis This or Count NJ
and SO visits Europeans on formal occa'
slous he follows his wife into the dining
room, but on friendly visits his lordsbip
wnlkE IN front Ia true Japanese style and
his little wife follows him In her nj
mona. But the Jap lady loves line clothes
perhaps even more than the belle or
Newport OF New York While the dresses
are simply made "a 10 their cot ana
fashions change little, still the expense
is terrific. for the material In always
woven after the design ut some special
artist. with the picture Of s0ue favOrIte
artist woyet on the bottom aud her
family crest woven on the shoulders,
neck and sleeves,
She wears cloth OF gold and cloth Of
silver literally. does the little Jnpabese
lady Of noble birth. aud her obj viii
cost from one to two hundred doliufs IN
most eases.
There are IN Japan also hKed standards
Of dress FOR the different ages. This
standard IL fixed mostly by the coiors
worn. A child from bahyh0od until II
ia 10 or " years Of agc wears gay cob
ored kimonos. having big designs 10 flow
rrs The color used mostly Tor this pc
Rod IL hrighC red used In hig masses Of
coloring. From II 10 % years the Japs-
nese lady decks herself IN pale gray or
pale blue kimouos with pink or 6tner
colored flowers snd many use views
taken from famous Japanese paintings
which form au embroidered border
around the bottom Of the kimt no. The
rest Of the costume Is IN the plain blue
or gray coloring
when she gets past % years NJ age
the Japanese boblew OMAN lays aside
bright eOlors apd brilliant effects and
wegrs dark brown or dark blue kimouo-
This IL always OF the richest msteriaL
however. and always the fnniiy crest Is
embroidered on neck. shoulders ana
sleeves Sometimes during this period
simple design II st0tks or cranes or a
mountain with clouds around II will be
embroidered around the bottom Of the
kmouO
Bright cOlors IRE absolutely forbidden
10 the Jap lady nf quality after passing
her twenty nfth birthday. Since she is
usually a GRANDMOTHER about this time, or
very shortly afterward. the deprivation
is not as great as westerner would
think Red is used among the upper
classes for children only Among the
lower classes the women often make up
for cheap material by glaring co!ors.
Too Bad,