The Washington herald., 1908-02-03

Dr Charles T. Johnson, his wife. his
two daughters, and his little son, all
dressed as the Chinese dress in IchOwfu,
China. where Dr. and Mrs. johnson have
labored in the missionary work Of the
Presbyterian Church for eighteen years,
appeared before the congregation of the
Fourth Presbyterian Church, Thirteenth
and Fairmont streets. last night. and
for more than an hour entertained ali
present with a description of China. its
people. and their customs and habits.
ighteen years ago DR.. Johnson, then
oung practiclng physician, living near
Chicago. determined 10 enter the mis-
sionary field, and, with his wife. an en-
thusiastic and helping assistant, sailed
for China. They settled in lchowfur
where their three children, Misses Ruth
ana Margaret and Master Hosmer, We're
born and reared.
The young ladies. who have been in the
United States now more than year.
are pupils in Central High School They
speak the Chinese language fuently as
il is spoken i'm the northern part OF
China. but do not speak the Cantonese
Chinese which Is spoken by the ma
jority of Cinnamon in Washington.
Appear I'm Chinese Dress.
In order 10 make the lecture more Inn
pressive. as well as 20 show the people
the exact dress of the Chinese with
whom they worked, DR.. Johnson and his
family wore the costumes they used
while in China. DIT Johnson was dressed
Ike a Chinaman one may see every day
here. while his wife and daughters wore
blCuse-ehect dresses. The little boys COS
tune consisted of a blouse tight panta-
looms, and sandals.
Mrs Johnson, i'm describing the loose
fitting dress worn by the Chinese women
said that the women I'm that country did
not think that the tight-fitting dresses
worn here are modest, and she said that
they often inquire if they would have to
adopt this method of dress If they be
came Christians
And ] am much of the belief of those
Chinese women" declared Mrs. Johnson
The blouse dress. as worn by them. IS
both comfortable and modest-much more
modest than the tight-ftting dress of the
American woman"
Mrs. Johnson said that blue eyes and
light hair are uncommon things in China.
The American woman is too tail 20 wear
the boomers as the Chinese women. For
the reason that she and her daughters
were over the prescribed height they did
not appear in the blOOmer effect last
night she said.
Mrs. Johnson stood beside one of her
daughters, and pointing 10 the long
braid OF hair down the young lady's
back, said that II showed she was not
engaged. II she We're engaged, or mar
ried. the hair would be coiled.
The women often tell me that I have
not had my head opened yet They
mean that 1 have not had two or three
rows Of hair pulled out above the fore
head. All women in China, as soon as
married, at once have their heads
opened. as they call it. On this. their
New Years Day (which is tomorrow all
the girls have their faces painted.
Were Amazed at Face.
Many of the women have wondered
that a woman as old as I. did not have
the marks from smallpox on my face In
China, almost every woman has had the
smallpox. But now many are being vac
cinated, and are spared the disfgure-
ment.
In China II Is the other extreme that
is the subject Of conversation when
women assemble They do not speak of
their bOnnets as we do here. They talk
of their shoes. No other subject Of dress
is discussed SO often as the shoes.
When the children are five years old
their feet are bandaged, and they are
kept in bandages for years They suffer
greatly. and / am glad that there are
several auti-bandage societies IN existence
now. An order has been issued prohibit
ing the women fror bandasing their feet,
but it viii take good many years to
have the practice discontinued entirely.
Many of the women wear long finger
nails. This is sign Of leisure. They
scorn gloves.
And there are no old maids in China
Let's go to China one young lady,i
the rear of the church whispered TO her
friend
Mrs. Johnson said that but few mir
rors are TO be found, and many of the
women had never seen themselves except
iH the clear water. She then compared
The Bible as q mirror i'm which we see
reflected ourselves and there find our
duties and responsibilities.
Sing Chinese Song.
She and her daughter sang one verse
of a Chinese song, which delighted the
congregation. Dr. Johnson translated the
banners that lie brought with him, and
gave the history of an idol which is
Worshtped by many Chinese.
He told of the celebration of new year.
and gave many Illustrations of the Gus
toms Of the Chinese with whom he had
worked for almost two decades. The
schools are being encouraged and the
work is progressing nicely.
He talked of the dispeusaiy and the
missionary work done I'm it. and through
it, I'm the country The people are glad
20 listen he said and China is waking
up faster than ever before. All Of MS
have a duty which should be performed
without delay. nc declared
.Dr. Johnson will sail for China in
August, and will again take up the work
which he left off when he came to the
United States Ills wife viii return
shortly afterward but Misses Ruth and
Margaret and Master Hosmer will re-
main in America. at least until their edu-
cation is finished.
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