The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1910-07-14
My NINA. Imam.


out on the trail Well. that is true
everywhere on earth. \ man 5 real
manners are the ones he wears on the
journey The power Of habit, the In
tiuence of environment, the fear of Mrs.
/ Grundy compel him to conduct himself
/ with decorum and courtesy at home and
among his friends But about twenty
four hours of travel wears off the var
nish and chips the veneer and gets down
! to the man himself
/ You know, or at least YOU should
KNOW that the Japanese are the politest
people in the world All the books Of
travel tell YOU so. | have said so, and
! | reaffirm what | have said. Even the
manners of the babies are delightful
for their formal and graceful courtesy.
| have seen little tots of five years ex-
; changing the low bows Of salutation as
graciously as their elders can do, which
is saying much. The very coolies are
polite and easy in their manners. You
/ feel your own awkwardness when YOU
attempt to respond to the morning
greeting Of your iinrikisha man in his
own way 1t is as natural as breath
ing to him.
We got on a train at Nagoya one day
to come to Yokohama. There were
! three in our party, a man and two
women. The frst-class compartment ON
a japanese car is divided by four little
arm seats into four equal parts. We
three occupied this quartered car with
three japanese ge-men, that IS, gentle
men by their dress Each one of them
! spread his rug, without which Japanese
i Of the better class never travel, thus
| prompting one-quarter Of the compart-
ment, and stretched himself out at full
! length to enjoy a long days ride with
all the comfort possible. We three
! Americans sat together in the quarter
| left to us. Our japanese fellow trav-
| elers smoked great deal, but as Amer
can gentlemen would blow their ciga-
rette smoke into our faces it we were
| dining in a first-class hotel in Los An
! geles or New York, we made no pro
! test against the smoke. 1t made US
| feel as though we were at home, among
| American gentlemen, who are admitted
in the United States--tO be the finest
in the world But after we had trav-
eled ninety miles two other first-ciass
passengers entered the Compartments
japanese gentleman accompanied by his
| wife.
Their entrance caused a little stir Of
| ANNOYANCE such as there always IS in
| 1 i1tf
travellers are 50 inconsiderate as to
board train or ship at a way sta
| ton or a port of call. The people who
are already on board and in possession
of all the best places, regard the new
corners as unwarrantable interlopers.
We feel that at least they should pre-
sent letters of Introduction.
The three gentlemen occupying three
quarters of the car lifted their heads
from their air pillows glanced al the
new passengers to see that they were
all right, and then turned, every one
Of them. and gazed earnestly upon usf
evidently expecting rs. American fash
ion. to squeeze a little closer together
land make place for their countrymen.
The scrutiny and the silence and the
standing passengers made the situation
a little Uncomfortable. Ny Lady
said: These men expect US to make
room for these people.
/ said: II know it, and ] m gong To
let them hold their breath till / ito.
So we waited. And do You know,
those two people stood IN the aisle
among the teapOtS and clogs and lunch
boxes which litter the floors Of Japan
csc cars. until the next station was
reached when the conductor came m
and being appealed 10, made one OF the
sIeepers sit up and squat in his own
legal allowance of corner.
And he did this with more genuhez
ions and lower bowings and more an
iect abasement and apology, than /
would make if | should ask hin&
George to scrouge up little on ms
throne and give me a place to SIT Whefe
| could see the opening Of Parliament
But this explained the reason Tor the
LONG side seats on the japanese cars
II is only the foreigners who have &C
ride SIDEWAYS The natives spfeao
their rugs on the seats and turn every
dav coach into a sleeping car Ana -
If should be 50 crowded they must III
M, they squat Buddha fashion on Ih'
seats and ride forward, and take VI
| more room. Their geta. or street clogs
or shoes if they wear them, are lett OIL
the floor and they put on Shippers
sometimes their own, sometimes tho7t
heIonqing 10 the railway company. Nov
and then at every station. Tor : CEN
Won can buy a cute little teapot i"t
Of green tea. boiling hot, and two Ht,'t
Guns. And they are bought frequently
ar5utipd and the pot and cups >"
down among the clogs and shoes