The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1910-08-05


Ing. We sadly need a boy as general
servant. but so far have not secured
one. Third In our list OF helpers is
I MT. Arai. our general adviser lie
knows the things OF old Japan lie is
conserv atiye. yet enters heartily into
our schemes. IL is his duty 20 make
arIangcments He - not Interpreter.
for he knows too little English; but
he knows what is M for US 10 buy.
/ what Is suitable for me 10 do and
have, aud where the things we need
/ are located II is his duty 10 find such
people as we need TO deal with. Last
ly we have a reader and literary as.
sistant IN a student from the uni.
versily Kajwara. who knows English
pretty we'll but who knows little OF
the things OF old Japan. II C10 could
fuse him and Arai together the result
would be fairly competent helper
Nor was 1t a simple matter. either.
10 secure my japanese dress We had
supposed that We would go to oil OF
the many ready made clothing estab-
lishments and select a suit in a few
minutes. On the contrary II was a
matter Of three hours to arrange the
business. Everything had to be made
TO order, and the greatest care was
taken in the selection OF materials
We went TO the finest department
store in Japan. Less extensive than
many such establishments In the
United States, in its character. its en-
terprse. and the quality of its goods
IL is quite comparable TO our Marshall
Fields. Not only quality but fitness
for my purpose we're demanded In
every piece Of goods purchased by Mr.
Arai. The haori. or great outer gar
Ifant. the kimono the julian Tor inner
kimono) and the hakama or wide
legged trousers. were each of different
material. Not only did these materials
have to be carefully selected. but the
question Of lining for each was equally
important
Even our bathtub has been a mat
ter Of serious concern. You know. OF
course. that In Japan the bathtub is OF
prime importance. Every man. woman
and child in the household should take
a hot bath daily. The tub itself is
made of wood. and is a remarkable
piece OF cooperage. II contains a lit
tie stove for heating the water. FIRE.
quently this is so situated that the oc-
cupant OF the tub runs some risk Of
serious burning. The charcoal used in
heating the water gives of fumes. and
Europeans at least consider this mat
ter a somewhat serious one. Accord
ingly my advisers insisted that the tub
should be made to order. first, that il
might be sufficiently large for its occu-
pant second. that risk OF burning be
avoided. and third. that fumes be car
ried of. The cooper. upon inspecting
our proportion decided that the tub
should be three inches longer and
three inches higher than the regula-
ton We had been told that its cost.
IL made TO order, would be about ten
yen. After making his inspection the
cooper stated that the price would be
10 instead Such are the disadvan.
tages of being great. AS a fact. there
is some question whether the bathtub
may not bankrupt us. When II had
been built. we resolved bill OF is yen.
which was paid under protest. but IL
was assumed that the matter was
closed incident Next day. however. a
new bill appeared for $50 yen This
was settled grudgingly Next day the
cook announced that the tub was so
large that a step ladder was necessary
for proper use Of IT, When paid for.
this will make the. bathtub. which was
TO have cost ten yen. a matter OF more
than twice that sum. Personally. |
hate II. for il looks as If il might be
suited for the swimming place Of ele-
plants. and it is humiliating to think
that such a construction was neces-
sary in this land of little people II
is. however. a work of art. with neat
joinery and a smokestack for carrying
of the death-threatening fumes.
Bath customs for the Japanese de
mand that in the early evening the
tub should first be used by the master
OF the house; when he has bathed the
other members in order of age or i'm
portance follow him. bathing In the
same water he has used. This sounds
pretty dreadful. but in a land where
every individual takes a scalding
bath daily. II is actually not so bad.
No soap whatever is permitted in the
bathtub. but the person bathing Is
soaped and scrubbed outside and
doused with hot water thoroughly.
So we are really launched. When
we enter the house our shoes are
laid aside tina. mattings may not be
destroyed or soiled. We sit on
cushions. kneeling with feet crossed
under us: we write at little desks a
foot in height: we eat at little tables
brought in for individual use while
the servant kneels upon the ground
before us, watching TO satisfy our
needs: at night the quilts. pillows and
kimonos are brought out from the
closets where they have been stored
during the day and spread upon the
floor. Guests are required TO submit
TO native regulations. Our old woman
is under orders to serve tea and
cakes TO every visitor-man. woman,
or child Both she and the old cook