The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-24

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| thought of fooling the bell boy by throw
ing 1t in the fire when he left the room
| | had expected to engage a guide for
| the day, but as I squealed little at the
price he demanded, the solicitous proprie-
| tor came to my assistance with the
charming suggestion that he should Sc
cure an English-speaking rickshaw man.
make a list himself of the things l was
| to shown and allow the coolie to act as
guide. philosopher and friend l found
also that by selecting post card pictures
| Of the temples l wished to see 1 could be
independent of his English, which was
certainly no less confusing to me than
his Japanese. On this basis we managed
to exchange ideas very definitely and
| satisfactorily.
| T. was bitterly cold, penetrating morn
ing and l was glad had brought all my
wraps and furs. Just as 1 was starting
out to sight-see, and had tucked myself
| into the rickshaw, the hotel proprietor
appeared at the door and directed an at
/ tendant to place one of those little Japan
| ese hand stoves at my. feet. / tried to
fancy getting so much attention and de-
/ votion from hotel in my own good and
| sincere" country, but my imagination
/ gave up the task and I reflected. some
| what sadly on the shortcomings which
| SO often accompany the higher virtues
| Kioto is all Japanese. and lovely and
| fascinating beyond words. No outrag-
eous and indicate looking modern build
| ings come butting In on the quaint and
quiet charm of the place, and neither is
there that absurd hotch-potch OF ready
made American clothes or lack of gar
ments-which forces itself on your atten-
tion in Toxic and Yokohama
It rained considerably during the day,
and that too, was charming, for 1t filled
the streets with great yellow umbrellas
which bobbed up and down in q lovely
way. 1 could not think of putting myself
| out of the picture by raising my own
! stupid and sensible American umbrella.
| nor could consent to have the rickshaw
| top raised to shut out the smallest part
| of my view. I wanted to look. look, look.
everywhere and in all directions. so I, too,
| bought one OF the great spreading UNI
| brellas of heavy oiled paper and took
childish enjoyment in my toy, feeling just
as though 1 were taking part in play
and listening delightedly at the nice noise
| the rain made on It,
| Besides one or two hurried glimpses at
few of the famous and not so famous
! temples. a pop call into some Of the most
| irresistible of the shops. beguiling half
| hour at one of the beautiful cloisome and
satsama places, my day was devoted to
/ seeing the Mikado's palace and Milo cas-
| tie.
|
! was trotted over great distances and got
| fascinating glimpses of things and people
which were all new and curious to me.
| Most of the coolies were bare-legged.
with some sort of sandals tied to their
| feet by cords drawn between their big
| toes and the other ones. Their big UNI
| brela- shaped hats were tied to their
heads and under their chins with ropes
and cords, but very often you would see
| a half naked workman with his head tied
up in colored shaWls or bands OF warm
material, and over this picture hat.
Sometimes you would pass horses and
oxen in the streets, but, seldom. IL ever,
do you find either man or woman riding
| them
The people carry loads which we would
no. think of expecting anything but a
| beast of burden to carry, and when
| horse or an oxen Is hitched to cart, a
| man walks along by his head and leads
| him through the streets. l noticed hiatt
| the oxen also wore thatched SANDALS,
which were tied to their feet with ropes
drawn through the cleft In the hoof, Just
| in the same way his masters were put
| on.
| Some of the peasants are very pic
turesque and ridiculous looking in their
| matched, waterproof suits. Their hats
are very wide and shelving, reaching to
| a high point in the center ana sfoping
| down and way out over uIlelr sHouiueiS
| They wear skirt which stands out
| briskly and gayly and reaches to the
knee Another skirt, or cape, comes from
| the neck and reaches to the waist. Hat,
| cape and skirt are all of matched straw
| or grass Of some Sort and generally of a
| cheerful yellow shade. The bare legs,
| appearing under these frivolous looking
| founces awakens memories OF gauzy bal
let girls, but the serious. weather-beaten
| faces and great smuscular legs promptly
| annul the Likeness upon closer scrutiny
No very definite notions of what an i'm
peral palace In Japan might be expected
| 70 look like consciously possessed my
mind, SO that I cannot claim that was
surprised at the atmosphere OF high think
ing and plain living which envelopes the
| Mikado's ancestral home, but ] reel con-
lsvinced that the true ideals of the simple
liIife must have been imported from this
| cdlntry into others and had Its origin
with the royal families who made Their
| home here. The large mass OF building
which compose the Mikado's palac'
stretches itself proudly over rs acres o.
| land. which is enclosed in roofed wall
| made of earth and plaster.
| There are six gates, but visitors are al
| mitted only through one OF them, Gale
NE Gate Of the August Kitchen. ] wa
| pleased to discover that all display OF pots
| and pans were considerably avoided and
the indignity Of the name promptly for
gotten. You are first shown ito little
! lodge where you sign your NAME ana an