Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-10-18
CUPID HAS
SINECURE
IN JAP AN

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- HICAGO There never, new.
MN er-no, never-was a hap
NLiE pier little couple than K.
MIX Yamasaki. the Japanese
5 consul to Chicago. and his
petite bride, who have journeyed
clear across the Pacific ocean to
make their home in Indiana avenue.
Chicago. H.. U. S. A. The ensuing
chapter Of the little romance that
skipped across half the world. and the
story Of how this well-born little Jap
anese girl gladly travelled it to remain
beside her liege lord reads like one
of the tales Of Onoto Watana.
Bound by all the ties of family and
home. love of parents and friends to
the land Of her birth and her dearest
associations, and not even knowing
well the English Tor American)
tongue, she has done much to back up.
the declaration they both made re-
Gently, that they, were really soul
mates"
Match Arranged by Families.
'Soul-mates!" That's what they
say they are, to Americanize the jap
anese phrase. Their tailor-made ro-
nance suits them fine. They always
expected to wed some fine day, even
as children. That's the way they do
1t in Nippon. Misoa had nothing to-
say about the match. and neither did
Mr.. Yamasak. Their families ar
ranged the whole affair, and the fami-
lies surely ought to know Negotia-
lions began long before either ever
had felt the thrills of love.
Now, II the average American girl
was given in marriage after this fash
Ion. what loud cry would go up! In
her headstrong independence she
would stalk out of the. house and run
OF with the man she really wanted,
and this man would, nine times out
OF ten, not be the man her; parents Sc
lected, which may argue for the Amer
lean girls fine independence but not
for her sentiment.
Not SO the Yamasaki family.
Misoa smiled and blushed and ac-
cepted the man OF her parents choice.
This was learned upon a visit to the
Japanese consul in Chicago and his
bride. I; \, b s 5;,$z a
height, with a strong. dignifed face Of
q decidedly oriental type. His eyes
are shrewd. kindly. clever. and have
a friendly twinkle in the corner Of
them. His English is excellent. When
asked for a little talk with Mrs. Yama-
sah about the girls In Japan. he ex-
planned that Mrs. Yamasaki didn't
know English, but he offered to act
as Interpreter. ,.
Charming Type Of Womanhood.
So he went upstairs to get Mrs.
Yamasaki. It was almost half an hour
before he returned. And Mrs. Yama-
saki was with him. She is charming.
She is small, fragile. slender. as dainty
and as exquisite as q. bit of seyres
china. Her skin Is soft, warm olive.
with an under color Of faint pink at
the cheeks. Her hair was dressed in
a smooth, round pompadour. fastened
with tortoise shell pins. Her eyes are
dark almond, with "a wistful look In
them. look Of longing and infinite un
derstanding. Her hands are the most
wonderful Of all. slender, brown, with
tapertng fingers. She wore q skimono
Of a dull blue shade. decorated In
white flowers and with a wide white
and blue sash. and on her feet were
tiny white "Zoree" slippers with a
separate compartment for the great
toe. rs VI
Mrs. Yamasakis shook hands; made q
quaint little bow, and smiled. There
1 is nothing foreign about the smile. II
Is friendly, up to date smile that
welcomes you and accepts you as 8
friend. She seated herself in big
armchair OF dull green. AZ R; n
I'm Japan the girls are not given
the same education as the boys. are
they?" was asked. Mr.. Yamasak
spoke to Mrs. Yamasaki, she spoke Of
him. Her voice is husky. low. and
{ very sweet. 1t has an, Ethel Barry
more thrill to It, but 1t has quick
little sound that even Ethel could not
initiate.
Mr.. Yamasaki smiled at his wife's
answer and translated: Il K;
To-day the education Of the Japa
nese girl is far superior to that Of the
past centuries. Formerly the girl was
given very little If any education. But
today the Japanese girl Is educated
much In accordance with the western
methods. There are schools and col
leges in all of the large cities. But
the girls are educated Inherently from
the boys. The boys are educated to
take their place in the world, to make
a living. to look out for themselves
The girls are educated to make homes
TO be comfort to their husbands
Happy Home Life Their Ambition.
"And the girls, are they ambitious? ?"
4 mo! Japanese girls prefer a home
life. II they are happy with their pa
rents or their husbands they are con-
tent"
And Mr.. Yamasaki looked at Mrs
Yamasaki. and they both smiled
Wouldn't American women be trifle
happier If they forgot careers" and
devoted themselves to making homes
"And marriage and divorce?"
Sometimes in Japan the men court
the girls in approved western fashion.
but usually the entire affair is ar
ranged by the parents Of the young
people. And although divorce is much
easier to obtain, for it can be obtain
led on many grounds. 1t is not abused.
Divorce is getting less frequent each
year. and wife Is not "put away
among the better classes unless there