The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1912-11-13
LIFE IN The
SUNSHINE LAND
The Reviews World Tourists Tell of
Baby Life in Japan; Their
Training, Manners, Etc.
TYPE SETTING STRANGE AFFAIR
600 Characters in Everyday Use
Type Placed in Trays Arranged
Around the Room.

Sir Rutherford Alcock calls Japan
"a very paradise of babies" One eN
PLANTATION for the usual goodness OF
the children is that there is no fur
niture in the homes for them to
break AS a rule robust health pre-
walls. The little one is generally
transported by being strapped to the
back of it's mother or larger child
Sometimes the bearers are but two or
three years older than their burdens.
We have also seen woman carry
ing on her shoulder pole from each
end of which was suspended a bas-
ket The basket was full Of babies.
An ordinary sight in crowded streets,
station or other public place, is to see
bortherly sponsor turn to the prop.
er position so that the infant on his
back can secure sustenance in nature
way from the mother standing near.
While each one here adds a year to
his age January LIST, the little girls
celebrate their birth anniversary all to-
gether on the Sd of March. Beautiful
dolls, even representing the emperor's
family, are among the joys of the day.
The boys have the 5th of May for
their jollilication.
On this latter date the towns are
adorned with gigantic paper or cotton
carp. The idea is that as these fish
swim up river against the current, so
the sturdy boys will overcome all OBJ
stacles and make his way in the
world. At various times Japanese
lads bear the flag bravely and march
many miles in the- blazing sun.
No thick walls and long passage
ways separate the nursery. from the
grown peoples apartments, but thin
paper partitions make it possible for
the mother to know what her children
are doing. Where the finer forms are
preserved the boys and girls never
leave the house, nor return to it with
out going to their mothers room, max
ing their bows, and repeating the Gus
tomary phrases used upon such oc-
casions. In like manner, when the
mother goes from home, all the serv-
and children escort her to the door.
When her attendant shouts 20 kaeri,
which is the signal Of her return, the
household hastens to the gate to greet
her, and to do what they can to make
her homecoming pleasantly restful
The father has little to do with the
training of his children. This is left
almost entirely to the mother, and Tex
cept for the interference of the moth
er-in-law, who is sometimes more fact
than fancy here) she has her own way
in domestic government.
The Japanese mothers life is one
OF devotion to her home. She has Sc
few on whom to lavish her affection
so little for which to live besides hel
children, so small hope in the future
except through them that it is scarce
wonder she gives her life to theil
care and service. Even the mothers
who have servants will perform foi
their children nearly all the tasks del
egated to nurses in other lands. nc
give the husbands any share III these
duties would be disgrace to the wife
The man has been far more than the
"better half If the home was un
happy it was prima facie Ewes fault
She should be able to supply all OF
Adams shortcomings. FukuzaWa, al
advanced thinker on wOman's rights
strenuously opposed such double
standard. When married the women
used to blacken their teeth in order
to detract from any beauty that might
secure second husband. The linger
ings of such instances are yet in evi
dence.
Woman's lot has been summed VI
in the three obediences: l. TO faith
err while yet unmarried. 2. 10 nus
band and his parents. 3. TO a son
when widowed. Japanese feudalism
knew nothing of gallantry to women
"God and the ladies'" was the motto
of the European knight, but neither
of these inspirations stirred any en-
thusiasm in the Samurais breast
Ever attentive to the requirements OF
husband. the wife must be diligent
to wait upon him. She picks up his
fan or handkerchief. 1t is said that
even the empress has not been exempt
from these duties of personal service
Men may be seen who have a fad for
long finger nails as proof that they &c
not perform hard manual labor. A
man on the train the other day ate
practically all of the lunch and com
n,acently gave his wife the box OF
crumbs. It was custom among the
ancient Japanese to let a female child