Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-23
themselves in the background. A display OF
ones own feelings would be rudeness.


ones own feelings would be rudeness.
WHEN American people judge the degree
w Of affection between husband and wife
by their conduct to each other they make
great mistake. 1t would be as bad form for
a man to express approval of his wife or
children as it would be for him to praise any
other part of himself. and every wife takes
a pride In conducting herself according to
the rigid rules of etiquette, which recognize
dignity and humility as the virtues that
reflect greatest glory on the home Of which
she Is mistress
One other thing may explain SOME seeming
pecularities. The Japanese language has no
pronouns. their place being taken by adjec-
tives. A humble or derogatory adjective
means my" and complimentary one means
your" A husband will introduce his wife
with some such words as these:
Pray bestow honorable glance upon fool
ish wife, BY this he simply means, Il want
you to meet my WIFE" father will speak
OF his children as Ignorant son" or "un-
trained daughter when his heart is over
flowing with pride and tenderness.
GENERAL NOGI. the hero of Port Arthur.
" had two sons. They were his only chill
dren and both were young army officers of
great promise. The general was rigidly
just man. and unwilling to place the
only sons Of other fathers in positions of
danger from which he held back his own.
Therefore he sent both his sons to the battle
front. They did heroic work for Japan and
the Emperor. but both We're killed.
childless home in Japan is a most terri
BILE calamity. as Japanese people believe that
every mans sacred duty to the nation and to
his ancestors is to continue the family name.
This noble sacrifice of General Nogi, the VOL
untary offer to the nation of all that means
pride In this world and hope in the next. was
greater than any westerner can understand.
yet on the sad day when he stood in his
tent studying war map and the dreaded
hat
also was dead, for one moment he stood
silent, then slowly lifting his head he looked
at the message-bearer and with slight bow
quietly remarked:
1T is great honor that the nation had
accepted the sacrifice" Then he went on
with his work.
When an American friend read Of this she
impulsively exclaimed:
IT'S the most heartlesS, heathenish thing
ever heard of Such a man didn't deserve
to have any sons -
To Japanese. the cool. deliberate manne,
when that brave heart was struck with
deadly hopelessness expressed more intense
feeling than could the widest outburst Of
heartproken grief.
7 SHALL never forget my first experience
J. In seeing kissing between man. and woman
IT was on the trip, across the continent when
came from Japan. seat near me was
| occupied by young lady, very prettily
dressed and with gentle, almost timid man.
ners She was a young married woman re-
turning from her first visit to her parents
was much attracted by her free. yet modest
actions and planned how would try to imi-
tate her. One morning noticed that she
was dressed with unusual care, and II was
evident that she was nearing the end Of her
journey. Finally the train began to slow
| down and she watched out the window with
! eager interest. The train had barely come
| to stand when In rushed young man.
| who threw his arms around that modest,
sweet girl and kissed her several times And
| she didn't mind It, but blushed and laughed,
/ and they went off together. cannot express
| my feelings-but i could not help recalling
what my mother said to me Just before I
! started for America:
I have heard, my daughter that 1t is the
custom for foreign people to lick each other
| as dogs do"
| THERE was no criticism in my mothers
i heart-nothing but wonder / repeat her
| words only as an illustration of how an un-
familiar custom may appear to the eyes Of
stranger
Years of residence in this country have
| taught me that the American mode of heart
expression has its spiritual side just as bow
ing has. I now understand thst a kiss ex-
presses Kindness or gratitude--friendshin or
ioye-sach Of which Z sacred vhlspee hpu
1871 ~ 0IIkk f9c.4tt-t 4.