The boy travellers in the Far East : adventures of two youths ... - Library

258
THE BOY TRAVELLERS.
each other, and the g'overnment is doing all it can to improve the condi-
tion of the women. They were better oii before than the women of any
other Eastern country ; and if things go on as tliey are now going, they
will be still better in a few years. The world moves.
"A gentleman who has given much attention to this subject says that
of the one hundred and twenty rulers of Japan, nine have been women ;
and that the chief divinity in their mythology is a woman—the goddess
Ivuanon. A large part of the literature of Japan is devoted to the praise
her fidelity, love, piety, and devotion form the groundwork of
many a I'omance which has become famous throughout the country, and
of woman ;
popular with all classes of readers. The history of Japan abounds in sto-
ries of the heroism of women in the various characters of patriot, rebel,
and martyr; and I am told that a comparison of the standing of women in
all the countries of the East, both in the past and in the present, would
unc[uestionably place Japan at the head.
" I suppose you will want to know something about the way the Japanese
women dress. I'll try to tell you ; but if I make any mistakes, you must
remember that I have not had much practice in describing ladies' apparel.
" They don't wear any crinoline, such as the ladies do in America; and
their clothes fit very tight around them when compared to what we see
in Xew York—that is, I mean, they are tight in the skirts, though loose
enough above the waist. They fasten them with strings and bands, and
without hooks or buttons or pins. You remember the pocket pin-cushion
you made for me? of course you do. Well, one day while we were taking
tea in a Japanese tea-house, the attendants stood around looking at us,
and examining our watch-chains and the buttons on our coats. I showed
them that pin-cnshion, and they passed it from one to the other, and won-
dered what it was; and so I took out a pin, and showed it was for carry-
ing pins. Evidently they did not know what a pin was for, as they looked
at it very curiously, and then made signs for me to show them its use. I
did so by pinning uj) the wide sleeve of one of the black-eyed girls. She
took the pin out a moment after to return it to me ; and when I motioned
that she might keep it, she smiled and said ' Arinyato,' which means ' Thank
you,' as sweetly and earnestly as though I had given her a diamond ring.
Then I gave each one of them a pin, and they all thanked me as though
they really thought they had received something of value. Just think of
it ! half a dozen young women, ntit erne of whom had ever seen a common
dressing-pin
!
" Their dresses are folded ai'ound them, and then held in place by an
obi, which is nothing more nor less than a wide belt. It is of the most