Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, March 08, 1901, Image 3
Power of tK© ifcl'll MOM .I—-,.,-. —| 1 MBrSBTiTiTTi I The claim of Japan to bo looked upon as the Britain of the east is not with out foundation, writes Isaac Taylor Headland in Munsey's Magazine. Her situation in relation to Eastern Asia, or, for that matter, in relation to all Asia is very similar to that of England in her relation to Europe. She is an island empire. Her territory is not large and as her population is rapidly increasing sho is impelled to utilize every foot of ground she possesses. She terraces the mountain sides, and cause 3 them to blossom as the rose. She irrigates .the waste places and changes the desert into green fields. She rescues the swamp lands and transforms them into rice fields. So that the rural population of Japan, in stead of being farmers, are gardeners, and the island empire is a garden spot In fact as well as in name. Japan resembles Britain at sea as well as on land. Many of her people lead a seafaring life. She is not only destined to become, but is forced to become, one of the great commercial nations of the world. Her ships will ply between all ports, and the flag of the rising sun will be seen flying on the masts of merchant vessels on all seas, east and west, just as the Union Jack is at the present time. As a mat ter of protection, she will need a large navy. The beginning of this she al ready possesses. Her navy is rapidly increasing, and she Is building or hav ing built ships of the most modern type, with guns of the best make. She stands today among the six or seven great maritime powers and in all the Pacllic sho is the strongest of them all. One of the proverbs that meet, us when we arrive in the east is this: "The Japanese wash their bodies and their clothes; the Coreans wash their clothes; the Chinamen do not wash either." The proverb is almost liter ally true. The bath is one of the first Japanese institutions the traveler en counters. In the home the bath'room may be the living room and the main and female members of the family pen form their ablutions in full sight of one another, while in the public bath nothing more than a netting and some times not even that separates the male from the female divisions of the bath house. •fnpnn'n Industrial l'mgre**. In her industrial progress Japan has taken rapid strides. Business men have sent their sons, or their most intelli gent apprentices, to America and to European countries, where they have entered the great factories as clerks or laborers, and by their industry have worked their way to the top. They fa miliarize themselves with all depart ments of business and every phase of business life, and some bright morning the stranger who began as an humble clerk appears before his employer as a Japanese gentleman in every way his equal, takes his polite leave of the firm with which ho has been connected and returns to his native land to open up a like business. Because of the cheap ness of labor, Japanese manufacturers can turn out similar goods at prices far below what they cost to make in Europe or America. Everything from a bicycle to a razor, and from a ship to a toy engine, or a real engine, is made In groat factories, whose tall chimneys mar the beauty of the moun tain sides as one passes along the coast or through the placid Inland sea, Railways are in operation ail over the empire, and both their equipment and their management is excellent. The traveler In Japan may take a first class, second-class, or third-class car, and will find himself shut up with a number of little men and women who eit tailor-fashion on the seats, or, kneeling, sit on their heels, instead of THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN, letting their heels rest on the floor. It is their habit of sitting on their feet that causes Japanese of both sexes to turn their toes in, and that helps to make them so small iu stature. The Japanese from the leg up Is as large as the average European, but he lacks leg development, which shortcoming has been caused, it is supposed, from his constant sitting on bis legs. An alarm has been raised by many observers who have predicted that Japan, with Its cheap labor, Is destined to usurp the industrial supremacy of the world; but the menace Is moro im aginary that real. It should be re membcrod that the Japanese are not originators, but imitators. The Chin ese can originate, but cannot bring to any degree of perfection; the Japan ese cannot originate, but are clever at | adapting aDd improving. Their porce lain was borrowed from Korea, but has ' .been so Improved as to be unrecognlz- j I. Japan Lays \ Claim to that "Position. able. Their classical books are of Chin ese origin, as is also their religion. Their navy is British, their army Ger man, their legal code French, their ed ucational system American, and their various industries are taken from all over the world. They are not sim ply copied, however. The borrowed ideas are eaten and digested, as it were, and stamped with the imprint of the art and life of the Japanese as to be come their own. Modern Education In Japan. What happened in the industrial life of Japan happened also In its edu cational life. Students went to foreign countries, and entered all departments of learning. Those who could not go abroad rushed to the governmental and mission schools until all of these were filled to overflowing; and the rapidity with which the pupils ac- THE EMPRESS OF JAPAN, quired foreign knowleoge was evidence of their abilit} r and of their deep in terest. The number of schools and pu pils increased as rapidly as financial conditions of the government would allow, until at the present time there are no fewer than 30,000 schools, hav ing 100,000 teachers, half a million graduates, and 5,000,000 pupils, while the annual outlay for educational pur poses is not less than $7,500,000. Tho JnpunoH© Army. As Japan chose the greacst naval power in the world for a model in plan ning her fleet, so she selects the great est military organization, the German army, as a model for her land forces. Her army numbers a quarter of a million men, with some 5,000 officers. The Japanese soldiers proved in their war with China in 1894, and lately in the expedition to Pekin, that they are among the most wonderful fighting men tho world has known. They aroused universal amazement and un bounded admiration among the Europ eans and Americans who saw their work. In the battlefield, if nowhere else, the "plucky little Japs" have gained the world-wide respect for which they have struggled so long and so hard. Their discipline, endurance and bravery made the Occidental sol diers open their eyes. When the at tack was made on Tientsin, the Chi nese sharpshooters killed man after man before one could get at the wall with guncotton. Finally, a Japanese soldier succeeded in reaching the gato with two cans of the explosive. Three times he lighted a long fuse and it was shot out. Then, to make sure of his work, the soldier calmly stood over the match. Of course, ho knew ho would he blown to atoms, but the gate was shattered, and Tientsin was taken. CLOTH THAT LASTS. Good. Ar. Proinlaed That Will Wear Twenty Years. In with the new century will come a new material for clothing which really will revolutionize all our notions about the cloth in which we shall bo clad. Think of getting a suit of clothes that will last for twenty years; that will cost only a third more than a suit costs now, and that will be absolutely waterproof without appearing to be so. Revolutionize is rather an overworked word, but it fits this case exactly. In stead of singing, "Papa's pants will soon fit Johnnie," the refrain will run, "Johnnie soon will wear Pa's pants," for when pa once begins to wear these extremely useful articles before John nie has got out of dresses he may con tinue to wear them for the next twenty years, and by that time Johnnie will have grown up to them. The same with little Mary and her mother's skirts. Instead of cutting down the garments for the girl the mother will wear them for a generation or so, and then turn them over to her daughter. This most useful cloth can be made in gray, crimson, purple and blue, and doubtless by next May, when the mills in England will be completed, It will be found possible to dye the cloth black and brown. The variety of colors will make the material adaptable equally to the men and to the women. Governor or Colonel Charles W. Miner of the Sixth infantry, whom General Mac A rthur has just made military governor of the island of Negros, has been in command of the Sixth ever since tho battle of San Juan Hill, excepting a little time before the regiment sailed for the Orient. Count Tolstoi has completed a new play called "The Corpse." CAMPING LIFE IN CHINA PESTS WHICH MAKE THE SOLDIER'S LOT A HARD ONE. FH©, Flea*. MoKquilopK, Cats and Dog* Are a Source of Worry Chinese Ca nine* lT*e the I lying Wedge Again*t Barricade*—Mosquitoes Are Tenacious. Chinese habits o£ uneleanliness are calculated to bring a fly pe3t every summer. This year the usual condi tions have been aggravated by the scavenger work which fire, shell and loot has provided. The fly supply, in deed, has so far exceeded the demand as to bring out prominently, even to the most untrained observation, hab its, traits and possibilities in flies that usually pass unheeded. As anywhere else, the fly here feels bound to take part in all preparations and service of food, but here there are so many fly mouths to feed that it is not content with a fair share of com missary, but it tries to grab it all. A dish containing food cannot be ex posed without instantly becoming black with a covering of flies. When the meal is ready to be served the eater must guess at the contents of many ot the dishes, for the flies hide them completely, and those unable to get aboard the eatables the instant of their appearance hover above the ta ble, buzzing like a swarm of bees, awaiting their turn at the feast. They are so desperately and recklessly rav enous that the owner of the victuals must brush them aside to get at his own. Their fondness for alighting on hu man flesh and clinging to it has ap parently been stimulated by the great number of carcasses of men and ani mals which the summer sun began to bloat and stew in the river and along its banks near the- coast in July, and which process was extended to the highways and fields as far as Pekin when tiie troops came northward. One must have a fan in motion all the time to keep clear of them. Toward evening they seek the dwell ings, the Chinese beds of woven stxaw and matting and the walls near tho beds enjoying their special favor. They cover the soldiers' cots and blankets as readily as other bedding, and they resent intrusion upon those resting places. When one goes to bed at night he is assailed by a protest from the flies, and when they have mado room for him by crowding themselves to one side and covering the under surface of his resting place, they keep up a murmur of discontent, which seems to threaten bodily harm, and sometimes inflicts it, in a Liliputian way, by a violent wing demonstration and di minutive stings. Tho human occupant moves at his peril after once lying down, for while his bedfellows become reconciled to him while he remains quiet, they are there to sleep and let him so understand. They expect him, evidently, not to turn or twist or shift his position, no matter what may hap pen. Fly occupants of the walls near the bed do not rest BO well as those who Bo to sleep in the place made for sleep; and they are wedged so close together that the slightest movement or disturbance in any part o£ the in terlocked surface affects every other part. Hence there is always a sway ing motion in the wall mass which sounds not. unlike heavy breathing. if flies were the only night troubles a sleeper might adjust himself to their convenience and get along not uncom fortably until morning. Their night activity is intermittent, and the re sult always of provocation, while that of ihe fleas is continuous. Night is the time foi* which the bed fleas have been waiting, and they are fresh for business. The occupant of a bed can feel them criss-crossing over his body, but they are never found where his hands go groping for them. He must await daylight to effect captures of that enemy, and before daylight the colony has dispersed, but leaving also a body tattooed as completely as if a crew of sailors' needlemen had been at work on it. Nor is the mosquito idle In his usual business hours. He can be as perni cious and as exasperating on the Chi na plains as anywhere else, and al though not as alert as are mosquitoes in some quarters in getting out of the way of a stroke, he is so like the pop ulation of China that the loss of a few multitudes, more or less, doesn't count. From his slowness in side stepping iu avoid a blow, it may bo infened that the native has too many other pest troubles to pay any atten tion to him to else the mosquito's dainty taste makes him partial to im ported goods. At any rate, he is most persistent in his attentions and so ten acious of purpose that the sooner one j icids and lets him bite and get away the sooner comes peace in that quar ter. If these were all the pests they might be endured, but when the Chi nese went away they left their dogs and cits behind, and there are myriads of them. In the day time they may be seen everywhere—gaunt, dirty, starved but silent. They prowl among the ruined dwellings and through the streets, loosing for a bite of anything that will fill and finding only ashes and fallen walls. The soldiers have killed hundreds of them, without any perceptible effect on their numbers Bodies of men shot in the streets look now and then as if the household ani mals had sampled them and had not cared for exhaustive research, but oth erwise, they have gone unfed, except with what they could steal, since the troops came. Those that have lurkel i 1 hiding In day time come out at night, join the street crowd of their kind, and after caucuses more or less stormy, lasting until the camps sound taps, they di vide Into foraging parties and sepa rate. While occupants of dwellings did not hope to build barriers that cats would respect, the delusion was cher ished that if all entrances were barred by boards and boxes, dogs might be kept outside. They had not reckoned on the Chinese (log's knowledge of how to use the flying wedge and until now barricades are ineffectual against that animal. A crash of wood or the noise of parting bolts apprises the house hold soon after lights are out that the foragers are abroad and that gates and entrances are now fre# to all comers. There is no sneaking or skulking in the visit of the invaders. They want food and want it badiy and have 110 time for nonsense. Doors of most of the dwellings standing have gone for kindling. So there is no hin drance to a visit to any part of a place, when the gateways have been passed. Crockery shelves first give notice that inspectors are about with sweep ing designs. Then the listening occu pants may know that rummaging is in progress among the provision boxes, which have been carefully bat tened down for the tught with wire nails. In a little while one may hear the wlxish and determined tread of the foragei-s about the courtyard, whence they proceed to the porches and sleep ing rooms, sniffing at tables, chairs, movables and fixtures, not omitting tho bed or its occupant. The cats of ten leap to the bod. On a warm night, when the occupant oppi-esses himself with the least possible clothing he gets a new sensation from this unex pected visit There is no use in hissing or shouting or adjuring the animals. They havo too serious work before them to heed ordinary "s'cat" meth ods. A missile is the only thing they respect. That will send them scam pering, the cats to the wall fences, from which they keep up a madden ing incantation, and the dogs going probably not much further away. A peaceful sleeper waking a few nights since found three dogs and two cats sitting in semi-circle near his head, as if debating if ho was far enough gone to be worth finishing be fore lie had time to grow stale. The following night he awoke with two mangy, mud-covered cats snuggled asleep close up to him on his blankets. The experience of taking the city was certainly as nothing compared with that since suffered from the broken rest inflicted by these noisome Chinese legacies—Boston Herald. A COLORED WOMAN'S COURAGE. Old Sophia Holme. Was Truly a Credit to Her It ace. Old Sophia Holmes, the most inter esting colored woman of ner day, has left a little story woven around her memory which will long live, and a record of which her race may well be proud. She died in Washington recently, whei-e she had won her mark of dis tinction as tlie first colored woman to he given a life position under the United States government, which was awarded by a special act of congress during Lincoln's administration. She was at the time employed as charwoman in the division of issues department, a position to which she was appointed by President Lincoln. One evening in 1863, in sweeping up after closing hours she found a chest of bank notes, which had been care lessly overlooked by the employes and left out of the vault. Not knowing what to do and fearing to call the watchman, of whose honesty she was not sure, she continued to sweep back and forth until it was dark, then she dragged the che3t as noiselessly as possible to a place beneath a table and lay upon the top as sentinel. It was past midnight when General Spinner, then treasurer, made his nightly round. He had long made it a habit to sleep in the building and to make a personal survey of the de partment at midnight. The negress listened and realizing whom it was called out to him and made her discovery known. Noted for his profanity, General Spinner is said to havo made a good use of his powers upon this occasion, and expressed his wrath in fiery volume. The frightened woman, at his command, followed trembling to a room above, where at that unusual hour a committee meet ing was called. She was absolved from all blame and allowed to return to her home, which she did rejoicing. Congress acted on her deed of brave ery and valor, and subsequently ap pointed her to a life position in the division of issues department, to carry packages of money from one employe to another, at tho highest salary paid to the laborers in the gov ernment employ, which is S6O a month. This position she retained until her I death, always carrying herself with dignity which won the respect of all her superior officers. On another oerasion she detected a man stealing $17,000 from the count ing room of tho treasury and caused his arrest and the return of the money. Sophia Holmes was born in George town, Va., and was married to Melch ior Holmes, whose freedom she pur- 1 chased with her own earnings. Ho lost his life in the civil war. Sophia Holmes was over 70 yeai's of age, how much she herself was unable to tell, for as much as she was associated with figures she had no memory for dales. A Ileal Ist. "So you let your leading man go'" "I had to," answered Mr. Storming ton Barnes. "He was too realistic in his ideas." "Interfered with your work on the stage?" "No, not on the stage. In the box office. He wanted real money." Washington Star. EASTERN BEAUTIES. SOCIALLY, PERSIA IS A FASCI NATING COUNTRY. Tit® Persian Woman L'ntroublcd by the "Nerves" ami Fads of the Now Woman —On the Street She C'oncuuls ller Fuco from tho Vulgar Gaze. The visit of the shah of Persia to the continent, and his interesting say ings and doings, while there, have very naturally directed more than usual public attention to the land over which he rules. Considered politically, his torically or socially, Persia is in many respects one of the most fascinating of all Oriental countries. It is the last running barrier between Russia and the Persian Gulf; its history teems with lofty names and great dynastic changes, and its social life piques Eu ropean interest by Its mystery and its novelty. And yet little is known of Persia, even by intelligent Europeans; while to the great mass it remains terra incognita. Bit by bit, however, we are breaking through the exelu siveness of Persian etiquette, and are learning how fascinating the people of Persia are. In no phase of Persian life do we find more to charm, to sur prise, and to fascinate than we do in studying the lives and manners of Per sian women. The mystery that sur rounds them, their own fatalistic se renity, the limitations which are plac ed upon their lives, in a word, the com plete dissimilitude to feminine life in Europe, lend a peculiar and unfailing interest to all that concerns them. It is well to sweep away some of the cobwebs of prejudice in considering the character and status of the wo men of Persia. They are not ill-used, they are not unwilling prisoners, they do not resent the restraints of the ha rem, and they do not regard them selves as victims of misfortune. Strange as it may seem to us, the Persian woman is a happy woman; she is content, placid and untroubled by either "nerves" or fads of the "new woman. " A distinguished Fx-enchman, in describing them says: "The regu lar life which the women of Persia lead is the potent cause of their beau ty; they neither gamble nor sit up late; they drink no wine, and but rare- Famous Women Beginning with literary women the following are the best known of the famous women of Germany: Johanna Schopenhauer, born at Dantzic in 1770 and died in 1849. She published a number of tales and romances. She was the mother of Ailhur Schopen hauer, the famous philosopher. Luis? Muhlbach, wife of Thecdor Muudt. She wrote a number of historical romanc es, some of which have been translated into English, and have enjoyed great popularity. She died in Berlin In 1873. Madame von Schlegel, authoress, wifo of Friedrich von Schlegel, the eminent scholar and writer, and mother by her first husband of the celebrated painter, Phillip Veit. She was born in 1763 and died In 1839. Fanny Lewald, a popular authoress, whose principal works were novels, tales and sketches ot travel. She was the wife of Adoir Stahr, the author. She was born in 1820 and died in 1875. Madame von Schwartz, a German writer and of German family, but horn at Southgate, England, in 1821. After a separation from von Schwartz, who was her sec ond husband, she went to Rome, be came a great admirer of Garibaldi, went with him on his campaigns and cared for him in activity. Most of her numerous books are descriptions of her travels and adventures. She has iShe "Priesthood in Prance, A movement is going on amongst French Socialist mayors in France to forbid the wearing of ecclesiastical costume. A decree issued to this effect by M. E. Thomas, Mayor of Bicetre, has been annulled as illegal by the Prefect of Police. Amongst tho priests of France it is probable that, although they resent the aggressive action of the mayors, they would, for other rea- Ityron Swam Dardanelles Strait. The Hellespont or Dardenelles is a narrow strait between Europe and Asiatic Turkey, which connects the Sea ot Marmosa and the Egean sea. The legend describes Leander as night ly swimming across the Hellespont to visit Hero, his sweetheart. It was really swam by Lord Byron. The actual distance between Abydos and Sestos is about a mile and a quarter; but the current is so strong that about I miles is made by a swimmer, because Dt his drifting, ere he has touched Crom point to point. The first at tempt of Byron to swim the Helles pont was a failure; bul on a second venture he performed the feat in one hour and ten minutes. X,engtly Mourning In Kurcn. In Korea mourning is a very lengthy matter. When a parent dies the mourning lasts for three years or more, and for other relatives the pe riod is shorter, but never short. As during a period of mourning marriagy U not allowable, it is easily seen that ly expose themselves to the atrao phere. It must be acknowledged that life in the seraglio is more conducive to health than to pleasure; it is a calm, untroubled life; everything in it is connected with subordination and duty; even its pleasures are serious and its joys austere,and are all in themselves significant of authority and dependence." The dress of Persian la dies is* more showy than tasteful, more picturesque than modest, according to European ideas. It should, however, be remembered at once that what might seem immodest in the western world, is regarded as quite natural in the east. The "char-kadd" (or head dress) is, in the case of the rich, very pretty and costly; Kashmir shawls and embroidered gauze, bespangled with golden coins and enriched with precious stones, are used for this pur pose; while the ends of the "char kadd" droop gracefully over the shoul ders, and a "jika," or bejeweled feath er ornament, is worn on the side of the head, producing a very jaunty effect. Ornaments of jewelry are much af fected, scent caskets are suspended from the neck by golden chains, and the arms are covered, often from the wrist to above the elbow—with ban gles, which vie in quantity and qual ity with the coin bangles so often worn by ladies of fashion in Europe. As in India, the poor wear silver orna ments as anklets and bracelets, and the negres3 slaves adorn their ebony skins with the bright pink of coral. The Persian ladies' outdoor dress is far from attractive, consisting, as a rule, of a large blue drapery, which envelops the entire person, and quite conceals the wearer's identity. The head is covered with a perforated linen veil, which enables the wearer to look upon the outer world, but does not dis close her features. A man may pass his own wife in the streets of Teheran and not know her, but she may see him. Now and then the veil will be slightly lowered, and a pair of laugh-l ing, roguish, bewitching brown eyes revealed. For a pretty woman, even in the east. doe 3 not care to conceal her attractions beneath a veil, and the daughters of Eve in Persia are not in different to admiration. There are only eight or ten thousand Paisees left in Persia, the original home of Zoroas trianism, but the Parsee women are daintily attractive in dress and quietly refined in manner. GERMANY HAS A LONG LIST WHO DESERVE RECOG NITION 5 5 j often been confounded with the Swed | ish novelist of the same name. Among the German women who have shone ;in the art world are the following: | Madame Hensel, wife of Wilhelm Hen | sel, a celebrated painter, and sister j of Mendelssohn, the great composer, i She was distinguished for her taste and skill in music and produced sever al admired compositions. She was J born in 1805 and died in 1547. Madame | Schumann (Clara Josephine Wieck), ! wife of Robert Schumann, the cele j brated composer, and herself a noted | pianist and composer. She was born j in 1819 and died two years ago. Among other artists may be mentioned Ma j dame Schroeder, a celebrated aetrc-s3, and known as "the German Siddons;" j her daughter, Wilhelmine Schroeder- Devrient, one of the most distinguish j cd vocalists of Germany; and Mario ! Gabrielle Kraus, a noted opera singer. Finally we may mention one of the leading lights in the world of science. Caroline Lucretia Herschel, sister and collaborator of Sir Wm. Hershel, the celebrated astronomer. She was born in Hanover, Prussia, in 1750 and died there in 1848. From 1772 until her brother's death in 1822, she lived with him near Windsor, England. She published a valuable catalogue of stars and discovered five new comets be tween the years 1786 and 1797. ' , sons, prefer to dress like English and J American priests. They consider that their active pastoral work is hampered by the soutane, which ought to be lim ted to the sanctuary. By it they are debarred from modern physical exer cise, and excite too much attention when ministering to sick parishioners. The subject will probably be discussed I at the next priests' congress. a goodly number of deaths in the fam ilies of each of the betrothed pair may delay their marriage far beyond the ; limits of human patience, as we un j derstand it, though western people have no conception of the patience of [ some Orientals. In Korea it is not ! unusual for a wedding to be delayed len years on account of mourning, and betrothed couples have been kept waiting for upward of thirty years. I'meuts I>''l,l y■ ci One Your. While searching through the base ment of the Kenosha postoflice the other morning Postmaster Frantz found six bags of mail which are sup posed to have lain there for about a year, as the bags contain many Christ mas presents. The department in Washington has been notified and the mail delivered to the various ad dresses. The longest-lived people have gen erally been those who made breakfast the principal meal of the day. The stomach has more vigor in the morn ing than at any time.