old man and his
wife, Y---- says he bets they are Samurai, with the politeness of real
nobles, and their little place as carefully arranged for beauty as if it
were their home--which it is. I broke an old Kutani plate and I inquired
for one there. They had none, but we looked at their things, they with
many bows, and when we left said we were sorry to have troubled them for
nothing. They replied, "Please excuse us for not having the thing you
wanted."

To-morrow we go to lunch here in the neighborhood with a very clever and
interesting family (of a professor). None of the women call, at least
none of the married ones, all being afraid of their English for one
reason, but I am learning to just take things as they come and not to
bother over formalities, never knowing whether that is the best way or
not. The wedding of last Tuesday was the most interesting function I
have seen. The marriage ceremony was the Christian one. The company
represented the rich and fashionable of the city. The ladies all wear
black crepe kimonos, that splendid crepe which is so heavy, next under
the black is an all white of soft china silk, then the third of bright
color. K----'s was that bright vermilion red. Her sleeves were not very
long, as she is a mother, but the young girls wear bright colored
kimonos and long sleeves that almost touch the floor. The bride wears
black, too. All these dress-up kimonos have decorations in color,
sometimes embroidered and sometimes dyed on the lower points of the
front. The bride's was spread out on the floor around her just like the
old pictures, embroidered in heavy rose peonies, her undergarment and
the lining of the black, in rose color. Her hair was done in the old
conventional way shown in the prints with the long pins of light
tortoise shell with bouquets of tiny flowers carved at the ends, which
stuck out about three inches, making a crown over her head. The
receiving party is as follows: First, father of groom; second, mother of
bride; third, groom; fourth, bride; fifth, father of bride; sixth,
mother of groom. The line is straight and the bride is perfectly
arranged like an old print, she and the groom with their eyes cast down.
As each person passes, they make bows all along the line at once, but
they do not move hand or eyes or a fold of these perfect clothes. I
forgot to say the men, unfortunately, wear European dress. Then we moved
on to two large rooms, the men all seated and smoking in one,