ul. In carpets and table covers and
tapestries imitated from the German, the Japanese have no taste, while
in their own line they remain exquisite. This house is one of the most
absolute cleanliness. No floor in it but shines like a mirror and has
not a fleck of dust, never had one. Let me see if I can describe
accurately this entertainment. We took three 'rickshas and rode through
the cherry lined narrow streets over hills where are the lovely gardens
of the rich showing through the gateways and showing over the top of the
bamboo walls, which are built of poles about six feet long upright and
tied together with cords. They are very pretty with the green. When we
reached the house Mr. U---- took us in to the foreign drawing room,
which is very mid-Victorian and German in its general effect. This one
has in it a beautiful lacquer cabinet, very large and quite overpowering
every other thing in the room. There the ladies of the house came in and
made their bows, very amiable and smiling at our thanks for their
hospitality. The sister-in-law, a young girl of sixteen, who wants to go
to America, and afterwards the grandmother, very much the commanding
character that a grandmother ought to be. The children hovered round
them all much like our children. The ladies brought us tea with their
own hands in lovely blue and white cups with little lacquer stands and
covers. Candy with the tea, which was green. I forgot to say that we had
already, during the hour with Mr. U---- had tea three different times
and of three different kinds, besides little refreshments therewith.
After a little we were summoned to lunch. Three places set on a low
table and a beautiful blue brocade cushion to sit upon. The two younger
ladies on their knees ready to serve us. They poured out wine for us, or
Vermouth, and we took the latter. We had before us, each, one lacquer
bowl, covered, that contained the usual fish soup with little pieces of
fish and green things cut up in it. This we drink, putting the solid
bits into our mouths with the chop sticks. The grandmother thought she
ought to have prepared foreign food, but the clever girl of sixteen had
spoken for home food, and so we thanked them for giving that to us, as
we seldom get a real genuine Japanese meal. And this is the first we
have had where we were served by the ladies of the house, except the
dolls' food at the festival. It seems this is the highest compliment
that we have had, as the real Jap