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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (March 27, 1904)
;.THE , ' OREGON JOURNAL, PORTLAND, SUNDAY, MORNING, MARCH H7r 1904. ft it it ?! i I itelity of .the South American People V Illllliiplil 11 i?i to, :S:;: fii;:;:: V? K ' :- S ;! . .-is -.i ' ; : ! ; ? -: v'-.a. &-&? 'V. ' ;! 43? ?' :';f : V -ID 1 V'1 A l 1 T" if 3 i mm VALPARAISO. CliIH. Feb.' 21. .Southern hospitality 1 a 're nowned nn northern' energy. We give away the key to the city to our guests,, but here they go us one better by . telling : ua -to take the whole town and do what we Jolly please with It, because It Is ours anyway. The smiling host meets you at the dobr of his home and bids you walk In' without hesitation, because It is your house you ,ar0 about to enter. The old Dons did this in the time of the first Alphonso, and the aons of Spain, and all ; their remote kin have been doing', it "ever since. "Anything that you admire im mediately becomes, yours If the word 1 of your , host amounts . to anything. But it does not. It is Just an old, old custom, graceful but meaningless. - . Wo Stria to Eatables. . But 'there is no string tied . to . the things on the table.' You can Just walk In and help yourself. You can fall to and help yourself, i. You can feed to your fill without : being" afraid of wearing your welcome out . If you devour every thing In sight there will be no com i plaint, but there is no danger of your dolng this, because there Is always enough food prepared to serve one 'Or two extra persons -In case they happen along at the laat moment Extra plates 'are laid Just as if It ; were a certainty 'that they would be needed, and If some INSIDE! 'A - SOUTHERN v KITCHEN. one-' does! come , tn, 4hey are treated ; In i every way as If they were expected. This cu'st 6m ' makes ' business , bad for the ' lunch counters, , but it is'a, good arrange ment for a those whos flnhncea, are frved. , -.f .' '''-' . , There ; waa old Jose.-who , used to . call -always Just , at meal times -at " the house , where I was living in Mercedes street' - Jose'a . apparel w waa as . shabby aa bis finances were scant His gor geous red tie showed white at the ends and ragged in the middle, but his nose made up, for the shortcomings of his neckwear" by being: Juicy v red - all over. With the exception of his nose and, his manners, Jose was pretty well faded. It seemed that he represented a decline being the - fag end of a good family, or something of that sort - . The Promptness of Jo. . Anyway,-, about . meal time, the door bell would ling, and someone would say, "Suppose the professor is coming." Jose was called the professor because some relative of his had once been a teacher of languages and he liked the sound of the word. In would come the profes sor,' his red nose flaring like a seml phore and his whole person fairly pal pitating with amiability. Aa meal time drew near, Jose would glow like an arc lamo. How fortunate! Dinner -. was ready! ' The professor, would please take the third seat And then Jose would, do some v mighty good .work. " The ; more times I ' saw him do it - the greater I appreciated It It' waa like' a piece of good 'music, in that its merit grew, on me. He would look at his watch in Ut ter surprise t the , hour, and assure them he "could not stay but a moment; that he had Just dropped in;-that he had Just had a big meal; that it was too hot to eat ; and that he had an ' Important engagement to keep. All of his objections1 would be over ruled, one after, another. in this usual order, as he moved toward the table. He would dive into-Ms chair with a move ment like a baseball player sliding for third ' base, and if it : is true that a hearty guest' is. a satisfaction to a hos tess, Jose should have been a positive Joy. ' He could perform the 'disappearing act with a big plate of hot soup quicker than a' famished cat could lap a saucer of milk. Once he had-crossed the Rubi con by taking the first mouthful of food, he' ceased all . protests, and went from ; soup to toothpicks ' ln a gallop. Then he , would make his graceful": ac knowledgements and. take his ceremoni ous leave, only -to come, back the next day and again go. . through, with the whole - performance. .' . He ' was always prompt both to arrive and depart His acting waa always up to the nigh stand ard of which he waa capable. The cus tom of preparing extra plates is a lucky arrangemem ior sucn b jubo. : In " most of - the southern countries the public dinner Is an uraeal for-the Northerner. ' He never kpows who may be upon his right hand or his left. It may be aj coy maid with rose tint on her cheeks,' and a dollghtfur shyness In her' eyes, .or lt may. be some raven hued notable . with a bad accent and . a garlic breath.' -(Shall I ever forget that last affair? It was a banquet and very swell. . Most of those who . attended had to pay $0 per plate, but a few got in free. I was traveling with the official party and was let In for nothing. - It was r not one of -those , catch-as-catch-can entertainments wnere , every fellow- can hustle for a suitable part ner, but a cut-and-dried affair . where the pairing - oft was done according 'to rank. . Hoyle., has no rule, for, placing newspaper correspondents. ' If the class., ification is left to the scribes- them selves they . STa- pretty ; likely to be found in superior company, but, other wise thejr may be located somewhere near the foot of the class. ' On this particular occasion , It did not take me long to discover .that I had, been both fortunate and 1 unfortunate. ' I was placed between two ladies to ,'whom I could not talk. My , neighbor on the right was fair, fat and forty. She was very communicative and told me many things, which I could not remem ber because -I did not understand Por tuguese. ; The : next day I found out that her husband had shipped to the country as a sailor, and after many years of saving had. got a start In the grocery business,' and . now owned a whole row of business blocks and a silver mine. This waa all very inter esting when I finally got at the facts In the case. - ':, ' ' " Milady on the .left waa a dainty lit tle midget , Every now and then I would hear her voice speaking to me. and with some' difficulty I could look down and locate her. " She was as small as the other waa large. I nad certainly been given the ' full r benefit of the law. of extremes.' ' Miss Midget's native tongue was Italian and when-the spag hetti was passed, I . almost choked my self in the attempt to pay hen a com pliment:; Opposite me 'was & fierce looking mustache , surrounded by the florid countenance of a German. Dur ing the five hours which followed, sev enteen courses were served, - and time flew like a sailboat in a calm. Bride Had to Walt And the speeches! It was such a mixed crowd that several interpreters were kept busy telling everybody what it was all about The orator of the hour paid & graceful compliment. to the power and greatness of the United States. He spoke in Spanish and used the flowery, figurative style of th sneaker . in that tongue. ' He said the great enterprise that Yankee genius was about to consummate would bind the North and South together even as the marriage ceremony holds the brldi and groom. He said the South had longed for the American government to take action , in the matter, and was convinced that it would come forward, even as a bride in her chamber was aware of the coming of ber lord and master before the sound of his foot atAna fell iinon her ears. This was a rather delicate way of referring to . j ,,'v'-v,'V(NBink,,M.fi, ,- :-:::.;.,'. ! .; . . f ) . ill J . i 2 ,-' ' ' lr j '4' S ' Be- 1: ?! f y 'If i r I I i -V v ' - - , '-.. . SI- ."TV f f n ' - ft t i lit' si ' 1 . H ' r I "f . .. . ' '.(.MIS i I I j II t ! I 1 f INTERIOR OF A WELIi-FURNISHED PARLOR. prosalo matter - like building . a canal, i but the Latin orator cannot express himself without - flinging a. dash . of sentiment into his remarks, i The - in terpreter was a native whose- English was not equal to i the tender subject. He got aa far as the waiting bride and then got red in the face. It was a try ing moment We saw something waa wrong with the groom. We did not know whether he bad gone off with an other woman or taken too many drinks at the last moment It was a shame to desert the poor bride at this critical moment, but we all said "Brava" and stood up while we drank to her health; to the health of the groom who was overdue; to. the health of those who were not there because they didn't have the 20; and to those who could not get in because they were not travel ing with the official party. It was very pleasing to do all this, and much more pleasing to stretch our cramped legs. If there is anything in this world that is overdone, it is 17 courses of strange food when you are surrounded by peo ple to whom you cannot talk. Torbearanoe of the Hosts. Over -half the people at that dinner were located so their tongues could not do them any more good than if they didn't have any. This could not be pleasant On looking back at those five hours when I was oamcaaea De- hind-, the big lady and was towering over the little one, I shall-never refer to - the aiege with nthuslasm, and I am sure that they will not. They were certainly bored with me, and they got the worst pf ' the ' bargam. because it cost them $20. But all this does not reflect upon the good Intentions of the people who were entertaining us; in fact, it shows they had the true gift of hospitality. On the matter of lone some surroundings they were as deep in the mire aa we were in the mud. yet they paid the fiddler and looked pleas ant through it all. Whatever may be said of the people of Spanish descent, or those who hold to the customs of old Spain, their hos pitality is not exceeded by any people In the world. The proud family whoso fortune is declining, will cut short their own Bupply of food rather than deny a guest his wine. They will forego some loved pleasure in order to set the extra plates for the random guest. , His enemy could not shame a Spaniard more than to say he had been mistreated be neath his roof. Hospitality That Zs Oenolna. .While working on this story. I;was asked to take dinner with a family here. Th pleasure of the occaalon gives the seat to pay my respects to the many to, wnom i owe acKnowiouno menta. Their way waa cnarroing. iuv ery member of the family took his turn to interest - me and make me : feel at' home. The host came for me at the hotel; -the hostess met me with a grac iousness that was par excellence; the little - daughter was captivating as she took me away to show her kittens and her dolls; the little son needed no en couragement or interpreter ' when he exhibited his pigeons and bis rabbits;' the servants were not so stiff as ours are trained to be they" were quite re spectful, but smiling aa they watched to perform every service on ' the in stant ' I am a thorough American. I believe "my people are the elect and their way is my way. but we can teach the Southerners nothing tin hospitality. The warmth of their kindly sun lingers in their homes when you go to visit them. - , During the yeara that . I i have been a wanderer I have suffered many pri vations, but among my compensatlona are the recollections of the homes I have been In; of the cool gardens where I have walked with the graceful as surance ' that they were my own; of the mothers inquiring after : my good health with as much concern as if in each case I were thel own son; and of the girls who have entertained me by dancing and flirting , with , me . as only Southern maidens can. , ': FREDERIC J. HASKIN. ENTERTAINING 'IN JAPAN - (By Elinor Hewitt) ' Nowadays,, when novelty, is the sine qua non of the successful social-function, some ideas may be borrowed from that very picturesque and plucky ' race, the Japanese. Necessarlly.lthese , ori- - en tat ceremonies- will have to be adapted to western requirements, but tn most in stances their baslo decorative and serv ing notions may ibe carried out intact - Japanese entertaining, ' with all ', its elaborateness, refinement and rules for every detail, 1 might ' easily . be ' ranked among, the : fine arts ; of . this . Oriental country., It offers a subject as charm ing as it la original, for all kinds of con siderations .come-, into play -besides the actual food served. Tot instance, there jare certain . rules which govern - the character of flower , arrangements tor different ceremonial occasions as well as . the disposition of each article used in the baViquetlng-room. Not alone, are the flowers for felicitous occasions of prescribed -varieties and colors, but . their composition must partake . as much as possible of the character of the season in whtct ' the function is held; special f eta days) having their ap propriate flowers. -; While Japanese , forms " of - entertain ment are numerous and varied,. they are generally elaborate and formal cere monies, the Oriental idea in this re spect running exactly contrary to that of our western notion of permitting friends, and - sometimes even strangers, to take pot luck with the family. - Ttie favorite form of entertainment ' among the well-bred Japanese - is : the great dinner party given either -in one's own home or at.aome fashionable hotel ' or club. . Tha invitation . to the, eaat I is verbal, and there is a: peculiar custom connected ' with delivering it Onthe day before the dinner a servant la sent by the host to the house of each guest carrying with him a gift in the 'Shape of a table delicacy, upon the acceptance of which the invitation is given. The feast is always in observance of a fes tival or the 'celebration of some family event . t ' In Japan a wife seldom appears with her. husband in public. , and ' even , at great dinner parties . served , In private residences " the . mistress of the house rarely is in evidence. . If she does ap pear, it is, to waif upon ' her ' lord and master and his friends. To an Ameri can wife this servitude . of the Jap anese spouse will seem degrading, but in the Land of the Rising Sun 'to obey" in a marriage aervica . haa av. definite meaning. To come back to the dinner, party, a abort time before the appointed hour for the f eaat-at the sound ' of. approaching Jinrikishaa the guests usually. came in these vehicles the screens at the : en trance of the houae are slipped back into their grooves. Smiling - servants ? help the guests alight, while in the doorway stand a group of pretty waitresses, gay as flowers , in their bright colored kimo nos, ' bowing their heads to the ground in ceremonious aslute and'at the same time murmuring tOhaeri. ohaeri!" which translated means "Enter, O honored sirs!1 panels which serve 'for' doors and win dows have paper panes. The state apart ment of a Japanese house Is usually on the first . floor, and the guests are led along broad - verandas over ' soft' white velvety mats until they reach , the ban queting room, at one end of which is seated "the master of the house. . The company slowly.' come into the room and prostrate - themselves three times . be fore their host exchanging the cour tesies of-the day and are then con ducted to ' their respective seats, which are black velvet cushions placed at' in tervals on. the floor. 8oon .after, the ar rival of the guests -dainty waiting girl a Japanese houses, as everybody knows, are built of light wood, and the sliding serve pale amber tea without sugar or cream in amall cups minus handles. With the tea are eaten sweetmeats made of rice, flour and sugar, molded in the form Lot flowers, buds and leaves. In this land of tcpsy turvydom guests make themselves merry , with wine be fore, not after, dinner; so at this stage of the game sake or rice brandy is served hot from bottles of the finest blue and .white china. Theae ltquer bottles are placed in a copper teakettle filled with boiling water to keep the sake always at the right temperature. Now beglna the drinking of innumerable healfhaJjeWch, according to etiquette, roust . be 'accomplished in three sips. During this convivial feast waiting arlrla have been flitting in with, all the appurtenancea of that almost indescrib able meal, a Japanese dinner. In front of each guest are placed three oien, or tables, five inches high, on which are dishes, bowls, cups, etc. - , The following menu was given "to me by a Japanese gentleman -and Is a-perfectly correct one , for an elaborate furnmai, or feast: On the first tray are bean aoup with pieces of carp floating in it a eweetohed omelet welLbrowned, boiled, sugared lily bulbs retaining their natural shape, preserved chestnuts and a sweetened fish paste made of pounded shark. Raw turbot is a great delicacy and slices are served on a mat of woven glass representing water, garnished with PACTS ABOUT DIAMONDS From Report . of ' United ; States Consul . - Hill.: Amsterdam. ( ' Although the diamond ; industry is prospering at Antwerp, -and Blnce 1891 haa taken' root in. New .York -bo, Am sterdam is - far and -away the greatest diamond mart in the world, and nearly all the rough diamonds brought here to be split polished ' and' cut are of South African-origin, although stonea from Brazil,.: British Guiana, Australia, and Borneo are handled. Mr.' Louis- Tae, one of the, best-known diamond brokers, estimates the output of ' the 'De' Beers mines annually at 3,000,000 $14,599,600), and of other mines at 1,000,000 $4.86,600). Add to this the. cost of labor,. the proms or tna London syndicate, etc., and ha . thinks that the annual output of dlamonda is worth about 7.000.000 ($34,065,500). Mr. Tas, however, places the output of the De Beers company much too low, as the last statement shows that the output waa 5,000,000 ($24,332,600) for the year ended June SO. 1903. Gardner William of that company is authority for the statement that all other mines produce but 5 per cent annually of the, amount of the De Beera product The name au thority states that the output of the De Beera mines for the 11 years ended June 30. 1899, was 24,476,000 carats, showing an annual product of more than 2,200,000 carats. Mr. Kuena estimates that the South African mines have added $400.OO0,000J worth of diamonds to the world s sup ply, of which not 6 per cent are lost in a hundred years, so that practically the entire world's production in all time are how in existence. Mr. Taa gives the leading countries of consumption in the folowlng order: United States, Russia, France, and Eng land. -Mr. Williams ranges countries of Importation from South Africa thus: United States, England, Germany, France and Italy. The United States cuts no figure at all as a producer of precious stones, the total amount being lesa than $200, 000, five sixths of whlcti are sapphires and turquoises. seaweed. Morsels Of chicken stewed witlj lotus root sections of bamboo shoots, a sweet llqeur called mlrin, and a soup that looka like baked custard and containing green vegetables, dried mushrooms, shrimps and lotus seed end the first course. On the second tray are -two more soups brilliant with seaweed, , pickled raw fish and sea slugs served with a piquant vinegar and cold, stewed veg etables. A salad of cucumbera pared thin and covered with a dressing of sesame seeds finishes the second course. The third tray contains an almost col orless, thin - fish soup flavored with mushrooms, boneless quail, a pate of finely minced lobster and cakes of fish Jelly served, with ginger root colored a bright pink. Hot rice la served during the dinner from a large black lacqeur box. But the piece de resistance is a live carp cut in slices and served with the flesh still quivering. At the first table is a white envelope containing the chop sticks of white pine or fragrant red cedar. At all banquets, besides the delicacies to please the palate, music,, song and dance make merry the feast of reason and flow of soul. .Midway in the meal amuaement is provided by the geisha girls, who appear, young and beautiful, In kimonos of dazzling crepes embroid ered with golden butterflies . and their hair laden with slivered and flowery algrets. These girls are trained to amuse and charm the guests with their dancing, posturing, witty, repartee and poems chanted to the accompaniment or a sort of guitar with three strings and koto, a kind ejf zither. At the conclusion of the entertainment when the guests, are about to depart each la presented with a box of food to carry home. The box generally contains a broiled fish, a square of Jtftly. some preserves and an omelet' , r--:-- -, Among the upper classes the tea cer emonies of old Japan are still enjoyed. The ceremonial tea' is nothing like the. beverage' served on ordinary occasions. The art of properly serving, drinking and making this tea Is often a part of the education of the youth of both, sexes and Is taught by regular teachers. When the Japanese wish to extend an especially graceful art of hospitality the tea 'ceremony follows - th dinner. This tea Is stirred with a wisp of bamboo until It foams, and is then handed In cups of rare old Satsuma to the guests." who deliberately empty th bowl In three prescribed sips. The gift of soma piece of the tea service is the. most valued proof of friendship a host can bestow, and as - a return for this courtesy the guest Is supposed to com pose a short, original -poem in his host's honor..'.... v-' ?- "I" ' Incense burning and inhaling is an other entertainment which counts Its votaries among the aeethetlcally dis posed. The host burns costly ; Incense procured from every part of the empire. Tha guests must be able to .distinguish by scent the name and variety of each, The person who correctly guesses alt receivea a prlie. . . , An American hostess with any orig inality in her makeup may plan a Japa nese entertainment for her guests. THE -GIRLS THE JAPS HAVE LEFT BEHIND THEM. J n - - . - - aaBaBMBBBBBBnSBBBBaBBBZBBBaBBBBBSaBaaB B " ' ' 11, '?, . ' i )' , gilt I ..- . if ' THESE -ARE v''tV MAIDS IN "MOODS GRAVE, GAY, SAD AND THOUGHTFUL, . - a .-.----- " i K ' . '4 ' - i. -"' '-""'. ' H '""',' ' 1 -s- ' ' '' - . ' ' '' . . ' ' ' ' "'.'"- ".IMjm U a am a t nan mi etM4 BrAai Attn alt '. A ; ' VAT? . It la aald that a woman ia behind every good or evil deed committed by , a man. Just now in1 far 'away Japan -men are leaving wives, mothers," sweethearts and ' homes to, fight for what they believe to ' ' be- thejrlght. The applause of nations la saeet but deep lown In his heart, in the hour of victory or defeat, every man will ' think of the "girl he . left - behind him." He will woridor If her heart will v thrill - when- sha hears of victory, If it . . will break when she - hears of defeat Fori though- these little -Oriental maids - look ! more like dainty ,j porcelain trifles . than real flesh and blood women, they are - very ' real women after all and their hearts . can ache and . break and throb, ' with Joy or" pain, as Is ' the custom of .- women the world over. A young Amer-. lean - has lately brought hla Japanese t.M knmi 4a.iilt hla ralatlves. Prob , .ably no daintier, bit of femininity ever trod the streets of New York than this little 4ady- from Japan. - Clad In all the ' bravery Sof her wyidrously-hued gar , ments, she made every other woman look ' hopelessly modem and commonplace, Juwt at present this match seems an Ideally happy one." .Whether or not It will ra ' main so la open to doubt Tha dlffcr- enca between an American woman and a Japanese is very great. The American girt of today ia the product of centuries of civilization. Mentally and physically she r. la an almost perfect specimen of womanhood. The Japanese .girl la the result of , countless generations of ; wo men who have been restricted in every form pf development, both mentally and physically. . In their relations a husband . nil wlf th easterner and westerner ' have more to . bridge than miles.., they have centuries, and , no matter how dainty,, adorable and! attractive the Jap-, anese woman may be, she cannot always come up to the American man's standard , of what a helpmate should be. If Japan continues to advance at the same rate that she has for the last 25 years he will in a few . generations produce a very fine race of women. The Japanese la extremely chivalrous tn his treatmnt of woman; In fact it Is this very chivalry which helps to keep a woman back. Htv Is so sheltered that she gets no chttnc to develop any Individuality. - When h la allowed a little mor lnl"Pmlin-e .f . thought and action she wiil be much i-.,r i of a woman. .. EEATKICH KAiniWV