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but both dusting and sweeping are performed under totally different conditions to ours. Our carpets are saturated with the dust and dirt of months, possibly even years, and our rooms are crowded with furniture and knicknacks, so that the energetic sweeping which is absolutely necessary, sends the dust flying to settle thickly on every article capable of receiving it. A Japanese apartment being entirely empty, the only things on which dust can find an abiding-place are the small square compartments of the frames of the paper window panes, or the satin-like surface of
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any of the woodwork of the room. Therefore these are first vigorously beaten with a long-handled paper brush, and any dust that falls from them on to the matted floor is removed gently and quietly with a soft hand brush and straw shovel; the result being that the most delicate cambric handkerchief can be passed over any woodwork in the room without soiling it. If two servants are employed at the same time, one will be dusting while the other is sweeping, and the first sound heard in a Japanese house, after having been fully awakened by the noisy sliding back of the outside shutters, is the “slap, slap” of the paper brush upon the delicate window frames.
Instead of converting their dwelling-rooms into “show-rooms” as the Japanese say we do, their family relics, pictures, curios, and other valuables are carefully stored away in a fireproof store-house called a “Kura” built adjoining the house, and only on special occasions are any of these brought out to entertain a guest; while the one hanging picture and flower-jar which are the oly ornaments in the room, are periodically changed for others. It is astonishing how soon the foreigner who is free from any narrow-minded prejudice, becomes a convert to the good sense and purity of taste evinced by this custom, and after a long summer sojourn in a Japanese house, with its cool and unincumbered apartments, one is apt to regard with disgust our over-crowded European rooms, in which it is almost impossible to move without stumbling over, or overturning something that is entirely superfluous and unnecessary to one's comfort, forcing upon one's mind the query “Why do we encumber ourselves with so many useless articles, unless it be to benefit the furniture dealers?”
Japanese of low dgree always seat themselves in presence of their superiors, and servants serve at table sitting. Neither male nor female domestics ever knock before entering a room, a custom which often places the foreigner in-to him-a very embarrassing position, although the other party, of whichever sex, is serenely unconscious of it.
Japanese servants exhibit another and most aggravating phase of Topsyturvy-dom by invariably answering “yes” to a question when they should say “no,” a very trying habit to the patience of the irascible foreigner. As, for example.-Mistress to servant loquitur. “Don't do that again”-Servant to mistress. “Yes.”-Mistress.
“I hope you did not keep the lady waiting!” Servant. “Yes”-Mistress. “Did you forget to deliver my message?” Servant. “Yes.” (Every “yes,” meaning “no”) and so on ad infinitum.
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