Our Little Japanese Cousin — Part 4
* * * * * Time passes by.
The children have been back in their own home a long time.
They are now looking forward to New Year's day.
Everything is excitement about the house.
Mamma has hired an extra servant to help clean the house from right to left; not from top to bottom, as we say, for there are no stairways or rooms overhead.
Everything is on one floor, remember.
The screens are carefully wiped, the mats receive an extra shaking, and then mamma brings out her choicest vase from the storehouse and places it on a beautiful, ebony stand in the place of honour.
The Japanese are not at all like us.
They are so simple in their tastes, and love beautiful things so much, that they have only one or two pieces, at the most, on view at a time.
They think they can enjoy them more fully in this way.
The most honoured father orders some workmen to come and set up some tall pine branches in front of the gateway.
One is of black, the other of red pine, and tall bamboo reeds are placed beside them.
A grass rope is stretched from one reed to the other, and some funny strips of white paper are hung on it.
You saw many of these papers at the temple where the children worship.
This work is very important to the childlike people.
They think that the rope, with papers fastened to it, will keep away all the evil spirits that are ever ready to spoil the happiness of human beings.
They are demons, who take the shape of foxes, badgers, and wolves, and are frightful enough to the imagination of Lotus Blossom and her brother.
Of course, the children are glad that the evil spirits are to be surely kept away.
Other things are hung on the rope for good luck.
There is a piece of charcoal and some seaweed, and a "lucky bag" filled with chestnuts, a bit of herring and some dried fruit.
All these things will make the gods understand they are not forgotten.
The day before New Year's some men come to the house with an oven and proceed to make the grand New Year's cake.
It must not be eaten, however, until the 11th of January.
The children stand around and watch the men pound the sticky rice-paste with a heavy mallet.
At last it is smooth enough, and then it is cut into rounds and built up into a pyramid.
I hear you say, "Well, I'd rather have my mother's plum-cake, any time."
But not so with Lotus Blossom and Toyo.
They watch their mother anxiously as she places it with great care on a lacquered stand, to remain until the time comes to eat it.
Now they are allowed to put on their clogs and go to buy the "harvest ship," which they will hang up in the house instead of the holly and evergreens you like to see at Christmas time.
The Japanese believe that on New Year's eve a wonderful ship comes sailing into port.
Of course, it is sent by the gods.
No one has ever really seen it.
That does not matter; there are pictures of it, nevertheless, and no New Year's decorations are complete without a miniature harvest ship.
The shops are as full of them as our markets are of evergreen trees at Christmas time.
They are made of grasses and trimmed with gaily coloured papers.
The selection of this ship is a very exciting event, not only for Lotus Blossom and Toyo, but also for their mother.
How anxiously they look at one after another as the shopkeeper shows them.
Finally one is chosen that suits the children's mother as to price and beauty.
But the shopping is by no means ended, for presents must be bought for friends and playmates.
And now, children of America, please don't get envious of all the pretty things which your cousins can buy for a few pennies.
Lotus Blossom and Toyo have been saving money for a long time.
Each has a number of square copper coins strung on a string.
They are not like our pennies, for they are larger and thinner, and each one has a square hole in the centre.
Ten of these are equal in value to one of our cents, and there are many pretty things that Japanese children can buy for a yen, as this piece of money is called.
Such pretty picture-books made of the lovely Japanese paper!
Dolls that are dressed in the same fashion as the two children, only the dresses are of paper; pictures of the Japanese gods and goddesses; games and tops and candies.
At length the shopping is over and the last yen has been spent.
The family are glad to go home and take a hot bath and nap, for they are very tired.
On New Year's morning Lotus Blossom and her brother receive their own presents, and although they do not shout and jump up and down as you do when you are very happy, they are much pleased.
Toyo has a drum, some lovely books and a new game of battledore and shuttlecock, which is the game of all games to be played at New Year's. The shuttlecock is a large gilded seed with feathers stuck all around it; the battledore is a bat, flat on one side to strike with, while the other side has a raised figure of a beautiful dancing-girl.
Lotus Blossom has, among other things, a doll which her mother has dressed in flowered silk, and a set of lacquered drawers in which to keep her ornaments.
But the greatest surprise to the children is a white rabbit.
These little creatures are the dearest of all pets in Japan, because they are so rare.
It cost the loving father several dollars, but he is more than repaid by his children's delight.
Lotus Blossom's mamma has spent many weeks in embroidering gowns for each member of the family.
They are of silk, and are worn for the first time on New Year's day.
This good mamma has had her hair arranged for the grand occasion with the greatest of care.
You would hardly believe it, but the hair-dresser spent hours upon it, rolling it up in wonderful shapes, sticking it in place with a kind of paste, and fastening many ornaments in it.
It was done two days ago, and you may be sure that the Japanese lady placed her head very carefully on the pillow every night so that nothing should disarrange it.
She has had her teeth blackened afresh for the greatest holiday of the year, while both she and her little daughter paint their necks and faces white and their cheeks red before their toilets are finished.
I believe I have not yet told you that the pretty Japanese women spoil their good looks as soon as they are married by colouring their teeth black!
Isn't it a shame?
I'm glad we don't have this custom in our country, aren't you?
And now the New Year's calls begin.
What a bowing and bending!
Men, women, and children are all calling and lavishing many-worded compliments on each other.
Refreshments are passed, and then there is a "show" to amuse everybody.
Some men have been hired to come to the house.
They dance and sing many songs.
After this comes the funny part of the entertainment.
One man puts on a mask and makes believe he is an animal.
He rolls around on the floor at the ladies' feet, makes queer noises, and everybody laughs and is delighted.
The big folks like it as much as the children.
Perhaps the funny man will now put on two masks and represent different things at the same time,--on one side he will look like a dancing-girl, while on the other he will appear as some strange beast.
He will change about rapidly, and keep the company watching him with excited interest.
Night comes to very tired and happy people, but it does not end the fun by any means.
Lotus Blossom's papa will not do any business for a week at least, and there will be new pleasures each day that he is at home with his wife and children.
After the festival is over, the family settle down to their daily work until the coming of another holiday.
