Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 October 1898 — JAPANESE DINNER COSTUMES. [ARTICLE]

JAPANESE DINNER COSTUMES.

There Are Some Peculiarities in the Menu, Though Not Many. The menu of a dinner at the Japanese legation in Washington differs little from that of a well appointed American table. There Is usually a scarcity of beef, which Is not especially liked in Japan, and a total absence of mutton. Sheep are unknown In Japan; they cannot live there on account of the moisture of the climate and the consequent tendency to foot rot. Poultry and game of all kinds are served In abundance and fish especially so. But one peculiarity of the ban-quet-fish soup, not chowder, but a soup simply made of fish—presents a novelty to which American palates find It rather hard to accustomed themselves. Chickens, too, are served in a peculiar way. They are cut up Into small squares, fried and then dressed with a sauce called “shoyu,” which the Japanese say is the origin of the socalled Worcestershire sauce. Vegetables are much the same as In this country, with the exception of potatoes. These are generally avoided because of their cousinship to the sweet potato or yam, which forms the food of the poor classes only in Japan. The table service Is European in every respect—no chopsticks or anything of thiat kind—but much beautiful china and glassware "and proeelain. The costumes also are those of the Eastern nations. Japanese women of the upper classes have followed French fashions for many years. Even In court ceremonies the national costume was dropped by the reigning empress somewhere back in the ’Bos, after she had held out some time against the emperor, who had for several years previously received in a uniform modeled after European fashion. Minister Hoshi appears on all occasions in the streets, winter and summer, in a “plug” hat of American make, but of such an altitude as to be almost as conspicuous as the horsehair hats of state which the Coreans were at first accustomed to wear, but have lately laid by except for extreme occasions of ceremony. The members of his staff give preference to the modern and more comfortable "Derby” and dress in all other respects as would any well-bred American.—New York Tribune.