630 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



If the child is a daughter she is intrusted, when she has become of 

 suitable age, to the care of a discreet and virtuous woman, who attends 

 to her education in the house, under the eye of the mother. The edu- 

 cation and instruction of the daughters are considered of prime impor- 

 tance. It is the first condition of the prosperity of the family, who can 

 not possess a more precious treasure than a competent woman, respect- 

 ed by all, orderly ruling her house, bringing her children up in virtue, 

 and wisely directing a numerous personal establishment. The instruc- 

 tion of girls includes the rules of deportment and politeness, reading, 

 writing, and arithmetic ; music and literature ; weaving and needle- 

 work ; the culinary art, and all the various matters which it is impor- 

 tant to know in the management of the house. So, when we notice that 

 the heads of the family are elegantly clothed, that the table is well 

 served, and that order and good taste prevail in all the details of do- 

 mestic life, we at once discern the presence and the judicious activity 

 of a well-trained and accomplished daughter. 



The boys are also brought up in the family ; but they are taught in 

 the public schools, where they attend during the day only. It is usu- 

 ally judged best to seek instructors for both sons and daughters outside 

 of the family. The parents consider themselves disqualified for the 

 exact discharge of the teacher's work by the strength of their affection, 

 and too likely to err in the direction of over-indulgence, or in the oppo- 

 site one of undue strictness. 



A more circumstantial account of the celebration of the New- 

 Year's festival, referred to above by M. d'Estrey, is given by another 

 French writer, M. Gouin, in the " Bulletin de la Societe de la Geogra- 

 phic." In honor of the anniversary, the Government offices and more 

 important business establishments and enterprises are closed or sus- 

 pended from the fifth day preceding to the fifth day afterward ; but 

 the poor need take a vacation of only twenty-four hours. All is silent 

 and still in the town, except for the firing of shooting-crackers and the 

 going about of the people dressed in their best and carrying presents, 

 on their visits of ceremony. On the eve of the festival a green bam- 

 boo is planted in the court-yard by way of invitation to the ancestors 

 and deceased relatives to come and partake of the repast wMch has 

 been prepared for them. A flag-staff is set up at the front door, 

 adorned with palm-leaves, feathers, etc., to which a lantern is hung 

 at night. Within the house the disposition of the furniture has been 

 entirely changed, and everything is given a holiday look. Bows and 

 arrows are chalked on the ground at the entrance to keep bad spirits 

 away, and sometimes the door is further obstructed by abattis of 

 thorn-plants. A little square niche on one side of the wall without 

 is reserved as an altar in honor of the genius of the quarter, on which 

 offerings of burning torches, incense, flowers, meats, and gilded papers 

 are made, with the firing of crackers by the bunch. The ancestors 

 may be attending the feasts at any time. During the last three days 



