216 PAST AND PEESENT. 



than they could possibly take root, I was much amused 

 one day to observe a notice on the doors of the bath 

 houses, that " for the future the house would be open 

 for men on certain days, and for women the remainder 

 of the week." 



" What new arrangement is this ? " I asked my 

 Japanese companion. 



" We wish to adopt," he answered, " the European 

 mode of having men's days and women's days, and not 

 all together, as we always have done." 



" Do you think it will answer ? " I remarked. 



" No," he answered. 



And he was quite right; the idea could not be 

 carried out, and the old general system very soon came 

 into vogue again. In passing through villages, I have 

 often found the street dotted over with girls bathing 

 themselves in little tubs, and they do not hesitate to 

 talk to you as if quite unconscious of being undressed. 

 A pleasant "How do you do?" " Where have you been 

 for a walk 1" " Is it not a lovely evening ?" and so on, 

 was usually their simple and smiling greeting. After a 

 short time I never thought of these creatures as being 

 naked, and I believe such would always become the 

 case if anything was started, however outrageous we 

 might at first consider it. Entire disregard of covering 



