COMPLIMENTS IN JAPAN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1018, 12 March 1912, Page 4

COMPLIMENTS IN JAPAN.

Courtesy is a characteristic of the Japanese, especially amongst officials, and Mr A. M. Thompson, in describing his travels through the I/aud of the Chrysanthemum, says that even the word “ please” is in Japan elaborated into a lingual ait. Here is an example : ‘‘The guard in the train to Tokio caused us much amusement. When he came round to examine tickets he began by standing at the end of the car, took off his cap to the honourable assembly, bowed to the ground, rubbed his knees with his hands, drew in bis breath audibly, and delivered himselt of an announcement in Japanese which I imagine closely translated as follows :

“ Your most honourable excellencies and most augustlydeigning to-be-pleased ones, I hope you will pardon this creature ol mud for having been born into this world to ask you, to show your augustly blessed tickets, alter which 1 beg you will honourably deign to grind and crush me, who am but as a snail of the soil beneath your kindly sandals ! “ The passengers bowed profoundly in return, rubbed their knees with their hands, sucked in their breath with the peculiar whistling sound which is the special expression of a Japanese greeting, and then produced their honourable tickets. Alter this there was more bowing on both sides and the guard, still bowing, vanished.”