rways and pediments of the Japanese dwelling. Arabesques
and reproductions of subjects from Nature are executed with a
clearness and precision such as we are accustomed to admire on the
lacquered-ware cabinets and bronzes of Japan. With us, wood has almost
completely disappeared as a glyptic material. The introduction of
mindless automatic machinery has starved out the chisel. Mouldings are
run out for us by the mile, like iron from the rolling-mill or tunes
from a musical-box, as cheap and as soulless. Forms innately beautiful
thus become almost hateful, because hackneyed. If all the women we
see were at once faultlessly beautiful and absolute duplicates of
each other in the minutest details of feature, complexion, dress and
figure, we should be in danger of conceiving an aversion to the sex.
So there is a certain pleasure in tracing in a carven object, even
though it be hideous, the patient, faithful, watchful work of the
human hand guided at every instant by the human eye. And this Japanese
tracery is by no means hideous. The plants and animals are well
studied from reality, and truer than the average of popular designs in
Europe a century ago, if not now. It is simple justice to add that for
workmanlike thoroughness this structure does not suffer in comparison
with those around it.

Besides this dwelling for its employes, the Japanese government has
in a more central situation, close to the Judges' Pavilion, another
building. The style of this is equally characteristic. Together, the
two structures will do what houses may toward making us acquainted
with the public and private menage of Japan.

[Illustration: PENNSYLVANIA BUILDING.]

In the neat little Swedish School-house, of unpainted wood, that
stands next to the main Japanese building, we have another meeting of
antipodes. Northern Europe is proud to place close under the eye of
Eastern Asia a specimen of what she is doing for education. Sweden
has indeed distinguished herself by the interest she has shown in the
exposition. At the head of her commission was placed Mr. Dannfeldt,
who supervised her display at Vienna. His activity and judgment
have obviously not suffered from the lapse of three years.
This school-house is attractive for neatness and peculiarity of
construction. It was erected by Swedish carpenters. The descendants of
the hardy sea-rovers, convinced that their inherited vigor and
thrift could not be adequately illustrated by an exclusively in-d