The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-06-11
THE MlkApo,s WOMEN.
They Are the Empress and Twelve Conc,
bines--The Young Heir.

They Are the Empress and Twelve Concu-
bines--The Young Heir.
"Tell me something of the daily life Of
the empress said l.
"She has, replied the court chamber
lain, IAN establishment of her own, and
it is quite large one She has her maids
of honor, her private secretaries and the
ladies of the court to deal with. Her
morning is occupied by the reading and
writing of letters. She attends TO the SUI
pervision of her various charities through
others chiefly and i'm the afternoon she
devotes herself 10 social duties. She re-
ceives at this time the wives Of the min
listers and the princesses who may call
upon her, and ii they come at the proper
time they sometimes take tea with her
She sometimes invites these ladies TO
meetings to discuss matters relating to
the charity hospital, and she has grand
marshal and a chamberlain.
''She is, YOU know, the first empress of
the new order of things, even as the en-
peror is the first emperor. She wears
but little jewelry, though she has some
diamond rings and bracelets. She is a
fine horseback rider, and often takes a
turn on one of the horses of the imperial
stables. She wears European riding
habit and sits her horse well.
The emperor, the empress and the
crown prince make up the royal
family, or at least the three most
important members of it, Each Of
these three have, rs / said, an estab-
lishment of their own inside of the
palace grounds. The crown prince Is
heir apparent to the throne. He is the
son of the emperor by Mime. Yanagiwara,
and not by the Empress Haruko. The
mikado of Japan has the right TO twelve
concubines, and the children of these, in
case of the failure of issue 10y the empress,
have the right TO the throne. They are
all legitimate and noble, and it is To these
concubines in times past that the noblest
of the corrt families of today date their
origin. Very little is known about them
outside the royal palace. These royal
mistresses do not appear at the court GER
emonies, and am told that each has her
little establishment inside of the palace
grounds.
They are part of the constitution OF
the royal family, and in the directory of
Japan for this year l find that the en-
peror has had by them nine children,
though all with the exception of three of
these have died. Children thus born have
nothing TO do with their mothers, and
the young prince was brought up apart.
/ asked the court chamberlain about this
department of the palace. He would say
nothing, and said it was not proper for
him to discuss such private matter of
the emperor's.
He chatted quite freely, however, about
the crown prince. prince Haru," said
he, lis now years old and he was pro-
claimed heir to the throne about year
ago. He is bright, brave boy, and very
fond of military affairs. lie dresses in
European clothes and his costume is that
of n soldier. The emperor was very much
pleased the other day by having him give
him military salute when he met him,
and Japan expects great things Of him.
He walks very straight, and though dig
niiied, is "a thorough boy. He is fond IF
boat racing and goes out every day
somewhere. He likes fishing and is by
no means backward in his studies. He
attends the mobiles school and he is there
on the same footing as are the others"
1t veXes him very much when the
other boys learn their lessons better than
he does his, and nc works so hard that
he stands well Up to the head of his
class. He was sent to this school in
order that this rivalry might make him
study the harder. and he il acquiring
thorough education. He is now begin
ming TO study Englis and he knows one
or two words of French and German,
which he gets off when he meets the
foreign ministers. These are such words
as bon jour and guten tag, and they are
always applauded and Appreciated
Frank q. Carpenter.