Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-25
A DAY WITH THE MIKADO.
AN ENGLlSHMAN AT A GARDEN
PARTY IN JAPAN.
Chrysanthemums and French Dresses Ev-
erywhere-Sative Costumes Gone.
The August Parsonage.

the spacious demesnes of one OF the royal
palaces at Asakusa. 1t is the festival Of
the chrysanth emum, which brings with it
so happy an innovation, for at this time of
year the flower par excellence of Japan, the
national Kiku, Is everywhere in glowing
and glorious bloom, and the ostensible rea-
son for the gathering in the Asakusa Palace
gardens is therefore to view the lnnumer-
able and splendid specimens of this special
plant of Nippon which the skillful garden
ers of the court have reared during the year
past.
Everywhere are chrysanthemum shows
and chrysantheiGum parties, and while pri-
vate gardens are embellished with choice
displays in all sorts OF colors the hillsides
and lanes are also full of the more modest
and quiet wild blooms of the same imperial
plant, which grows everywhere, and is
everywhere, even in the simplest speci-
mems, bright and pretty.
OF course the imperial gardeners showed
samples of the kiku which were well worth
the study and admiration of all florists
and botanists if attention could have been
devoted to them. There is nothing TO be
seen at your Temple Gardens or at any
other center of the cultivation of the gold
en- bloom" in England 10 compare with the
really marvellous developments Of the Kiku
under japanese hands.
CHRYSANTHEaUMS.
Ranging through an endless number of
colors, and displaying al forms and fash
ions of structure, the beautiful plant shows
in one place cluster of close and compact
stars of varying hues, in all the tones and
tints of white, yellow, russell amber, pur-
II Sr, har fa,,r oGti
and disheveled vet wildly symmetrical
blooms. the petals flung abroad from the
corolla in beautiful profusion of scattered
loneliness and glory, some as if of shot
silk or satin, some revealing a sober lin
ing splendidly contrasted with the brill
liant upper surface, some in tangled deli
cacies of one and the same rich tint.
We are grouped all together, with our
backs to the beauties of the parterre, in
mass of some 500 or COO people who have
been honored with the great square cards
OF invitation to this high function. The
royal card, printed in gold, enjoins all
alike to wear frock coats (''frokko cotton
and silk hats, and thus we all look more or
less alike-diplomsts, generals, naval Off
GERS, MINISTRIES and private persons-diver-
sified only by the Corean officials in long
TODcS OK WniJt anu uIlldu ildlN WIN GIL
Der strings and the ever graceful costume
of some japanese ladies present who have
proved faithful-even against court fashion
to kimono and obi. The throng sudden
" falls to Attention" for the strains of
the national anthem of Dial Nippon sounds
from the gayly CARRIED band. THE En-
peror is Coming"
HIS MAJESTY WALKS.
His imperial majesty comes first and all
alone have often seen him, and always
find the same difficulty in analyZing my
own impressions, or conveying them, as to
that impressive. reserved, changeless. dark,
far removed countenance. | have seen it
all day long in the smoke of the mimic
battles at Nagoya, and all night long in the
festal halls at the Shire, and at receptions
and court ceremonies; but | never witnessed
the slightest alteration of its fixed i'm
mobile features.
Only fatterer could call the proud, cold
face handsome, and only an enemy or
soshi would, | think, style its austere con-
straint and lofty discomfort ill looking.
One would say this is mikado of the past,
who is obliged to belong to and to bow be-
fore the too prevailing present, but who
nevertheless keeps his secret soul apart in
the stern and great society of his ancestors,
and with the far off company of antique
Shinto gods"
He walks between us alone, his arm too
sacred, too separate, to be taken in public
even by the empress, who comes behind, a
small, exquisitely graceful lady dressed in
mauve satin toilet Of Partisan style, and
mauye bonnet, with parasol to match, all
borne with the utmost charm and becom-
ingness; behind her imperial majesty,
also passing singly, a bevy of ladies of the
court, all but one in European dress, and
following the ladies the gentlemen of the
palace in black frock coats and tall hats.
THE MIKADo'S COSTUME.
His majesty wears the undress uniform
of general-cherry colored trousers and
black frogged coat braided with gold lace,
and on the small, close cut brows kept of
scarlet with gold band. His bow in recog-
milton of all our bare and Bonded heads is
the slightest possible inclination which
rigid muscles can make, yet -withal accom-
panied by glance kindly, benign and full
of evident good will, for his lips almost
smile, his eyes are alert and lighted, his
air is one might almost dare to say, ge-
NAL, and these mods of the japanese Jove
must be measured by loyalty with mi
crometer.
Moreover, when we pass into the refresh
ment tent and the emperor and empress
take their seats the etiquette observed
around is by no means stiff. We may ap-
proach the royal table and speak with
friends there sitting close to the majesty
of Japan. Nay, when champagne has been
quaffed and mayonnaise of lobster or
chicken tasted, the emperor endures very
humanity to have parsonage after person
age presented to him, and addresses to
some of them-to the writer of these notes
among many that were more worthy
some gracious and friendly words in the
soft japanese, which he always speaks.
The ladies of the court and the gentlemen
mingle meanwhile with the throng and
chat, sans ceremonie, with friends. I
The royal pair depart as they came, the
empress following the emperor, the plant
i've strains of the national hymn again be-
ing heard, and we saunter out of the gar
dens. Edwin Arnold in London Tele-
graph.