The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-29
A JAPANESE FESTIVAL.
The Emperor's birthday Fcte Study In
Cosmopolitan Faces and Cos' ames.

The Emperor's birthday Fcte y Study In
Cosmopolitan Faces and Cos' ames.
The emperor's birthday occurs on the Cd
OF November, and the foreign minister
gives ball on that occasion, TO which all
the representatives Of foreign countries and
as many Others az are deemed worthy Of
attention are invited. Our introduction
had been sufficient TO secure invitations.
and having conferred with the chaplain he
approved OF my purpose TO attend MS mat
ter OF education In ethnology. For the en-
peror's birthday ball, You must know. Is a
cosmopolitan affair. ID was given on this
occasion In the building called the Roku-
neikan, In which both the Mobiles club and
the Toxic club have quarters. The build
Ing and its approaches were n blaze Of light
worthy to celebrate the birthday of the de
scendaut of the sun goddess.
Inside the decorations were such as only
the japanese could make. They included
n wealth of chrysanthemums lining the
corridors, great artificial sections of cryp-
tomeries, the bark and foliage real, fruit
trees with fruit upon them, and n broad
expanse carrying the coat of arms Of the
empress, made Of foliage and flowers The
guests were received by Vice Foreign Min
lister Hayoshi and his wife because OF the
illness of the wife of Mr.. Mutsu, the for
eign minister. will not undertake to de.
scribe the company. The emperor and EN-
press were not there, but there were several
imperial princes and princesses, quite
sprinkling OF the old nobility, full repre-
sentation Of the official class and of course
all the foreign representatives.
AS may be imagined, the company was
somewhat promiscuous but as an etkno
logical study 1t was interesting and in
structive. The costumes presented great
variety, from the representative of ''far
Cathay" To the last globe trotter from
America. The Corcans were entitled to
the cake" for they were dressed in frilled
nightshirts and tall hats, which no other
nationality ventured upon. Most of the
Japanese ladies were in their own graceful
costume. Those of them who were in
European dress looked unnatural and pain
fully self conscious. The japanese gentle
men were almost all in European dress
Many of the ladies, both Japanese and for
eign, were expensively bcjeweled.
The physical stature of the japanese was
manifestly bebw that of the Europeans,
and the ladies Of the various legations, in
decollete costumes, lowered above their
eastern sisters and gave them an example
OF self assertion and social leadership which
was sufficient to increase the celebrity OF
revolution in Japan. But the Japanese as
manifestly outshone all others in manners.
Nothing can exceed the courtliness and
grace Of their address rs they greet each
other with the repeated low bows which
survive as a souvenir of the old regime
The number in attendance was about 500,
and the spacious rooms of the princely
building were too crowded for satisfactory
dancing, though the programme of dances
was carried out by the irrepressible young
people of both sexes There was an excel
lent supper provided, served, when the
number Of guests is considered, with most
commendable efiiciency.-Bo Herald.