Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1894-04-18
Letter From. Japan.
HIROSHIMA, JAPAN, Mar. 20. 1894.

Dear Editor, Many thanks for THE FREE
Press: its bi-weekly visit is always welcom-
ed very heartily. Occasionally one goes
astray between Charles Town and Hiroshi-
ma, much to my regret.
The event of the month with us is Our
school commencement, March 81. We ex-
pect to have six graduates and one post
graduate, all very pleasant, agreeable jap
anese cjosans young girls.
Our girls, in the main, study well. They
compare very favorably with their American
sisters; and, as far as my observation goes,
require less urging and supervision.
This week we are invited to be present at
the opening of the main building of our
mission school for boys. The opening GER
emonies occur March 22ud, beginning at 9
o'clock a. m. In this school there is a the
olcgical department from which four young
men have already graduated.
Rev. ]. G. c. Newton (of our Baltimore
Conference, Dean of the theological depart
ment sails for America, ID. v, as soon as
the opening ceremonies are over. He is the
delegate from this Conference to the General
Conference which meets in May.
The Emperor's silver wedding has been
the great national and social event of this
month-every city, village and hamlet in
the land donned its holiday attire, hung out
its flags, had its fireworks, &C., &C., in hon.
or of the occasion. Historians have been
busy making researches about imperial sill
yer weddings and find that His Majesty is
the first to whom this lot has fallen for nearly
thousand years. The previous silver we'd
ding occurred in the reign of Daigo, S9S to
991 A. D. Fran the Japan Nail I make
few extracts which may be of interest
A SILVER WEDDING ORDER.
HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR has issued
an Ordinance directing that gold and silver
medals shall be struck for presentation to
all persons invited to the ceremonial in con-
nection with the silver wedding on the 9th
of March. The medal is to be circular, its
diameter nine .tenths of an inch. On the
face two sprays of wistaria, their stalks
bound together below, form border with
in which pair of soaring herons carry
sprays of pine in their bills, the upper end
of the sprays embracing -petalled
chrysanthemum. On the reverse, disposed
in four horizontal lines, are the ideographs,
Dai-koa, Nigu. go.nen &ukuten-no shO Dai-
Nippon TeikOku Meyi NBuschichi'nen San
q,gatsu Medal of the celebration of the 18th
year of the Great Wedding, Empire of Great
Japan, Meiji, 9th year Sd month";. The
ribbon is red with line of yellow. The
medal is TO be worn this year only, by recip-
tents of both sexes, but will, of course, re-
main their property in perpetuity. =
THE SILVER WEDDING DAY.
At nine o'clock in the morning religious
service was performed in the Chapel of the
palace. at which THEIR MAJEsTIEs, in the
presence of all the members of the Imperial
Family and High Dignitaries of the Empire,
in turn offered prayers and burned incense
at the Cenotaphs of their ancestors.
At eleven a. m. the formal reception be-
gan. All the Princes, Mobiles, Privy Coun-
cillors, Ministers andVice- Ministers of State,
officers of the highest ranks in both the
army and navy, accompanied in every in
stance by their wives, presented their per-
sonal congratulations. Shortly after this
the Foreign Ministers, accompanied in each
case by their entire stats, all in uniform
with decorations, and by the ladies of their
several legations, commenced to arrive at
the Palace and assembled in the Nishi Da.
mari chamber.
About one o'clock THEIR MAJEsTIEs left
for the review, and it was almost five o'clock
before they arrived at the Palace on their
return. At half-past six a grand banquet,
over which THEIR MAJEsTIEs graciously
presided in person, was served in the Ban
quoting Hall, and what may be called
Overflow parties" were also simultaneously
entertained in other chambers of the Palace
"a Prince of the Imperial Family presiding
in each separate instance The only for
eigners assisting at the banquet were the
Foreign Ministers, their wives, the Russian
Admiral and the wife of the American Adj
miral.
Then follows a description of the mag
nifcent entertainment, which, as l write
hurredly, omit for two reasons not to
trespass on your space, nor to consume my
time Ancient japanese music and dancing
was among closing performances. All the
performers were men hired for the occasion.
For the benefit of your lady readers must
not neglect to state that HIS MAJESTY APP
peared in generals uniform, and the EN-
PRESS in an exquisitely made robe of white
satin, sparkling with diamonds, and wearing
large diamond coronet. The diplomatic
officials of the United States wear, as is well
known, no distinctive uniform. They and
some Of the foreign employees of the govern
ment were in the ordinary evening dress, but
with these exceptions every one was in full
court uniform, and the toilettes of the ladies
were, in every instance, well worthy of the |
unique beauty of the general scene.
Yours, l.. G. 5.