The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-03-15

Il a letter was always left out from
reverence. Then none but bis wives
aud MS highest ministers ever saw his
face. He vas penned up In his palace
a. kloto. and when he went out Il war
In a closely Curtained car drawn by
builccks. Now the emperor goes every
where. lie Is the real ruler OF the coun-
try, and both himself ard the empress
are often seen by the better classos OF
Japan. When the emperor was mar
ried the empress. according TO the thea
custom. shaved her eyebrows and
blackcned her teeth. so that they shone
like vanished ebony.
This is still done In the country dis
tricts OF Japan. and ls supposed 20 show
the wifes devotion 10 her husband In
that she wishes 90 mako herself 70 un-
attractive that no one else will want
her The empress discontinued the
practice, 10 Is said. after a few years.
and 10 is through her that the custom
has been abolished In Japan. AZ that
time no JapancEe wife would have
thought Of eating az the same time with
her husband. ! have been told that the
emperor often sits down n. the same
table with his wife and they frequently
eat together. Both the emperor and
the empress are now In many ways the
same as the other great rulers OF the
earth. and this will be the case With the
prince imperial and his wife.
The Imperial Bridegroom.
Before I discuss the wedding itself
let me tell you something OF the impe-
rial parties who are by Il to be Joined
In wedlock They are his royal high
ness Prince Yoshihlto. the only son OF
the emperor, and Princess Sada. the
lS-year-old daughter OF Prince Kujo
the head or one OF the i've aoblast
families OF Japan. The prince lmpe-
rlal was 20 years old on the las. day
OF last August, and was OF age al rs.
or two years ago. His father. the EN-
peror, was married when be was only
10, but the crown prince has always
been IN delicate heath. and Il was
probably Tor this reason that his mar
rage has been deferred until now. As
u Us. the greatest apprehenslons are
entertained concerning him. HE lungs
are very weak and the least excitement
seems 10 affect his health.
lie has consumption. 1 am told. ana
- almost constantly under the care of
the doctors. This has been The case
Tor the greater part OF his life. Not
long ago Marquis Ito and others OF The
Enperor's advisers wanted the boz 10
take a trip around the world and 10
nave him spend some tine IN the
United, States and Europe. but the doc
tors objected, saying that he might
die on the way. i is hoped that his
marriage may so better his health thai
ne viii be able 20 make the tour.
The crown prince. or the prince i'm
perial, as he should be called. "A not
the real son Of the empress of Japan.
although he Is her son By adoption His
majesty has allotted 10 him a dozen
secondary wives. who come from the
nobiest families OF the empire. and
whose blood is blue with the grandfa-
Tiers OF thousand years. These yom-
en- OF late are never mentioned IN the
reports Of the court. and no one knows
anything OF them. They exist. howev-
er. and are kept In order that his mai
esty may not be without an heir The
princes real mother Is Madame Yana-
giwara. one Of these court ladies, the
empress not having had a con herself.
The prince. In fact. Is the only son his
majesty has had who has lived. and IN
ne should die the succession. in care
the prince has no child before that
time. Will have 20 go 20 a prince who
j. not very closely related TO the en-
peror. On this account al the greater
care s. taken OF the young mans
health and the anxiety concerning his
marriage is intense.
The empress. az ! have said. has
made the prince her son by adoption.
She Is very fond of him. taking the
livellest interest in his wedding and In
everything tha; relates 90 him and his
bride.
The young prince is popular IN To-
kio. He has been educated in the No
bles' school and has shown himself az
smart as other boys OF his age. lie
has had modern education as well az
the old japanese studies. and knows
something Of German and Engllsh. but
not enough 10 speak them. lie o. 81 fair
y good French scholar and cOnverses
In that Language with foreigners. lie
Is anabie and diplomatic and viii
make 10 Is thought. good emperor.
The Bluest Blood on Earth.
The wedding will Join two OF the old
est families OF Japan. or. rather. u will
bring branches % the same family to
gether for the prince and bis bride are
His brJd is. perhaps. a shade
bluer than hos. although she can
trace her ancestors farther back than
any sovereign EhO now sits upon a
throne in tl-. nd1m. Princess Sada
Eui1 .s o. .h.rd daughter OF Prince
Kui1 "a descend nt o. the famous Fu-
i.VaIa family. which was the control
ling power iu Japan from the seventh
90 the eleventh century. During these
wears the emper0rs we're little more
than puppets. managed By the Fuli-
waras. who made their sons Oh. chief
0ACi8ls rf me realm and strengthened
their hold on Che power by m7rTylnE
their rlurF ere f0 the empeT0rE. The
daughter were in these cases 0ft-1 the
power behind the throne By the laws
% Japan che emperor must De n de-
scen1aut 0f this family. or. rather. be
must marry into one ri Eve noble fam
i.las 70 Japan. all Cf which have come
from The ancient FuJiwaras. The prin-
cess mother was sister % the late
empress d0waEcr. which makes her
cousin OF her future husband.