The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-20
THE LITTLE MIkADO.
Careful Bringing Up of Japan's Flu
ture Ruler.
Baltimore American.

BaIIlmOre american.
His Royal Highness, Prince Michi, grand
son OF the present Mikado of Japan, is the
youngest heir-presumptive to a great throne
among all the royal personages in the
world AT present he does not realize his
Importance as a ruler-though he quite
realizes his Importance as a baby. Being
only eight months old. the cares OF the
mighty empire of Japan sit lightly upon
him.
His father, the Crown Prince Voshihito
of Japan, is only twenty-five years OF age.
SO that in all probability it will be very
long time before the embryo Mikado Michi
comes into his vast kingdom. For the
nonce he is III the devoted hands OF regi-
ment of dainty, quaint little japanese
nurses.
All the attendants in the royal nursery
first interviewed and selected, after due
elaboration, by Count Kawamura, a con-
fidential friend of the Mikado, and very
favored member of the imperial household.
He has many rivals at court. who envy him
the trust and intimate friendship OF his
powerful master.
Michi has something like ten or twelve
nurses in his train. Count Kawamura has
to set the seal of his approval on every
sweet little Jap who aspires to rinse out
the imperial feeding bottle or arrange the
slken cushions in the gorgeous cradle set
apart for this favored little mortal.
1t is an interesting fact, in view of the
recent Anglo-Japanese treaty. that Baby
Michis layette does not contain single
article made after the fashion of the clothes
usually worn by japanese infants. Mlchl
is dressed lust as hundreds of thousands of
good-and bad-little English boys clad.
AS soon as the little prince reaches the
articulate age-at present he only says goo
goo or its Japanese equivalent-EngllSh and
French governesses will be imported TO pre-
pare his mind for the fact that the land OF
chrysanthemums has neighbors and rivals.
Foreign teachers have already been en-
gagged to train the youthful japanese idea
in the Europeanized way it is the fashion
of his countrymen TO go.
In the meantime he sucks his coral just
like any commonplace middle-class baby.
His eyes tip-tilt at the corners and he is
always laughing But he hasn't yet learned
to catch firef1ies with whisk broom, which
is a favorite pastime of the nurseries
throughout Japan.
He doesn't even know the difference be-
tween the Tin, TIN, TIN" of the ma
tional hymn and God Save the King"
though he has heard both often enough.
imperial grandfather presented TO him
beautiful jeweled and enameled sword. 1t
isn't a plaything-its a real fighting
weapon for him TO use when he grows up.
His diet is precocious if the little prince
himself isn't.
To please the people he was obliged to
eat some rice when he was only 12O days
old 1t was carefully crushed and pow
dered UP before he ate it. Michi has just
cut some teeth But he hadn't any when
ne ate ate, the rice; The whole of Japan p.h
lie festivals in honor of this most auspi-
cious national event
His horoscopes are constantly cast by the
astrologers, without whom no court in the
East is complete.
The date on which he should consume his
first meal of rice was decided upon only
after the performance of many mystic
rites and elaborate nominations. His i'm
perial father is too enlightened to believe
In these superstitious ceremonies. but the
people do And little Prince Michi must
please his future most loyal and devoted
subjects.
A most elaborate imperial seal is now be-
ing engraved for the mighty atom. In ia
pan the seal a man uses is a matter of
weighty Importance. Michis is quite diff
ferent from that used by his father. It has
to be- That is the custom of the fiowery
land A man who copies or FORCES another
mans seal is punished much more heavily
than for forging his name to a check.
The baby mikados marriage has not yet
been arranged, says the London Express
but many matchmakers are already busy
with plots and counter-plots. ostensibly
matrimonial, but mainly political.
When Michi does marry he will have to
pay for his brides rousseau. That is a
Japanese custom which some English ia
there, in the face OF costly twentieth-cen-
tury bridal outfits, might like TO import.