Waterbury Democrat., 1902-04-18
THE FUTURE MIKADo.
"A Dozen Nurses Tend the Baby With
 a Future.

His Royal Higness Prince Michi, grandson of the present mikado of Jap an, is the youngest heir presumptive to great throne among all the royal personages in the world. At present he does mot realize his importance as a ruler-though he quite realizes. hls importance as baby. Being only months old the cares of the mlgnty empire of Japan sit lightly upon hlni-
 His father, the Grown Prince Nosh- mito. of Japan, is only 20 years or age. So that in all probability it will pc a very long time before the emDryo MI kado Michi comes into his vast klns- dom. For the nonce he is in the de- voted hands of a regiment of dalnty, quaint little Japanese nurses.
 All the attendants in the royal nur- sery are first interviewed and selected, after due deliberation by Count ha- wamura. confidential friend ot the mikado and a very favored member of the imperial household. He mas many rivals at court, who envy nm the trust and intimate friendship or hls powerful master.
 Michi has something like ten or dozen nurses in his train. Count ha- wamura has to set the seal of his ap- proyal on every sweet little Jap nurse who aspires to rinse out the imperial feeding bottle or arrange the silken cushions in the gorgeous cradle set apart for this favored little mortal.
 It is an interesting fact, in view of the recent Anglo-JapaneSe treaty, that Baby AIichfs layette does not contain one single article made after the fash ion of the clothes usually worn by Japanese infants. Nichi is dressed just as hundreds of thousands of good and bad-little English boys are clad.
 As soon as the little prince reaches the articulate age-at present he only says goo-goo, or its Japanese equlya- lent-English and French goyernesses will be imported to prepare his mind for the fact that the land of chrysan- themums has neighbors and rivals.
 Foreign teachers have already been engaged to train the youthful Japan ese 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
  corners and he is always laughing. firef1ies with q whisk broom, which is a favorite pastime with the nurses throughout Japan.
 He doesn't even know the difference between the "'Tzin. 'tzin. 'tzin' of the national hymn and God. Save the King, though he has heard both often enough
 When the little prince was named his imperial grandfather presented to him a beautiful jeweled and enameled sword. It isn't plaything, it's 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 120 days old. It was carefully crushed and powdered up before he ate it. Michi has just cut some teeth But he hadn't any when he '.ate'' the rice The whole of Japan gave itself up to wild enthusiasm and public festivals in honor of this most suspicious national event.
 The date on which he should con- sume his first meal of rice was decided upon only after the performance of many mystic rites and elaborate incan- tations. His imperial father is too eli frightened to believe in these supersti- tious ceremonies. But the people do. And little Prince Afichi must please his future most loyal and devoted suD- jects.
 4 most elaborate imperial seal Is now being engraved for the mighty atom. In Japan the seal q man uses Is matter of mighty importance. Mi chi's is quite different to that used by his father. It has to be. That Is the custom of the fowery land. \ man who copies or forges another mans seal is pGnished much more heavily than for forging his name to check.
 The baby mikado's marriage has ,iot yet been arranged But many match makers are already with plots and counterplots. ostensibly matrimonial, but mainly political.
 When A1ichi does marry he will have to pay for his brides trosseau. That Is 9 Japanese custom which some English fathers in the face of costly twentieth century bridal outfits, might like to import.