Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-07-13

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 feed
4 ing bottle or arrange the silken
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 Michi's wardrobe ices not con-
/ tain one single article made after the
/ fashion of the clothes usually worn by
I Japanese infants. Mich is dressed
just as hundred of thouands of good
and bad-little English boys are clad.
/ As soon as the little prince reaches
the talking age-at present he only
ID says goo-goO or its japanese equiva-
Ilent-English and French gOvernesses
will be imported to prepare his mind
/ for the fact that the land of chrysan-
themums has neighbOrs and rivals.
! Foreign teachers have lready been
engaged TO train the youthful Japan
/ csc idea in the EurOpeanized way il
I 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 has not yet learned TO catch
fireflies with a whisk broom, which is
a favorite pastime of the nurseries
throughout Japan.
He does not even know the differ
ence between the Tin, '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. 1t is not a plaything; it is a
real fighting weapon for him TO use
when he grows up.
His diet is precociOus, even if the
little prince himself is not To please
the people he was obliged to eat some
rice when he was only 120 days old.
1t was carfully crushed and powdered
before he ate it. Mich has just cut
some teeth. But he had none when
he late" the rice. The whole Of
Japan gave itself up to wild enthus-
iasm and public festivals in honor OF
this most suspicious 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 con-
sumo his first meal of rice was decided
upon only after the performance of
many mystic rites and elaborate in
carnations. His imperial father is too
enlightened to believe in these super
stitiOus ceremonies. but the people do.
And little Prince Mich must please his
future most loyal and devoted sub
jects.
A most elaborate imperial seal is
now being engraved for the mighty
atom. In Japan the seal a man uses
is a matter of weighty Importance.
Michi's is quite different from that
used by his father 1t 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 mikado's marrige has not
yet been arranged. but many match
makers are already busy with plots
and counterplots. Ostensibly matri
monial. but mainly political.
When Michi does marry he will have
to pay for his brides trousseau. That
is a japanese custom which some Eng
lish fathers, in the face of costly
notwithstanding bridal outfits, might
like to impOrt.-LOndOn Express.