New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-01

and death meant the same to him If his name be
Yamakawa and her two friends belonged. Waka-
matsu was the city where the Shoguns forces made
the last stand for their lord ana the system that he
The shoguns were the military. or feqdal rulers
OF the Tokugawa family, who had held power IN
Japan for two hundred and fifty years.
AS the Emperor's forces marched upon the castle
town, moat after moat taken. until at last
men, women and children took refuge within the
The bombs of the besiegers fell crashing into the
castle precincts. killing the women as they worked
and even the little girls ran back and forth amid
which the women were making within the castle to
the men who were defending the walls.
one of those little. girls When asked why she had
worn small dangerous sword Of the finest Jap
should have it # I was taken prisoner
II should have killed myself" was her reply
Miss Yamakawa's return to Japan was somewhat
Americanized that She had almost forgotten her
own language She loved America. its customs and
its people. She lOath to leave them; she had
adopted the religion and the habits of thought Of
Western civilization, but she SamuTai! She
went back to her native land a marriageable wom-
an OF twenty-five. knowing fun well that her
and very possibly one not at all TO her own liking
or in sympathy with her advanced ideas. She was
flght as 10 what awaited her, but most fortunate
Of the foremost of Japans captains often
called her General Grant'-had been educated in
rance and as MS VIE she took lUmedlate rank
Gonnfe95 1Tama ol @ fhe few ADS o. me
court circles at Toxic who receive in their own
fashions are fast driving out. The countess pre-
fers the comfortable and picturesque japanese dress
to the foreign costumes which the court has adopt
ed and in spite Of her fOndHess for American
customs.
Several years after her marriage the Emperor
honored the count and countess by visit His
entire suite consisted of three four hundred, and
his visit duly announced, that proper prepara-
tons might be made. Hundreds of men
once set to work TO remodel the grounds. terrace
them, etc. and elaborate preparations made
10 entertain the large number of guests. The day
came. but II was stormy, the Emperor deferred
his visit. and another day was set. when all the
preparations had to be made over again. The Inn
mense cost of the imperial visit be imagined.
but the morning after his arrival the Emperor pre-
sented each member OF the family with magnificent
gifts and expressed his appreciation OF his reCep-
ton. The following letter from Nine Uriu shows
how close the friendship among the three
japanese girls here portrayed
Your letter came Christmas Day. and I was
so delighted TO hear from you. 1t was the best
Christmas present for me- am married to a navy
officer. My husband IS commander Of one of the
largest men-of-war, which is back again after
cruising for half year I have four dear little
oldest attend the kindergarten. while I busy
teaching two schools Stematz is married to the
Minister of War and has six children. of her
own and three girls Of the former wife's She IS
very happy, and at present is enjoying good health
Have you Ume Tsuda? She is back again
with dear Mrs Lanman. and Is having the happlest
free life Of student. She writes glowing accounts
about the college life at Philadelphia. We have
the photograph OF your little boy. It IS still IN my
album, and our children look at it and call him
the baby How soon our babies grow