The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-08-13

years older than the Mikado. He
marriage to the most conspicuous fig
ure IN Japanese history occurred in
1868. A further indication of the sa.
greatness in which the Imperial person.
ages are held is shown by the incident
which occurred when it was deter.
mined that the court ladies should adopr
European dress. At this time great
GllHculty was experienced in getting
rclothes to fit Her Royal Highness. The
profane hands of a dressmaker could
/ not be allowed to touch the person of
| the Empress, so a court lady had to
| pose as a model until the garments
| were gradually made to fit
The Empress has a poetic inclination
and is the author of several volumes
| of verse. One of the features of all
state occasions is the singing of a song
by the school children which was com
posed for them by Her Majesty Dur
ing the rendition of this song the chill
Gren stand with their heads bowed as
if in prayer. The Empress takes a
great interest in all school work and
has in her private apartments large
collection of the best specimens of poe
try, painting and composition done by
the pupils of the Empire.
HOME IN HEARTS OF PEOPLE"
story is told which reveals the
kindliness of Her Majesty's character:
Some years ago when the castle in
Toxic was burned, the Emperor and
Empress We're forced to take tempo
rary quarters in a near by house which
was old and rather out of repair. AL
though the proportions of the place
were ample it was altogether lacking
in the !uXuries of the palace. A rep
resentative of the people expressed to
the Empress the grief which her sub
jects felt because she was denied her
usual convenienceS. She arose to the
occasion by writing graceful little
poem in which she said that it matter
ed little how she was situated so long
as she was sure of a home in the hearts
of her people.
Another story illustrates Her Majes-
tvs consideration for the happiness of
children. One of the little princesses
once conceived the unreasonable idea of
wanting to give a cherry blossom party
in December. Although April is the
earliest that these trees may be ex-
pected to put forth their delicate buds,
skilled artificers We're called in and
after much labor created the desired
effect by pinning to the trees myriads
of pink and white blossoms made of
tissue paper. Thus the whim of the
eccentric little princess was gratified.
This reminds one of the story related
in history of the unusual deception
which was once used at an European
court to crafty a capricious princess
who wanted to go sleigh-riding in mid
summer. To secure the effect of snow
the ground was covered with salt, over
which the Imperial sleighing party
took its way with much hilarity.
The two great events in the social
life of Japan are the garden parties
given twice a year by Their Imperial
in the palace gardens.
One is given in the spring when the
cherry blossoms are in bloom, and the
other in the fall during the time of
the chrysanthemums. During my
stay in Japan I was invited to attend |
one of these parties. The translation
of my invitation was as follows:
THE IMPERIAL INVITATION.
'.By order of Their Majesty's, The
Emperor and Empress, The Minister
of the Imperial Household respectively
invites Frederic J. Haskin, Esquire, to
a Cherry Blossom Viewing Gathering
prepared on the twenty fourth of April. |
at half past two in the afternoon II
he be prevented from being present by |
any official business or illness he is |
to report at the Board or |
The translation of my |
admission card read as follows:
Frock coats required. To alight after |
entering the palace gate. This card TO |
be shown to officers in attendance on |
arrival. No party to be held II the |
day happens rainy
Although the invitation read two
thirty the gates were opened a nan
nouS earlier in order that the guests |
could have an opportunity to inspect
-h. grounds before the appearance OF
Their Imperial Majesties. The ap- |
oroach of the Royal Party was noted
BY the band playing the national
anthem. on this occasion the En-
,arnr was suffering from a slight in
7:snosition and did not appear After
walking about the grounds for short |
-in7e the Empress, accompanied by her
s,i1e retired to one of the pavilions
where she held a short reception, at
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