Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-12-05
AT THE NlIkADO's
An Americans Impressions of
 a Japanese Reception.
HUMORs OF TAFT PARTY's VISIT

Congressman Michael E. DriscoII Re-
 Intes His Experiences In Rowing to
 the Mikado In Plug Hat-CracI<-
 ing of Bones as the Visitors Got
 Down on Rugs-Imbibed Drink He
 Calls Vile.
 Congressman Michael E. Driscoll of the Onondaga- Madison district in the state of New York was one of the speakers at the dinner given by the Republican club at it's home in New York the other night to the states Re publican congressman, says the New York Times. He was member of the Taft party that went to Japan and the Philippines. So was Congressman Her bert Parsons, who was at the dinner. MT. Parsons referred to the Taft party in a speech. So did Congressman Dris- coll. This is what he said of the recep- tion of the party by the mikado, whose guest he was on that occasion:
 w I ferred to our recent visit to Japan and China he reminded me of our reception by the mikado You know that was a great honor We had to file in to the mikado through long hall--as long as this dining room, should say. As remember that line, Parsons was near the end-the tail end, I think. When Parsons got to about six feet from the august presence of the mikado he made a profound salaam. When he got a little nearer he made another kowtow. Just before the mikado he made ail- other bow, so low that it seemed to me that if he bowed much lower he would endanger his trousers. Then the mikado shook hands with him.
 Tt didn't go quite so well with me. hadn't often worn plug hat You know, was born and worked on a farm-worked at the back end of it most of the time. The only time when had worn plug hat before that was when, at Williams college, wore the class hat. At Williams tue students in their third year are allowed to wear plug hats. The boys there could not all afford 10 buy plug hats, and so l was delegated to wear the plug hat for the class. This, suppose, because I was the tallest and the strongest. I still remember how suffered that day when had to wear that plug hat to chapel.
 "For this mikado affair it was again up to me to wear plug hat and also white gloves. I wandered all through Tokyo to get these articles, and then as I entered the august presence of the mikado l carried my gloves In my hand, very much as you do here when you go to one of your city functions and your gloves are soiled.
 ''We were subsequently led into a large room absolutely devoid of furni- ture. All there was in it were rugs and young mountain of flowers and potted plants in the center. In order to enter this room we had to take of our shoes. don't know what Parsons did, but had to buy new pair of stockings. In this great room we had to get down on the rugs. am neither so very old nor so very fat, but tell you you could hear some bones crack as the members of the party got down on the rugs.
 "one of our party weighed about 400 pounds, and they finally took pity on him and brought him small stool. But still the sitting posture was pain ful, and he perspired so profusely that three Geisha girls had to fan him ccn- stantly.
 "Then we were treated to some con- coction. I have myself travelled bit and imbibed some of the national bev- erages, but of them all that was the worst It was the greasiest and vilest stuff I ever drank. Next we went through fifteen courses of raw whale and other raw fish. tell you, 1t was awful.
 "Mr. Parsons had to leave us. I'm sorry that he did. He missed good deal"