The Washington times., 1908-07-25

Dolly and approached TIE outage
occupied by the japanese embassy at
Buena Vista with more or less re-
luctance. for our presence had been IN
heralded and we were not quite sure
how Madame the Baroness Takahira re-
garded interviewers. A fresh mountain
breeze was blowing across the valley
the sun filtered through the leaves OF
the trees, making hecks on The road,
and there was a drOwsy mCrmur IN the
afternoon air; altogether the atmos-
phere was conducive 10 repose. and
Dolly sat down on a messy bank ana
protested that she would go no farther
Let me stay here and play sleeping
princess while you go on and discover
exactly how much reporters are es-
teemed by the japanese" she said But
1 pulled her with me and together we
approached trs porch which bounds the
cottage on all sides
In a merry Widow"
This was set with a wicker tea table
and coy chairs. In the garden there
was working, not a cOolie, as one would
have expected in such a place, but an
American gardener in Merry Widow
hat and Overalls. a German butler was
smoking a surreptitioUs cigarette in a
shady nook, and 10 him 1 handed my
card with a request 70 see Madame Ia
kahira-
He gave US chairs on the porch and
went away. and Dolly, the pessimist.
turned her eyes toward the valley
Make the best Of your time" said she.
FOR in a few short minutes we will be
told that Madame Takahira is not re-
ceiving.'
In a few short moments. however, the
butler returned 70 ask US into the draw
1 ing-rOCm and 10 say that the wife OF
the japanese ambassador would be
down very shortly, just as II she were
an american lady.
Peacocks and Roses
The drawing-room MAS a long. low
oeilinged room. papered with a design
Of peacOcks and roses. On the wall was
velvet panel, showing a peacock en-
broidered in iridescent cOlors. and on
the manteI was the bird itself, stuffed
and with its plumage spread 10 make a
, great show.
Not sUperstitiOus. az least muir
INJURED Dolly. and was Just adding that
she thought kimOnOs were always
Ie4dy Tor company when Madame Ia
Kan-ra entered. followed by a demure
u
| We discovered was Miss Kiyo Takahirs
-Haoalne IakahiTa herself is quite the
! pIeIuest japanese lady ] have ever
/ seen she looks quite young. not much
I oldeT than her daughter; her hair an6
/ eyes are black, and her comDIe,io-
! a smooth, clear olive Her ewes ans
| 44-uCL less oD!lque thar are those OF the
/ Isl tslaL resident q the Flowery Kingdom
/ lsr halr IS worn pOmpadour, her teetI
! are pretty. and her smile charrofr .
| oLs IS very petite and quite slender
she wore american dress-a sbir,
/ Isl OF some pals-blue material, witt
she shook hands With US both YER,
| sraciously, and 1 asked her whether sbf
| understood that we had come from
/ n spaper and wished 20 interview her
| - lepLlsd mat she did, but I discov-
| eItQ az once thai she has little F0pl{sh
| ana so should not be surprised if sbs
| We're SIN IN doubt whence We had cor1s
| anu Tor what reason. If this is +r11a 4
uld not oetract particle from her ora.
1 clousness. for she was very cordial
/ put thereafter our conversation va,
\ IdISeiy by signs, for my japanese b
! miserably rusty. =
A Charming Accent.
| Next month" said Madame rsL.Lf-,
I IN her charming accent. which il like
mat used By John Luther Longs
heFolnes' only more so. and which ]
! shah not attempt 10 reproduce. "a Iadv
Is coming TO teach me English. but not
Ie2I7L Is too warm I should speak
/ English better than I do. for I If,,e5 = -
New York when my husband vas 800, =,
| mere, as well as in Washington b-,+ I
| nave neen back 20 Japan. and there
| have forgot much"
l asked her il she srol~e -. ,--,-
( languages. and she nodded O'iiei
| A yer leetIe." she said ..T.,y;--
| German. French. all YER leef1a W.
| nave lived in all those countries ana 1
| nave learned something Of the speech .
hest ~ In ~ % ~ country do you like
/ our hostess. VI -leu
/ l asked If this were not merely 2 din.
l .oIilallc replv. and she protested witt
| many SOFT mUrmurlngs and an AIMEE
| 10 her daughter IN her native TONES -
Also a Musician.
There was a piano in the room. and
asked II she were a musician. She sat
she had learned TO play on that instru
ment in New York "a little" but tina
she played on the japanese harp an,
sang Among her other accomplishment
are enbroidering and painting. and sh
spoke with some enthusiasm Of the Is {
ter.
Then We spoke OF dress I told Nine
Takahira in words of one syllable that
saw she had '-Een 10 our national shir
waist, and I y s-s glad she found II use
fUl, and she r"plied n choicest Japa
inese-EnSlish that she liked It bette
than her native costume
The sleeves OF the kimOno.' she said
in her fascinating patois, get in IN
way. like the elbow sleeves short: no
so'-aad she pointed TO the nateria
which hung from her daughters elboy
to emphasize the differences Also, sh
insisted that sne liked American way