Omaha daily bee., 1912-08-06

ascended the. throne ninety-seven years
after Romulus founded the city of Rome
II we may accept Roman and Japanese
traditions. From that day to this his
descendants In unbroken succession have
ruled over the Land of the Rising Sun
Mutsuhito, who died In the early morning
of July 30, was the 121st of the imperial
line. He was born in Kyoto November 3,
1880, in pretty villa, near the gate Of a
park adjoining the palace grounds and
now within stones throw of Doshisha
university, the greatest Christian institu-
tion of higher learning In the Far East.
The house was pointed out to me when /
was there last October, but visitors are
not allowed to enter it,
1t was my great privilege to be pre-
sented to this man. who though the
Son of Heaven" voluntarily gave mis-
people self-government without a revolu-
ton or even the slightest threat of pres
sure from below.
Our invitation came to us through the
American embassy at Toxic, Mr.. Lind
say Russell and I were told TO wear full
evening dress, with white, waistcoats and
gloves though the ceremony was to take
place at 10 O'clock In the morning. Our
wives were to wear high-neck reception
dresses, OF any color but black At $50
O'clock we assembled at the embassy,
and from there drove with the American
charge and his wife who were to in
troduce us, to the palace .,t..l r.;
The palace is In the very heart Of the
city. 1t is surrounded by a moat and
massive rampants of stone, surmountine
which are ancient and gnarled pines.
which used to ambush the archers In
feudal times, The palace originally be-
longed to the Shotgun or military ruler OF
Japan, but since Toxic, then called Yeddo
was made the capital 1t has been con-
stantly used as the home Of the emperor
Before 1t Is an extensive stretch of turf
which occupies the area between the sec
ond and third or lnmost moat. We
crossed the bridge that brought US to
this space without being detained by the
guards, the embassy livery evidently be.
ing a sufficient passport After passing
through the double hedge known as
Nishi Bashi and driving for minute OF
two through the beautifully kept grounds
we arrived at the front entrance Of the
imperial residence. The canon of Jap.
snese architecture as we'll as art is the
elegance Of simplicity. Consequently we
were not surprised to find the palace a
very broad and long one-story building
furnished simply but in the most ex.
auisite Japanese taste
Though the ordinary japanese home
has no furniture. the palace was fur
nished In European style, though the
walls and ceilings Of the rooms were
Japanese. " ts& f'& &@l
We were met, 1t the door. by Iixered
attendants OUR wraps taken, ana then
we were nshered. by the master Of cers.
monies and his .aides along red car
peted hallway Of beautiful Japanese pol.
ished wood to the waiting room. fur.
nished in European fashion. Promptly
at the appointed second the ladies were
taken to the audience room of the EN-.
press. and Mr.. Russell and ! to that oil
the emperor, The halls Of all Japaenst
houses are next to the outer walls and
the various rooms open into the halls
Consequently the halls are light and the
rooms are dark, As we approached the
! dark threshold of the audience room We
halted, and then, at the proper signal
Mr. Russell walked In with the eharg.
| They gave us each the honor of sepa.
! rate audience instead of having us botl
| so in together, | had hardly time tC
look out Of the window of the hall upor
a lovely bit Of typical Japanese garder
landscape when l saw Mr. Russell back
ing out Of the room. The gentleman Al
my side whispered Proceed"
| AS entered the august presence saw
his majesty standing in the center OF q
| group of seven or eight men, He held
| his hand out toward me, as II he ex
peeted me to come forward and take It
! was coached, however, TO make thre,
low bows as | entered the room, one a
the threshold, one at the middle of tn,
room and one Just before ] shook hi;
hand. So ! resisted the impulse to &c
| forward, but followed out my instruction.
as best could, though very awkwardly
fear. then took the hand of the EN-
peror. His majesty was dressed in tn:
uniform OF a senera,issimo. He was
taller that the majority of his subjects
but he looked older than | expected fol
the pictures of him with which the worlc
is familiar were taken years ago, whsr
he was a. young man., His eornplex.ol
Is very dark, With dropping mandarin
IKE heard and mistache his countenanct
somber and his imienS impassive anC