Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1913-06-05

! q canopy on the low throne platform
from which his orders came. Till six
teen years Of age he had never walked,
and the art of walking was with him
stir and harsh practice to the end.
1t must not be inferred, however,
that Japan's progress was slow during
the reign Of MutsuhitO. In fact, 1t
will be recalled that the opposite was
the case.
The occidental influence was every
where seen, and a great era of change
came upon the empire.
A Democratic Prince.
Yoshihito's life In It's earliest years
reflected the changed condition of ia
pan. He was brought up democratic
ally and attended school In the College
of Peers, which is intended for the ed
ucation of princes and mobiles, but
which Is open to all.
Here he worked with the rest, pos
! sessing no privileges unpOssessed by
! the most obscure and with a punctual
ity insisted upon from even him, the
descendant Of the gods.
In this way came the comparative
development of his social instincts and
his preference for talking directly with
his company than through the august
intermediary of court otfictaldom.
Later, however, he came under the
care of tutor, General Oku, who was
assisted by Mr. Adachi, who seems
to have been hnguistically inclined.
From General Oku he also studied
military tactics and early proved that
in Japan royalty Is something of tai
isman. At thirteen he was lieuten
ant, at sixteen colonel Of the army.
In these early years from our west
ern viewpoint he lived life OF re
markable independence of parental
control. He occupied, almost from in
fancy, q palace of his own-nOt, how
ever, distant from the emperOr's and
within that park which could COM
fortably accommodate the Vatican and
Central park and be sublimely uncon-
scious Of the assimilation.
This, under the charge of cham
berlain and three assistants and at O
yearly expense of $4,000 yen, was his
home throughout his years Of school
Ing and early manhood, and 1t con-
tanned everything that even a crown
prince of Japan should have.
1t came perlously near the luxuries
offered by any ocean liner. The small
and weakly prince had his gymnasium,
his bowling alley, his tennis and arch
cry courts, his stables, his riding pa
vilion, his fishing ponds.
And these developed in him an out
door taste which gave him, If not rug
ged, at least normal health Here
his youth was spent In the society
mostly of royal relatives-the Japa-
nese examples Of his sisters and his
cousins and his aunts
In the seclusion of his palace also
Yoshihlto developed a keen attachment
for versifcation, whichever in mod
ern Japan-is deemed one Of the most
important accomplishments in court
circles, writing both in Japanese and
Chinese, the last activity correspond
ing with that Latin verse which It was
the Joy OF English scholars in other
times to compose.
A Modern Palace.
In 1906, when Yoshihto's three
story palace was built at cost Of
100000, 1t was European rather than
Japanese In character. 1t was modern
both In design and In equipment.
A strange contrast Is afforded by
the Imperial palace, where Mutushito
lived. Here the note Is Japanese, In
congruously blended with the mechan-
zeal devices of the occident, long and
low as its labyrlnths of buildings, and
1t is chiefly remarkable for its covered
passages and It's covered courts.
The architecture Is of. the ancient
Japanese style, with high roofs at
sharp angles and heavy gray tiles. No
whisper Of the European speaks there.
Inside are walls of plate glass and
lacquer, which, rolled aside, open up
vistas Of tremendous rooms.
Generally here visitors are impressed
with the triumph Of Japanese simple
ity which characterizes 1t, though.
strangely enough, the imperial apart
ments are furnished with French rose
wood furniture and rugs in the Euro
pean style. Mutsuhito invariably ate
at table and with those ever widening
influences, knives and forks
Throughout the palace, too, one finds,
even In a medieval environment, cleo
trio lights. in the mystic covered court
yards, In the fascinating connecting
passages which go up and down and,
necessarily. In the very Frenchy mod
ern dining room Itself
But In the emperor's suit, In the
midst Of the many indications Of west
ern ways. in smoking rooms, Libraries,
billiard rooms, dressing rooms, stands
one incongruity which seems insen-
sibly to creep into the blended civiliza-
ton OF the japanese.
1t is the imperial bedroom. plain to
barrenness In Its japanese style. IN
ventilated. dark, windowless and sur
rounded on every side by the rooms of
the emperor's personal bodyguard. II
! Is indeed I'm the heart Of the palace.