The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-12

The first scene II In Toxic. 1t vas
surprising 20 find rickshaws on o
uuiet suburban stand at 4:46 A. NJ,
hut not more surprising than the dis
covery that the streets were filed with
stream OF these light craft bearing
cooked hated and gold laced function
e-.es In an endless stream toward the
palace gates. II was quite dark. High
r. the east the new moon hung. a
slender sickle. and beneath II was q
stirring Of the darkness.
As my rickshaw slipped down tho
Oil. ringing a warning bell to the
others that bobbcd up like ghosts in
the darkness. I saw the city below
ME af,re with Examinations. the En-
percr's route to the station being
marked by immense wreaths Of light.
We merged In a fuller stream Of traf-
a. that flowed along the broad "for-
e,gn' street where the Government Of
ices are. and here were the nrst signs
thar the Emperor was astir in the
form Of long lines Of policemen, sword
At side. paper lantern In hand, who
~guided-and scrutinized-the pas
sengers. Beside the palace moat we
we're sorted out according to our de-
srees OF power and glory and sent for
ward on foot by the same lanterned
police.
In two hours the Emperor would
leave Toxic for kyoto to be crowned
and possibly half q million Of his faith
ful subjects had spent the night watt
Ing for tho procession to pass. The
scene along the route before daylight
came Ia rob It Of Its mystery was an
extraordinary one.
Tho State procession was nine
,enths commonplace. but this hour OF
darkness with its unprecedented ef-
,ects provided the touch Of the weird
and bizarre which no western country
would have furnished. Grea; masses
Of troops were visible under the dis
tan, light Of the illuminated trium-
phai arches. Officers on horseback
cane out Of the darkness and shouted.
The men right dressed and left
dressed, and slowly the picture formed
into u great width Of road lined by
NV after row Of short. sturdy khaki
,'.l ,n.. Ip.ltzl stN pollsnry vrao n
space where privileged spectators like
myself walked and where police
btrolled up and down.
Behind this zane pens Of less privl.
legged spectators. mostly students and
echuoisiris from the Peeresses School
and similar high establishments. Each
enclosure was roped on and was dis
tinguished from It's iieighbors by n
paper lantern. and within h ropes
The boys Or girls sauatted with blue
faces patiently and cheerfully. Be-
hind these again in "A last dim multi.
nude came the people. They were all
citing; they seemed TO have been
Sitting for hours.
counted them they were thirty deep.
THESE were the thin parts Of the
crowd. Elsewhere one could only see
rank after rank Of knecling forms
stretching away into tho darkness.
4 Japanese crowd Is one Of the sights
81 an occasion like this. Sometimes
II lie tic sight. It Is 50 quiet, 80
patient, so silent, and it a such a
knack OF making. itself comfortable.
Tie habit of squatting makes the
japanese a short legged race. but IL
enables them to put In most Of their
waiting on public occasions In COM
fort.
The last stages OF the route were
hned by Japsn's veterans. These
arc still mostly young men In their
thirtlcs. They were dressed In all
Varieties OF garb. from japanese core
monlai dress TO faded uniforms. In
sumc cases evening dress, Of a weird
and original cut, was worn. We were
81, you must understand. in regimen
tls Of some sort except the populace
IL oujor darkness.
The Japanese love uniforms and
never mss "A chance OF wearing them.
Those Who, like the writer. have no
Cam tn ever the uniform of n street
car conductor, arc obliged to adorn
ourselves with frock coats and top
hat, The same applies TO the Jap
slice and tho result is that on all
srca' OCCASIONS the streets OF Toxic
arc like an encyclopedias OF fashions
for men covering tho last quarter OF
ceNt4rv.
While thia mixed hut modern multi