New-York tribune., 1918-07-14

"in'" otfee'' place not at all res.r
bling a chop suey headquarters. Th..
one ate of many delectable dish., ::
Guiding one known as "the moon ,sa ~
plain Of Musaski." The reader viii,
disappointed to learn that the ano.s,
is but the we'll known poached 90, :.
the American breakfast table ana ~.
it tops such unpoetical edibl.s
chicken iivers and vegetables. Betu..s
cups Of tea Itow explained the ch.,...
that have taken place in the nodsr,
japanese theatre since I was in ~.
charming corner Of the Orient. ra,..
he told the extraordinary tale Of h,u
self in English that is only three v.,,,
old, but marvellously adequate.
At fifteen he studied dancing A. -.
school attached to the Imperial The,tr.
at Toxic, the city Of his birth 4.
that age he was considered idle. Ar;
even naughty, by his parents. Til,
opinion was brought on by his sun.,.
f1uous energy. A we'll behaved ian.
anese child is always repressed in b..
havior and expression, bat const.r.
chidings made no difference to I.ov
who could not seem to arrange his l;fs
along static lines. In sheer shame fo,
what the neighbors were saying. n.
family sent the youth to Dresden IA
study, and there he remained until h.
was twenty-one and the war broke on,
Itow escaped to Holland two davs
before Japan declared war on German
From Berlin to London he few, and de-.
cided he had had enough school and
that he would henceforth earn his own
living. Without considering how this
was to be accomplished he wrote his
decision to his father and spent his last
remittance in defiant round of "par.
ties" Then commenced a period Of
rigor, in which he learned the ways Of
pawnshops.
Thus, one winters evening Itow
found himself owing four weeks rent
and his possessions reduced to one old
suit (made in Japan, twenty neck
ties (of German and English origin
and stomach (empty). Still unds,
mayed, he went out and pawned the
ties, receiving six coppers for the lot.
He bought bread and mixed it with hot
water. Then he went to bed to keep
warm and ponder on his difficulties.
Presently there came a knock at the
door. A noted painter whom he had
met at the Cafe Royal entered.
Come and dance at Lady Cunard's
party" he invited. Itow explained his
condition. The painter waved aside al
objections.
and so.' related Itow. with black
silk handkerchief my sister had given
me when left Japan serving me for a
necktle and in that terrible suit. and
without an overcoat, | went Long
When | saw the butler at the door, ii
his gold trimmings and white silk stock
ings, my heart failed me. But my friend
dragged me in. was taken TO the cos.
tune room, where l put on Turkish
trousers and Spanish coat. In this
danced until I had no more strength
A tall man with white hair took me
aside and asked me my ideas on the
modern theatre. [ asked to be er-
cused, as had no English. only Ger
man. He laughed and said we would
forget the war. We talked German TO-
gether for two hours that night.
"The next morning came knock.
My God, the landlady wants her money
again. | thought, and called out that
was still in bed But she burst in, cry
ing Have you seen the papers3 She
spread them out, and there was ny
name in big type and the story of how
i had danced before Prime Minister
Asquith and London society the night
before. Another knock at the door and
there was letter from Mr. Asquith
lncloslng $50. 1t was he, the Prime Min
lster, to whom had talked in German
the night beforc."
1tow then had an enormous success
in London, dancing at private houses
and being taken up by Lady Cunard
and Lady Paget. Twice he danced BE-
fore the Queen, who gave him a card
case as mark of her appreciation.
One day an American manager cableo
him an offer, and Yeats advised ltow
London more than the theatre. 30
ltow came to America on the next boat
A representative of the manager Ine'
him at the pier The representative
was chewing gum. Itow begged to De
taken to a theatre that night TO sec
sample of American art. The repre-
sentative didn't mean TO be clever, pu'
he took Itow to the leggiest show Oh
Broadway.
Soon rehearsals began of the plsyla
which Itow was to make his American
debut. Then he discovered the 'pia!
was musical show about two couples
who exchanged mates and that he was
to give his artistic dances in front o.
two beds! Itow voluntarily releaseu
the manager from his contract.
Micho Itow and his friend anu
counsellor, Koscak Yamada, think o.
founding school of modern japanese
dancing in New York the coming sea
son. Japanese dancing in the s'fis'
sense of the word will not be taugn'
for the art of Itow is universal ano l"
q Acfi SOeahlnb