Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-05-19
JAPAN'S PRINCE
LOVES POETRY
An Ardent Admirer of Sonnets
by Americaa P0etess.

TOXIC, May 19.-An incident con-
nected with the departure of the Crown
Prince Of Japan for foreign lends not
generally known, but now carefully filed
away In the archives of the State De-
partment in Washington, occurred at the
Akasaka palace in Toxic a few days be-
fore his highness left.
The Prince was giving a farewell ban
quet for the heads of the various embas-
sizes and legations in Toxic and, after
a banquet which will long be remem-
bered as marvel for beauty and excel
lent food, the ambassadors, ministers and
charges stood outside the Princes pri-
vate room awaiting for the coveted short
informal conversation which they were
to have with the future Emperor of ia
pan. Sir Charles Eliot, ambassador from
Great Britain; Basil Krupenski, ambassa-
dor from Russia (the Russian government
is recognized by JAPAN, and numerous
others ranking as ambassadors had had
their few moments Of informal converse
ton
Mr.. Edward Bell, American charge
d'afaires, ranking as a charge, was
among the last to enter. 1t was known
that the Crown Prince talked little Eng
fish and that his usual topics were do
you like Tokio?" Are you anxious to
see our beautiful cherry blossom sea
SOM" or some other subject of passing
Importance. These topics had been tax
Ing less than five minutes for discussion
and for that reason, when Mr.. Bell re-
NAMED with the Prince five minutes, tnen
ten, the waiting ambassadors and minis
tiers fdgeted. rs he signing a new
treaty, starting a war or what 2" was the
remark made by one of the older mem
bers Of the corps diplomatique.
POETRY,
NOT WAR.
Quite naturally, therefore, when Mr.
Bell came out he was asked numerous
questions as to the length Of time he
had conversed with the crown prince.
When he replied that the prince was
simply questioning him regarding the
poetry of Mrs. Charles Burnett, wife of
the military attache of the American
embassy, his hearers were astounded
Mrs. Burnett ranked high in the New
Year poetry contest held by the i'm
perial household. She was summoned
numerous times by the former empress
dowager before the latter's death ano
was remembered in the will Of the en-
press when she died. Her poem, "And
You Shall Walk Therein" written on the
occasion Of the princes departure for
Europe, and sent from Japan to all of
the countries included on the imperial
trip has created much favorable com
ment in court circles.
So when Mr.. Bell entered he was not
greeted by formal crown prince In
stead, without Introductory remarks his
hlghness said: Have you read Mrs
Burnett's poems?"
To which the American charge d. af-
taires replied that he had, and there fol-
lowed a ten minute conversation on the
splendid worth of Mrs. Burnetts works
Now, rumor in the capital has it, when
ever Mr.. Bell meets the British ambassa-
dor they discuss the relative merits of
British and American amateur poets ia
Japan. And Mr.. ell is very wont to tell
the conversation Of the crown prince of
Japan, in which, this same reroR has it
the work Of a prominent and @autiful
American lady Of Toxic comes in for a
large share of mention.