New Britain herald., 1928-09-27
RANESE ROYAL
 WEDDING FRIDAY
Rdtkh d'Pliuce Thorough. ly Apaiaai.ed Gli

A0Ayv, Oe$S. ~ %S'o'S" - )the wedding day for the little "com- moner's" daughtsr who may one day bs the empress of Japan. Miss Set suko Natsudaira, just turned IS, . ! few mepths ago . school Sirl in 2 Washington hnishing school, with iR- terests cad tastes much like thsse of any American girl of her age. VIII become the bride of Yashjito, PFince |Chichibv, brother of the emperor and dsheiF presumptive to the throne. Thus she will enter the oldest reign- ing house in the world.
 } Although some of the bluest blood in Japan Aows in her veins, Miss Setsuko's.father. the former ambas- sader to the uaited states and am- l bassad dor designate to Great Britain. Tsunes Matsudaira. bears no title. Hence the little bride is ''com- p,oner." the first to become prin- cess of the reigning house by mar riaEs. Tho imperial household law ! forbids such unions, 50 technically Setsuko has become by the easy Japanese system of adoption the slaughter of her uncle. Visceunt Mat sudaira. and therefore eligible to be welded to an imperial prince.
 Is Popular Romance k Nothing in the recent history of the imperial family has caught the imagination or claimed the senti- mental approval of the Japanese like this union. To the political '/minded t ,is evidence Of the progress of democracy in the land of the Ris- ing Sun. But it Is as romance. un- adulterated. that 1t appeals to the public mind, especially to the youth At the land.
 1 Prisce Very Modern
 Prince Chichibu, 2s years old, is |the beau ideal of the sports.loving. energetic, ambitious younger genera tion of Japan, His ideas and tastes are intensely democratic and he lwould be much adverse to exchang- ylhng his present ardent participation in the life of modern Japan for the cloistered isolation that would be- come his lot were he to become em- )peror. Like his bride. he has had occidental education. for he was 2 student at Oxford until called home by the death of his father. the late )Emperor Taisho. Fl months ago.
 Miss Matsudnira Is a thoroughly Americanized girl. having attended school at Washington. D. C.. from l,whence she was graduated from the iFriendn' school last June.
 Typscaliy American
 setsu Matsudaira last June was a typical American girl graduate. )After she received her diploma, like countless other girl graduates from cross roads to city. she posed fer . photograph, diploma rolled ' tightly in one hand, q bouquet of flowers pressed against it.
 The school annual said of her When Setsu came to us in 1925 she found it difficult to saw how do vol, ''o' for she knew very little English. 'ow she K lively member Of that
 lkative group in the rear of the
 Judy hall"
 She danced with Tuxedo-clad d American youths, to the strains of
 nited States jazz. She captured the school tennis cup.
 She was member of the basket ball squad. the hockey team. tennis team. vice president of the Girls Athletic association. a member of
 c Leap year dance committee,
 inner Of the girls blazer for ath-
 tic achievement and of the girls
 nnis cup in 1927.
 Her examination marks" said the school annual, ''are source of wonder to us, for she surpasses in mathematics and history and. most wonderful Of all, in English.
 1 "The storms of applause when she took the girls tennis cup was proof pcsitive of our affection and esteem for her.
 ''Setsu Is leaving us imm mediately 'or Japan and we hope she will hold Fond memories of Friends and of us her devoted class mates"
 So, . road to royal romance stretches from the prim halls Of friends school to the palace of a
 rince across the Pacific, and oc- 'idental class mates and mentors of he princess-to-be are watching eaE-