THE FUTURE MIKADO.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12728, 11 April 1904, Page 4

THE FUTURE MIKADO.

They have a mighty atom in Japan —for the future Mikado will not be three years old until April next. Grandson of the present Emperor, his Royal Highness Prince Micchi is a strong, healthy, lusty hoy, whose pranks are already chronicled and narrated throughout Japan, even as are those of the youngest princes of the English reigning house; Japan is up-to-date in many things, but in everything there is always a quaint blend of the Oriental with the Western. The Mikado is not the least little hit superstitious, and in spite of early influence, when he was taught poetry and the arrangement of flowers, prefers everything about him to be European. It is curious to learn, therefore, that on the birth of Prince Micchi Court astrologers were set to work to cast the baby’s horoscope. Indeed it has been done every day since. The real fact is the people demand that this should be done. A horoscope had been mads for other royal princes for twenty-five centuries, and every one in Japan was most anxious to kno v what Fate had in store for the new, baby. It was a small matter, and both the Mikado and the Crown Prince gave their consent to mystic rites and elaborate incantations being performed, though they have not the smallest belief in the published results. Before little Prince Micchi was six months old a most elaborate Imperial Seal had been made for his “use.” Here again the ancient customs of Japan were too powerful for the new Western ideas. In the land of the chrysanthemum a man's seal is his most, important possession. Forgery of a seal is punished more severely than robbery. Consequently, baby Prince Micchi’s seal became a matter at once of the greatest importance. It had to he different from that used by his father. Special artists worked at it for mouths before a suitable emblem was made. Now it is affixed to everything worn or used by the Prince. The heir - presumptive to the great Eastern throne has the distinction of being the first baby of the Royal House of Jinnnu Tenno who has been allowed to grow his hair like an English baby.. Both his father and the Mikado, when' babies, had their heads shaved daily by their nurses. It is on record that when the Emperor was seven days old his mother displayed her talent as a barber by ; , shaving her son’s tiny head. Then, as “the hair grew, her chief delight was to experiment with various' designs to discover the most becoming. Sometimes she shaved the top and the rim and left a tonsure, sometimes she left only the rim, and sometimes a scalp lock and two other locks only. This went on for quite six years. Although Prince Micchi has twenty-two of the prettiest little Japanese nurses imaginable, they are not allowed to practise their decorative tonsorial powers on the wee prince. Count Kawaimura, a life-long friend of the Crown Prince, is superintendent of the royal nursery, and he regulates matters in a very stern fashion for Prince Micchi’s well-being. Not even a silken cushion goes into the nursery unless the count has first seen it and has set his own hall-mark of approval and the prince’s seal to it. Soon after the prince’s birth measures were taken to eliminate the “almond eye” of his race. A painless little surgical operation was performed. An incision was made on the outer point of the baby’s eyelids in a straight line for the barest part of an inch. The lashes were then drawn into shape, and held firmly by a piece of chemi-cally-prepared _ sticking-plaster. The wound healed in less than a week, and the effect now is that Prince Micchi does no look a bit like a son of the Eastern island empire. The embryo Mikado Micchi’s wedding is already under most serious discussion, and quite three noble young ladies goo-gooing with might and main in Flowery Land nurseries have been selected as candidates for the future ruler’s partner in life. By the time Prince Micchi wants a wife matters may have progressed so much that he will possibly be allowed to contract a love match. At present, however, the law forbids it. Prince Micchi’s wife will be, maybe has been, selected from the daughters of the five highest families in the land. In addition, he is also entitled to choose inferior wives to the number of eleven from the best families, and the position of such wives is recognised. Curiously enough, custom will condemn Prince Micchi to buy his bride’s trousseau. At present he is not thinking much about the matter, but, according to an English paper published in Kobe, has for a long lime been, in possession of a number of toy battleships, which he impartially smashes up, be they flying the flag of Russia, England, France, Germany, or even of Japan. The prince has learned to ride a beautiful Shetland pony, and is always delighted to be on its back.