JAPAN'S SILENT SOLDIERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12712, 15 November 1904, Page 6

JAPAN'S SILENT SOLDIERS.

My friend, Baroness —-, dined with mo to-night, (says a correspondent in Tokio, writing; on July 10. In commenting on the day's doings, she said that. 15 soldiers and three officer? were quartered at her house on Tuesday,, and 18 soldiers and four officers ob Thursday. Without regard to raid: or circumstances, tfc& Government decrees that oh a given date certain houses shall receive troops coming from tile country in excess of the number the barracks can accommodate.. This week it was the Baroness' turn thus to supply lodgings. A furious storm swept over Tokio on Thursday, and knowing, that the sold had a long: march from* Chiva, across the bay, the Baroness gave them up when they did not arrive at sunset. It was; long after midnight when the weary detachment reached her house.* Only the crunching of gravel under foot of man or beast was audible. The four officers dismounted noiselessly, and prostrated themselves before the hostess, thanking her in true Japanese fashion for so graciously receiving the humble party. The library and * smokingroom had been : turned over to them; • futons were spread: en the - floor :of l the cool * verandah, while ; the

men were quartered equaLy r well, on the servants' side of the house, : and the horses champed at * their bite when - led: to the' private stables luxury unknown for many : a day to the poor beasts. The cooks and servants had supper ready for i all,; it being ]\ the custom to feed i these visiting soldiers from the private larder rather than on the Government ration. They expressed ; immense satisfaction over the generous supply of beer and cigarettes, and were very much awed by their surroundings. Bath tickets were then, furnished, and, after gaining permission from their officers to leave the premises, they sought the near-1 est bath-house in true Japanese fashion, and after their bath quietly crept back for a few soars' sleep. . .All the next day they went about as silently as the deaf and dumb, and in stock- : {ing feet, lest ■ theirs coarse shoes should ; mar I ■ the floors—never trespassing in the smallest ; way, but gazing wondering'.y on city sights— j and especially on' the lovely flowers ,- in I Baroness —•-s famous garde i No matter how. interested they were, they religiously avoided looking in the direction where the ■ family ; might -■ be ;- assembled ;f and but for the evidence : of sight - the Baroness i would not have known of their presence. I They had never seen a foreign house, and when she took J them through it they, whispered solemnly together, paused long before the pictures and ornaments in the drawingroom, walked almost apobgetioally m the soft rugs, and when their eyes beheld a £n* picture of their emperor, with one accord they prostrated themselves before him. !.... Night fell again.' In the gray morning klight my friend saw these soldiers go forth as silently as they came.

■'■■:■■'■■ = ' . " -' -:' ' . __ : The Christchurch Press states that the Kaiapoi Woollen Mills applied for the weekly -holiday to be transferred •to Friday' last week, to enable their jmployees to go 5 to the show. The inspector of factories ! forwarded the application to Wellington to be dealt with, but it was held there was no power to vary the law, and the application was refused. The affect of the .refusal was that a large number of the em- " ployees : of .. the .• factory were prevented : from" visiting the show %