Hawaii Holomua, Volume III, Number 204, 6 September 1894 — Japan's Empress. [ARTICLE]

Japan's Empress.

Many Ameneana and Enropeaoh tbink tbe Mikado bas more tban a dozen wives. Tbis is entirely erroneou«. Bigamy is practically nnknown atnong tbe J«panese, frora the Eroperor down to bis bumblest subject. £mpress Haruko is the wife of tbe Mikaelo, and tbe only one Of course. tliere are twe!vo or fifteen ludics of tbe imperial bousebold, bot tbey are simp)y maids of bonor. It is those ladies who. some Americaus and Euroj>eans tbink, are tbe wives of tbe Emj>eror. Needless to s«y. the travelers arē roistaken. The Empress Haruko is very younger tban bor busband. Sbe i« a littie nnder tbe modium size of American women and r«tber sleuder, but verv straight. For tbe lust sixtoen years sbe Las w rn Enroj>ean dross. Her gowns are all mude iu Faris, and sbe pays | retty good price» for tbem, too, Uutil a few years ago, in bouor of tho nationul custom, sbe wore tbe old court attire \ when sbe appearod a j>ublic ro eoplion, b.d ainee tbe opening of Parliaiuont sbe bus given up ull tbo auciont styles aud is now arruyed only in tbe Iatest Euroj>ean fusbiun. The Empress Haruko bas a I beuutiful coinj>Iexion. 8be is very f«ir, witb rosy cheeks, Iarge j oyes and a ,finely shaped mouth. Her nose is struight and j>rorain- j eut. Even without ber imj>eriil i rnuk sbe would stiil be tbe uui- J versu!lv acknow!edged belle of I Japan. Like bor bnsbuud sbe I displays mmeuse iuterest in tbe educntiou of the geutler se\ aud iu cbunt«ble worka of ull kiuds. Sbe bas ostublisbed several feraale scbools, whieh are nUoiuK d by all classes of girls. One of tbese seraiuaries is cailed “Empre*s Haruko’s Scbool for Girls.'‘ Tbe £mj>rt-ss is a fiue scbo)ar of botb j>olito literature ; and music. Sbe plays tbe piauo ' well. Her poems havo been set i to rausic and usod as iiuperiut I songs. She is tbe founder of the Ited ! Cross Society in Juj>an. Her j visits to tbe bospitals are as de- ' )igtful as they are frequent. Sbe j gires to eueh j)atieut as mueh i cousobition and cnre as if sbe ; were a aiuiple wbite cappednurse of tbe imraorUl Red Cross. Haruko's aoeial duties, thongh few, are somewb«t irksorae. She must pny visits to tbe royal |irincesses and tbe wives of tbe Ministors. ImtUting tbe example of ber imf>erial sj)Onse. she sj>ends ! the morning reading tho domestic j •nd foreign newsjv«pcrs. AU of j her corresj>ondeuce n> «rritten by ( secretaries of tbe softer sex. and tbere is enongh of it to eng«ge all of ber spare tirae. Sbe ie, in ' fact, the busiest woman in the Land of tbe Rising Sun.

Tbree grmnd receptions are given bv the £mperor a»d £mpre*s erery re«r. The first is held on Yetrs D*y. All tbe diplomats of America aud£urope liring in Japan atteod it. Tho second is the spriog reception on Fobruary 2nd—they reckon the 8easous by tbe flowsrs in Japan —and the lhird is on Norember 3rd, whieh is the £mperor'a birthdsy. Ali Iho old forms of oheiaaoee h»re U*eu almliaheiī Goesta at the ūnpeiial receptions salu«e lhoir ro_v.il tnejo*ties jmst as they woold other monaroha of the cmlired world— Eraminrr.