A Dignitary Of Japan

On Friday and Saturday last, a few people of Ana Arbor witnessed the presence of a short, stocky branch of Japanese royalty, in the person of Count Nishina, a cousin of the reigning raccoon or tycoon, or - no, the Mikado - there 'we have it - the Mikado of Japan, the country of Asiatic Yankees, the sharp, shrewd sea islanders, who with a population of less than onetwelfth that of China, have not hesitated to declare war and pitch into her, like a smart boy into his grandmother - an exhibition of pluck and confidence that commands the wonder and admiration of the world. Count Nishnia carne fresh from a tour of Europe and is on his way back to Japan, whither he hád been summoned by his royal cousin, the aforesaid raccoon of the Japanese empire, to assume a responsible share in the naval warfare against the "pigtails." The count is about 30 years old, short, stout, mustached, intelligent and richly dressed. He was accompanied by his chamberlain - who 20 years ago attendedthe Michigan University - and by two servants and a whole dray load of baggage. The imperial outfit was met at the train by the Japanese studentsjMenoda, Kikuchi and wada, and the party in a carriage beautifully bedecked witfc flowers were drivèn to the residence of Mrs. Cheever, on Packard street, which was the headquarters or the traveiers during their tarry iu the city. Friday evening they were given a reception by Mrs. Cheever, at which a select company was present. Among those in attendance, not many of us, of course, were of royal birth, but such of our limited number as were, promptly responded to the presence of the cousin of the Japanese Emperor. Count Nishina speaks several languages, among them beingFrench.English, Germán, Italian and Irish. He seemed especially pleased to see the Argus man, remarking that he had often heard of him through the Emperor, who was a regular cash-in-advance subscriber to the Argus, which his imperial highness regarded as one of the few really first-class papers in America. It was, the Count said, one of the highest command of his sovereign that he should return from his trip by way of Ann Arbor and personally present the Argus representative with the compliments of his majesty; that in doing so he was fill&d with feelings of intense pride that so humble an instrument as he should have been selected to discharge so exalted a mission. The Argus man told Mr. Nishina to try to feel unembarrassed in his presence; that he never took advantage of his own elevated position to over-awe others, especially not those who came to him as the direct vicars and mouthpieces of the crowned heads, bearing from them their compliments and assurances of esteem and appreciation. This seemed greatly to relieve the emperor's cousin of his diffidence, and after that conversation was easy, as he and the reporter sat tilted back with their feet on the piano keys, smoking cheroots and talking over the latest base ball scores. On the subject of the Japo-Chinese war the Count said he did not feel at liberty to talk; that he had been ordered home in consequence of it, but really knew little about it, more than couid be gained by reading the American newspapers, especially the Argus; but this much he would venture, however, - that he did not consider the fears regarding Minister Sill's safety at Seoul as well founded; that he had always heard that Minister Sill when an Ypsilanti school teacher, was a very successful "walloper" ; that he thought the minister could take very good care of himself. This allusion to Sill led the conversation in the direction of muscular science, and the distinguished foreigner indulged in some sarcastic remarks regarding Frank Keller's fight with Fitzsimmons. He stated that he had put up heavily on Keiler, and "dropped his wad". He inquired of the Argus man if he thought it was a square fight and was answered in the affirmative. (It will be a cold day when the Argus goes back on Washtenaw.) Count Neshina bathed the beauties of the University and its surroundings in the happiest and most poetic phrases of the Japanese tongue, and warmed into a grand and fervid panegyric concerning the people of America, American institutions, and the close and cordial relations existing between the two countries, which, more than to any one or all other causes corabined he attributed to the force and influence of the Argus and its editorials on international polity. As the ashes of the cheroots were knocked off on the carpet and the Count and newspaper man laid their "snipes" on the velvet piano spread, the former inquired of the latter the secret of his great success in life, whereupon the Argus scribe took him into his confidence and informed him frankly that it was all due to the cultivation of the alkaline, viscid fluid, secreted in a sack beneath the liver. This information he imparted in the Gall-ic tongue, lest others should obtain the secret. He, moreover, informed the Count that when he carne to Ann Arbor he couldn't get trusted at the Cook house for a week's board, whereas he was now able to owe large sums, there and elsewhere, and was .greatly sought after, in society, - or wherever he might be. The happy interview lasted some hours, at the end of which the reporter took his leave. after being assured that Japan's sovereign recognized Grover Cleveland, President Angelí and the Argus man as the three great men of America. Count Mishina and attendants departed Saturday on the 1:53 Central train for the west.