EE-EE. These letters which, to the perplexity of European travellers, adorn the signboard of many forwarding agencies in modern Japan, stand for the English word 66 express."

Embroidery. The reader may tire of being told of each art in succession that it was imported into Japan from China viâ Korea by Buddhist missionaries. But when such

is the fact, what can be done but state it? The greatest early Japanese artist in embroidery of whom memory has been preserved was Chujō Hime, a Buddhist nun of noble birth, who, according to the legend, was an incarnation of Kwannon, the Goddess of Mercy. After enduring relentless. persecution at the hands of a cruel stepmother, she retired to the temple of Taema-dera in Yamato, where her grand embroidered picture, or mandara as it is called, of the Buddhist heaven with its many mansions, is still shown. The gods themselves are said to have aided her in this work.

The embroidery and brocade and painted silks of more modern days possess exquisite beauty. Quite a new invention is the birōdo yūzen, in which ribbed velvet is used as the ground for pictures which are real works of art, the velvet being parily cut, partly dyed, partly painted. Being but a man, while some of his readers are sure to be ladies whose sharp eyes would soon detect mistakes, the present writer hesitates to enter into any further details on this subject. He would only recommend all who can to visit the Kyōto embroidery and velvet shops, and to take plenty of money in their purse. There may be two opinions about Japanese painting; there can be only one about Japanese embroidery.

Note in passing, as an instance of topsy-turvydom, that comparatively few Japanese embroiderers are women. All the best pieces are the work of men and boys.

Employés. See FOREIGN EMPLOYÉS.

Empress. The Salic law was only introduced into Japan with the new Constitution of 1889. Before then, several Empresses had sat on the throne, and one of them, the Empress Jingo (excuse the name, O! English reader! it signifies divine prowess "), ranks among the greatest heroic figures of early Japanese legend (see article on HISTORY AND MYTHOLOGY).

The present Empress is of course Empress Consort. Her name is Haru-ko, correctly translated by Pierre Loti, in his Japoneries d'Automne, as "l'Impératrice Printemps."

Wisely abstaining from even the shadow of interference in politics, this illustrious lady, daughter of a high noble of the Court of Kyoto, devotes her life to learning and to good works, hospitals in particular engrossing her attention. The Red Cross Hospital at Akasaka in Tokyo, one of the most spacious-one might well say luxurious-hospitals in the East, was her creation, and the Charity Hospital at Shiba in Tokyo also enjoys her munificent patronage.

English as she is Japped. English as she is spoke and wrote in Japan forms quite an enticing study. It meets one on landing, in such signboard inscriptions as

TAILOR NATIVE GOUNTRY.

DRAPER, MILLINER AND LADIES OUTFATTER.
The Ribbons, the laces, the veils, the feelings.*

* Can the shopkeeper mean "frillings?"

THE IMPROVED MILK.

TIME PIECE SNOP.

Photographist love.

The European monkey jacket make for the Japanese.

A GROG SHOP, A POT HOUSE.*

To sell the insurable watch.
CNAIPS SNOP (for Chair Shop).

THE BERBAR.

CARVER AND GILDER FOR SALE.
BEST PERFUMING WATER ANTI-FLEA.
CHEMINARY ENGLISH IS NIGHT†

and a hundred more. The thirsty soul, in particular, can make himself merry, while he drinks, with such droll legends on bottles as

FOGREN COUNTY WINES LITTLE SEAL.
ST. JUILEN Bottled by BORDEAUX.
WORLD NAME WINE.

VIEUX NOURISSANT. SUPERIEUR

PRESERVEDPROVISION.

NEIG. TWEIVENEN

EXAMINE RIEN WINE

BONNE MANUFACTURE. OF

JNDO. GOMPANY CXAMINE PIEN WINE VERY.

This, by the way, over an excellent restaurant.

This inscription is over an English night school at Nagoya, Cheminary, we suppose, represents the word "Seminary."

Eating, as well as drinking, offers opportunities for linguistic display. Here is a bill of fare placed on the table last summer at the Tōnosawa Hotel. Premising that the first two items are meant respectively for "Fried Fish" and "Omelette," we leave it to the ingenious reader to decipher the rest. He must take our word for it that the whole is supposed to be in English. As an additional help, it may be charitable to add that from Su to ku pi ru (Stock Beer) onwards, is what may be termed the wine card :

* The characters on the right hand are a transliteration of the words into the Katakana, or Japanese syllabary.

Many strange notices are stuck up and advertisements circulated. The following is the manner in which "Fragrant Kozan Wine" is recommended to public attention:

If health be not steady, heart is not active. Were heart active, the deeds may be done. Among the means to preserve health, the best way is to take in Kozan wine which is sold by us, because it is to assist digestion and increase blood. Those who want the steady health should drink Kozan wine. This wine is agreeable even to the females and children who can not drink any spirit because it is sweet. On other words, this pleases mouth and therefore, it is

very convenient medicine for nourishing.

JAPAN INSTED OF COFFEE.*

More men is not got dropsg of the legs who us this coffee, which is contain nourish.

*I.e. being interpreted, "a Japanese substitute for coffee."