The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1883-07-21
SIamese Women.

hon. ~. ID. OlckleS, late United states
representative at the Court at Siam, in a
recent lecture, thus describes the women
of Siam and the Queen consort: "The
native women of Siam are remarkably
handsome, and, though somewhat di-
minutive, they are naturally graceful in
their movements, and excel the men in
intelligence and shrewdness. They are
the cashiers in almost every native es-
tablishment, and are considered to be
safer guardians OF the money-box than
the proprietors, or even their own hus-
bands, to whom they dole out the cop
per OTIS or silver fudngS with frequent
precautions and admonitions. AL
though, in accordance with Eastern
ideas, they are regarded as inferior to
men in every respect, there are few
countries where they so thoroughly
demonstrate and maintain their equali-
ty as they do in Siam. In every we'll
organized and properly-conducted bust
ness house they are acknowledged to be
indispensable, and nearly all the null
titudinous native hongs and retail estab-
lishments at Bangkok, as well as those
in the remote provinces of the realm,
are either owned or managed by them.
They seem to possess genius for trade
and are marvelously successful in all
kinds of mercantile pursuits. As sales
women in the native shops they are pre-
else and persistent in making bargain,
and always win their customers by
genial craftiness that is too fascinating
to resist, and unaffected plausibility
that disarms suspicion. The Chinese
merchants who settle in Siam and eli
gage in trade have q keen appreciation
of these qualities, and select Siamese
women for their wives in preference to
those of their own race, who are sell
dom capable of becoming anything but
menials or toys. Thus, with the
Eurasians on the one hand and ne
Siamo-Chnese on the other, that section
of the far East is being gradually peo-
pied by new formed races, in which
only a few distinguished traces of the
ancestral type will ultimately be found.
Siamese women are also important
factors in the body polite. In the State,
as well as in the household, she per-
forms part which commands the re-
spect of even those who pretend to de-
spise her sex. In the palace her will is
1.-THE power behind the throne greater
than the throne ITSELF" Her Majesty.
the Queen Consort, though unpro-
claimed as the royal spouse, is never
theless practically supreme in influ-
ence, If not in authority. She is less
beautiful than some of the inmates of
the royal mansion, but more noted for
her ability and intelligence than any of
the women that surround the court
The young King has been devotedly at
tached to her from his boyhood, and de-
MES her nothing that his generous na-
ture can bestow to complete her happi-
ness. It is even asserted that he would
destroy the me-honored custom of his
country by casting aside his other wives,
if she demanded it. She is his con-
slant companion at home, and accom-
panies him on every journey, and was
informed by missionary lady who has
been frequent visitor at the palace
for many years that, in the affairs of
State he relies more upon her judgment
than upon the advice of the members of
the Rrivy Council, who are presumed
to be skilled in the subtle art of State
craft and diplomacy. Besides being
industrious and frugal, she is
gifted with good sense and endowed
with other admirable virtues. When
Mrs. Grant was presented to her in the
private audience chamber of the royal
palace, she conducted herself with a
and dignity of manner that
could not have been surpassed if she
had been a well-trained scholar in the
school of etiquette. Like Queen Amirah,
as described by McGloin in his charm
ing romance of Cambodia, she always
employs her talents and exerts her in
fuence in the interest of her noble lord
and for the welfare of his people,"