Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-01-27
THE QUEEN OF SIAM.
A Brief Talk With a Child-liks Lit.
tie Creature,
Twenty-oae Years Old and the Mother OF
-Four Children Etiquette in The
Siamese Royal
Palace.
Bdnkok CIR. y. Y, Times.


afternoon when We drive up to the great
gate Of the palace, accompanied by an
English lady, who has kindly volun-
teered to act as Mrs. Ker's introducer
Such an offer is no light heroism, for IL
is a regular Bsnkok day, the damp,
sticky, vapor. bath heat of winch makes
our very clothes cling to Us, till we look,
to quote the graphic words OF my Irish
landlord in Brazil, "just like a pound OF
butter rowled up in al old newspaper"
Outside the broad road is cloud OF
powdery dust. Inside the cloudless
sunshine pours down upon the hot,
white pavement with binding glare.
Not culver shakes the vast banner
like leaves of the encrcling trees, not a
breath stirs the royal standard over
head. Even the native chaln.gang
seem to feel the universal oppressive
tess and move about more laDguidly
han usual to the slow music of their
clanking fetIers. TIE polished cornices
and gilded turrets of the temples glow
IKE pinacl,s Of fire, and the queer little
cbocoIate-iaced sentry at the foot Of
The Grand Staircase
seems as much used up as the dog that
laid its head against wall to bark.
I.auguid ~ he is, however, he Is not too
far gone to step forward anu bar our
way, the rule OF the state apartments
being, "No admittance except on bust
ness" We attempt to explain, but
only succeed In being mutually un-
Ineligible. Fortunately, young
Siamese officer comes up at this mo-
ment, and to him We mention the
name of the Prince Devan, the Queens
brother, who mas arranged to meet US
in the state apartments and to act as in
terpreter during our interview with the
Queen, whose knowledge of English is
still inferior to that OF the King him
self. At the Princes name our new
friend bows with an sir OF sudden en-
lightenmeDt and leads US up the broad
mari BILE stair, the soldiers on either side
|. Salu,ing as we pass. Through the door
way at the top we enter the small paved
ante-hall, across which, on the occasion
of the Kings birthday levee, We passed
first TO the hall OF waiting on the left.
But this time we turn to the right and
enter another long hall very much like
| its opposite neigE Dor on the Left, except
| that it is barer, mere plainly furnlshe l.,
| and altogether more like a corridor
| than a room. IL is decorated, however,
| with paneied freScoes similar to those
IN the hall Of waiting, conspicuous
| among which are the keen eyes aud
gaunt, shrewd features OF the present
Kings father, Somdetch P'hra Para
mendr Maha MOngkut.
Having brought US into the hall,
Cur siamese Conductor
motions US to some stiff, high backed
4 chairs Of the regular schoOl-Ioom pat
| tern, aud then goes of to announce our
| arrival to the Prince. He had hardly
! disappeared when in his place rises q
| grim apparition-the figure Of wrin-
kled, STOPPING, fearfully ugly old native
| woman, very much like long.srmed
black ape turned gray by age. This is
| the head p0rIress of the palace, q last
surviving relic, it may be, Of the famous
'f male bcdy-guard," some trace o.
witch still fingers in the police-women
L
the Kings wives. Queer as she looks
however, this venerable Amazon has
as | afterward learned) shown consid'
cradle Courage on more than one occa
sion, and has remained at her post when
many Of heI masculine colleagues were
deserving theirs in panic. She accosts
us in q shrill, parrot like falsetto, and
on learning our errand, volunteers to GO
and lind out whether the Queen isready
TO receive us. But scarcely have hel
dusky limbs and short white skirt van.
ished through the doorway, when the
two or three native attendants who are
lowering in the background suddenly
drop down on their hands and knees a:
if about to scrub the floor. Looking
| round, we perceive the object of all this
homage in the form OF a short, rather
stout young man, with round, good
humored face, clad in the usual white
Jacket and kniekerbocker-like "pe.
noOng," who proves to be- no other thar
the Prince himself. He greetS Us In re-
markably good English, and invites u;
TO INSPECT the throne room and the hal
of waiting, described in my account o.
the royal levee. Finally, after We have
examined the artificial trees with GOLD
and silver leaves which form part o
the national tribute, he ushers Us into
the
Kings Private Sitting. Room
at the end of the hall. AS We go along
he asks various questions about ouI
travels, seems greatly interested In oul
account of Zuiuland aud Afghanistan
and laughs heartily at my description
of the underground men" IN Contra
Asia popping up like rabbits from thei
subteranean burrows. Every Sismes,
whom we pass drops down ut sight o
the Prince and crawls along till we'll be
yond him, suggesting Q very compli
Gated show of gymnastics.
| We make snort work Of the roya
sitting-room, which exhibits the usua
Quaint mixture Of French and Chimes,
furniture. The principal ornaments an
. small portrait Of the Queen 10
European dress, q few nicknscks pre-
scented by Western sovereigns, aud ar
exquisite little model OF the Venetian
state galley, "Bucentsur," with gold
en- canopy and silver oars. But by thi:
time the hour Of audience Is st hand
and passing q second time through tn,
Il Qall duu luIOuc IOou1t VIC ucSOouS
marble stair to the Queens apartments
We come first to kind Of marble con
servatcry, In the centre Of which Is 8
small tank surrounded with exotics
and just beyond it four or five OF tht
royal maids of honor crouching OF
hands and knees at the entrance to ,
deep, shadowy, pillared recess. With
In, amid 3 number Of European chair
profusely gilt and lined with yellow
damssk, stands . slight, girlish figure
in q white muslin jacket and brigh
green scarf, q short purple skirt, mauvr
stockings and black leather shoes will
high heels. 1t requires all the quie
dignity OF
/ The Queens Attitude
and bearing to convince US that thi
Il slopdar l;ffla hroun fairv caD raalIy n