Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1892-10-22
COURT LADIES IN SIAM.
Gossip About Some OF the Inmates OF the
Kings Harem.

/
| Kings Harem.
The Siam Free Press. published at
Bangkok, is very outspolSen in its refer
ences to all matters concerning the
royal family, and has even dared to
speak in uncomplimentary terms of the
beauty of the ladies of the harem. The
editor, presumably English, has very
poor opinion of the Siamese idea of fe-
male loneliness He says q Siamese
beauty requires only yellow face,
bright eyes and small waist to be re-
garded as very charming, and ii, in
addition to these attractions, she is not
over four feet ten inches in height she
may aspire to the highest places.
Above that stature she Is out OF the
race and it is very rare to see q tall,
handsome woman among the Siamese.
If any of the ladies have pretty mouths
they are quickly disfgured by betel
chewing. The Siamese think that
white teeth are too much like those OF
their remote animal progcnitors, and so
they darlSen their teeth in an attempt
to destroy the resemblance. Nearly all
the beautiful young women, according
to Slams standard of beauty, are In
mates of the palace, or are distributed
among the various princes and minor
officials Beauty in Siam, as in not n
few other countries, compcnsates for
want of rank or birth, and blue blood
is recruited and reinvigorated by Sc
lections from the ranks of the lowest in
the kingdom. The highest in the land
do not disdain to mate with the off,
spring of slaves, and the children OF
these unions arc royal highnesses, and
keep their little courts with great ccre-
mony.
Here is an incident printed in the
Free Press: A princess of Siam, sister
of the king, collected number OF chill
dren for the purpose of teaching them
to dance, and many members of the no
bility eagerly sought places for their
daughters in the hope that their grace
full dancing might bring snitors and,
better still, high prices, by which means
they might pay their gambling debts.
Among the number was pretty girl OF
small waist, and limbs well rounded
and plump. During rehearsal the
king passed, and being struck with her
beauty begged that she be placed in his
corps de ballet, which was Immediately
done. The child was of ignoble origin,
but after her master had imposed his
hands on her the stain was removed,
she was announced as his adopted
daughter, and year later she became
member of the harem. Here she was
petted and caressed, though her father
was still slave carpenter with debts
unpaid. The child of some years ago is
now thin and faded woman She has
had her day and is no longer noticed.
Another royal beauty was the daugh-
ter of hard-handed peasant who, un-
able to pay his taxes, was reduced to sla-
very and driven to sell his daughter for
the small sum of $685. She became noble
lady, aud h er daughter, in turn, became
the principal wife of the king, but after
q reign of eleven years she had to make
room for younger favorite. The news
paper says also that there is in the pal
ace handsome young girl who has had
tho objectionable audacity to grow
stout, yet such is her influence still that
her smile brings bracelets of gold to
those whom she favors, and her frown
anlllets of iron. Her powerful hand
still directs the destinies of the king
dom.
1t is quite certain that in no other
capital of the world do newspapers
speak so freely and with such gossiping
of the ruler and the ladies
of his household as in the capital of
Y. Times.
Physician - Twelve glasses Of
brandy a day! Why, have you any coat
at all left to your stomach?" Patient
Amt so certain about that. but know |