The Indianapolis journal., 1893-07-24
THE KING OF SIAM AND HIS REALM.
He L. an Interesting Young Autocrat, and
Rules n Queer People.

He L. Interesting Young Autocrat, and
Rules n Queer People.
San Francisco Chronicle.
The King of Siam is q monarch who has
moro absolute power over his subjects than
the Gear. Few men in this world have as
much to make them feel big and impor-
tant but for one in his position he is q
very much civilized and fin de steele young
person. He is small In person. His head
is crowned with q golden pyramid of jew
els rising in circular tiers diminishing as
they 90 upward. until they end in
q long. pencil-liKe point. which extends
nearly two feet above the forehead OF Its
kingly owner. His body is clad IN gorgeous
coat and vest. heavily embroidered in god
and jewels, and in place of pantaloons LIE
has the rich brocaded surong of the SIAM
ese about his IONS and waist. It comes
down below his knees at the front. and 10
looks not unlike a pair of fancy knicker-
bockers. Below these are q pair of shapely
calves in white silk stockings, and his feet
are thrust into Jewel-covefed. heelless slip
pers. pointed like the shoe of the Turk.
The whole makes costume brilliant eni
grand. He Is q pleasant looking fellow.
and his olive brown face IL plump
and unwrinkled. he has beautiful
liquid black eyes a broad. high. and rath-
Iull forehead. and skort, straight black
hair. Under his rather short and half-tlst
nose there 10 q silky black mustache, and
below this the lips rather thick. and
the chin plump and we'll rounded. His
hands and feet are we'll made. and he 10,
oil told, a good specimen of Siamese beau
ty. He Is the ninth son OF Maha Mongkct.
the last King of Siam. and he was picked
out of q family of eighty-four children 30
be placed on the throne. He has thirty
tour half-brothers and forty-nine half-sis-
tiers.
Looking at him, 1t 10 hard TO imagine
that be Is the sacred ruler of from six mill
lion TO ten million or people and IL IS hard
for an American 10 appreciate his absolute
power and his holy dignity. The people of
the country are his slaves. he has the
right to call them into his service either
with or without pay. and all men in Siam
are forced to give him either the whole or
a part of their services during the year.
His word can throw a man into chains or
put him 10 death; can deprive him of his
property or rob him of his daughter All
the women of Siam are supposed to belong
TO the King, and no one 10 forbidden
10 him except his mother He
Is supposed TO take of his
sisters as his Queen, and the mobiles of the
! country offer him their daughters by the
score. His corrt Is one of intrigue. and the
MOBILES are glad TO have their daughters in
the hsrem so that they may thus the bet-
ter attain the Kings friendship aud pow
erful Offices. He taxes the people as he
pleasee. and those taxes are heavy that
AT times some men have 10 sell their wives
aud children as slaves so enable them TO
pay Eim. Still. his vaults are full of treas.
ure. siam has no national debt and has
an income of more than $40. 0.OO0000 q year.
lie can spend tens OF thousands of dollars
m cremniing "a dead wife'or in establishing
apetty navy
Still, this King of Siam is the most pro.
gressive the country has ever had. He is
lar In advance OF his people. and hs -