Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-10
SIAMESE DANCERS,

having bone to pick. However. a recent
VISIT OF KING chuiaiong-Korn the First 10
Paris, where he was received with due
regal pomp did much to neutralze the
bad blood and pave the way for a truce in
l9o. 1t was while enjoying the festivities
of gay Pans that the king instructed his
representative here to take part in the ex-
position of 1890. and that is why a pretty
Slamese pavilion has been built on the
Champ de Mars, which will be tenanted by
a score of pretty Siamese girls. imported
for the occasion, before many weeks This
mighty King Of Slam, who possesses several
scores of wives and more than two hundred
children, ha" consented to allow some OF
the dancing girls of his private Princess
Theater in the royal palace of Bangkok to
make trip to Paris and perform before
the visitors at the exposition.
"White Elephant" in Evidence.
As is generally known. the white ele-
plant, the sacred and venerated beast SO
dear to the siamese, plays very prominent
part in the life of the picturesque nation
Rare indeed is the pageant of any kind In
Siam in which the huge quadruped is not
In evidence. In every entertainment he has
a part Even If not present In flesh and
bone, some initiation of the weighty beast Is
usually represented. Even on the stage OF
the Siamese theaters, while the pretty girls
are executing their rhythmetic and languor-
Gus dances, one of the actors is almost in
Variably disguised as the while elephant,
flexible trunk and a pair of ivory tusks
A danseuse with a stick goes through a
KIND OF graceful pantomimic evolution and
takes number of artistic poses around the
cardboard eggplant, while the pretty girls,
in their tall-uointed. jeweled caps, in their
rich stuffs and semi-transparent embroid-
cries, perform national dances to the sound
of melodious music proceeding from strange
shaped Instruments, which, happily for
ones ears, are far from being as noisy as
those of the Chinese.
Perennial Persia.
Two thousand years ago Persia was in a.
state of brilliant civilization. The coun-
try possessed magnificent palaces and
grand monuments. Since that time many
an overwhelming change has occurred but
centuries Of strife have failed to crush out
of existence the Persians. They have re-
sisted and survived where other Asiatio
nations have succumbed and finally dis
appeared altogether. Various types of ma
tons have been masters of Persia at diff
ferent epochS. yet the Persia of today does
not appear to have derived many of its
institutions and customs from its conquer
ors. The civilization which Greece spread
over great many ancient countries of this
globe never gained much ground in Persia
Roman civilization succeeded no better.
Even the Christian movement had but
light effect and was soon overcome by the
Mussulman religion. There exists today
at 1spahan a monument Of old Persian
architecture which confirms all this-that
Persia has not modelled its palaces and
buildings on the lines of those of other
nations, but has held tenaciousiy to the
state of culture inherited from its ances-
tors.
An Interesting Pavilion.
The building at Ispahan is called by an
unpronounceabe, double jointed name
which means College of the Sultan Hos
sein. An exact reproduction of this edi-
flee, with its handsome facade, its grand
central entrance and its minarets. is now
being built at the Paris Exposition, under
the care of General Kitabgj-Khan. the
commissioner general from Persia. The ex-
terror of this pavilion will be studded in
many places with brilliantly colored pot
terry, the chief co,ors being ultramarine
blue. turquoise blue. green and orange. The
original of this pavilion built in ITO,
and used a charitable institution.
maintained and managed by the mother of
the Sultan. Her charitable zeal was so
pronounced that she herself used to SUI
perintend the laundry department of the
poor students who occupied free lodgings
IN the establishments.
Persia viii disp ay some artistic wares
in its pavilion which has an advantage
over many other buildings on the Street of
Nations, of terrace covered in parts,
whence a grand view is obtaiuable, and
where, In the hot summer months for
tunate guests of the shah (who, by the
way. is coming to Paris with a numerous
suite in the month of AugusD will find a
delightful and shady retreat.
In one of the other buildings Persia will
make n most artistic exhibition of Persian
carpets Some of the models shown have
never before left their country, whose rep
utation for carpets is universal.
High Art Friezes.
Sculptor Guillot has at length finished
his remarkable friezes. which are being
placed on the lower portion of the main
entrance to the exposition. facing the
Place de Ia CoacorGe. These frieZes are
bas-re;iefs. measuring about thirty feet
long and six feet high. They portray arti-
sans of all callings and trades carrying
to the exposition the products of their la
Dor Every craft is represented by a fig
ure bearing his Instruments and tools. TIE
task of presenting ar'istically and COM