The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1903-10-17
That was in accordance with custom, and
pursuant to superstition.

after the occurrence. But L, as an Amer
lean, found good deal of favor in the
sight of the king, because [ was country
man of Abraham Lincoln, whose memory
he greatly revered.
His governess had told him much about
our martyred president and his emancipa-
tion of the slaves. He had said to her
one day, long before the death of his faith
er, MADAM, if ever reign over Siam, 1
will reign over free people. I will have
no slaves"
1t was my good fortune to be admitted
to the throne room when he undertook,
with partial success, to make that promise
good.
Arrayed in all the gorgeous toggery of
the kingly ofice-every auditor PROSTATE
s9s.en the foor-the young monarch de-
scended to the lower step of his jeweled
throne, and by word of mouth issued his
emancipation proclamation, which was as
follows:
''Let this our Royal Message be pro-
claimed to our people, not as if we were
doing a noble or a generous act, but our
duty simply, that from the first day of
January, 1872, slavery shall cease to be
an institution in SIAM
We left Bangkok and secured the coun-
try for weeks, hoping to find somebody
whose superstitious scruples would yield to
the influence of Siamese money, but not
one such person could we find. On the
contrary, we learned upon our return that
the king had been informed of our offers
to buy the sacred animals, and was greatly
offended. He would not admit one of us
to an audience, and forbade every person
about the palace to hold any intercourse
whatever with us.
But again fortune favored us little
A priest of much official and personal in
fuence at court had fallen desperately in
love with the dressmaker. The first ques-
ton that he had asked the governess about
her was the characteristic Siamese one,
"How old is she?
The dressmaker pretended, from sheer
mischief, to reciprocate his affection, and
they were introduced in the apartments Of
the governess. The priest would not al
low the object of his affection to approach
him, as no priest in Siam is permitted to
touch a woman. But she insisted upon
shaking hands. He offered to compromise
by the use of an umbrella, each to grasp
an end and shake it, She declined Then,
with great trepidation, he offered to wrap
his hand in handkerchief and shake, but
still the naughty dressmaker refused.
Then he became reckless, and offered to
shake with bare hands if she would 90 be-
hind pillar, but she would not consent to
the modus vivendi. He gave her many
valuable presents, and offered to forsake
his priestly dignities and robes, if she
would marry him.
She offered to use her influence over
him to restore us to favor with the king,
or at least secure us another audience.
We had faint hope that somehow mat
ters would turn out all right if we could
reingratiate ourselves with him. We
therefore accepted her offer, and after
good deal of delay were granted audience,
one at time.
When Shelter was admitted he became
very confidential and familiar with His
Royal Highness, and totally forgot discre-
ton, policy, even the plainest principles OF
common sense. In fact, l think he must
have sneaked some English liquor to his
room and taken too much of it before his
visit, for he suddenly blurted out:
"You have five white elephants, and
four are enough; what II you take for the
baby?'
The king at once became purple with
rage, and ordered us all under arrest. Our
cases were referred to the special tribunal
having jurisdiction of capital offenses.
We were condemned to death, upon ex-
actly what charge [ never learned. 1t
was not stranger than some of the witch
craft proceedings of the Puritans in New
England, but we thought it pretty tough.
Intercession by our friends was wholly
without avail. There was soon to be a
great ''gate-opening, which meant sim
ply that two new gates of the city walls
were to be dedicated. 1t was the custom
for the king, on such occasions, to appoint
three persons as guardians for each gate,
who we're treated with the utmost consid-
Grafton for time, feted and fattered.
When all was ready they were placed in
trench, dug the whole length Of the gate
way, SO that only their heads protruded
above the surface of the ground. Thus
stationed they were charged by his majes
ty to guard well the gate, and hasten to
inform him if traitors within or foes with
out should contrive against his person or
palace. As the last words were uttered
the cords which held heavy beam sus-
pended above the victims heads were cut,
and they were crushed and buried in the
gateway.
The king had become civilized to such
an extent that he was desirous of abandon
ing this barbarous custom, but the ''Sec-
ond King" and the Council, clamored for