The Newark journal., 1904-01-22
QUEER CUSTOMS OF SIAM.
Boys Rise at Dawn to Take Bath
 Fishing Favorite Sport.

The Siamese boy rises at early dawn and goes to the river to bathe. He uses no soap, pours the water over his head with d bucket, then plunges in the stream and finally runs about to dry himself if he is not the happy possessor of a towel or it's equiv alent, says the Montreal Herald.
 He takes his breakfast of rice. salt fish and fruit from brass or earthenWare vessels, sitting on the floor as he does, and using his fingers in lieu of spoons and forks. After breakfast he has to spend the day in play and sleep, for school inspectors are unknown and schools are both few and in- efficient.
 Fishing is q fayorite sport. X bit of cane, some thread and q worm on pin will serve quite well enough to capture d few fish out of the thousands that abound in the canals and rivers. At low tide, when the canals that thread the country with an intricate net. ting of water passages are mere valleys of slimy mud, they go into the oozy dirt and catch praWns with coarse sleeves. These prawns are allowed to r.. pen in the sun, and when they are sufficiently high and spicy they are eaten with a mixture of very strong vinegar and fiery pepper. This k a diet that is said to be stimulating to the appetite. As a change from fishing, they in- dulge ill 'mud-balling,' the Siam ese equivalent for snowballing. Neither children nor adults are fond of active exercise fer them selves, but they are keenIy excited by the exhibition of physical en- ergy in others, especially if the ex- hibition is in any way cumulative. Hence they delight in cock fights.
 At night they search for crick- cts, and, having collected num- ber, they place them, two and two, in little jars of hard baked mud and by skillful application of small piece of wood urge the little creatures to engage in warfare. They also catch fighting fish, These they feed on mosquito lar vac, and then train them to fight. The fish become very pugnacious and are exceedingly skillful in their attempts to dispose of their enemies.
 Everybody smokes, from baby to grandfather. The native to- bacco is very strong, but Europe an tobacco rolled in lotus leaves makes cigarette with a flavor that is by no means to be despised.
 Siamese girls marry when about II and men at 20. When young man is in love he gets an old woman to propose for him. The proposal is made to the girls par ents, and not to herself. The chances are she has never seen her would-be husband If the pro. posal is fayorably entertained there are many formalities to be gone through.
 The astrologer must be consult. cd to see what the stars say, for man who was born in the year of the rat' would most likely lead very unhappy life with a woman whose natal year had been presid- ed over by the dog X sufficient ly large bribe to the astrologer will generally be found to prove that the stars are favorable. Then there is the question of dowry. The young man pays to the brides parents a certain amount of money called the price of the mothers milk" This is re- turned to the bride on the birth of the first child. All gifts and mes- sages between the two young peo- pie are conveyed by the parents. They indulop in no courtsbin and