The Washington times., 1906-03-11
s Needy King Has Organized a
Company Of Three Hundred Be1utfu
and ViTtuous f1aidens Of His Kingdom
Whom He Will Take on a Tour Of the
World Exhibiting Their Skill in Dancing
the Measures Once Trod Before
Buddha, Himself Acting as ImDresario.

traction for tour of the States. No
doubt poster artists are even now de-
signing the naTing announcement OF
II. r. II. Sisawortha. Rex Cambo-
diae- will personally" etc.
The incredulous should begin at an
early date TO disabuse their minds Of
The suspicion that the whole affair is
a hoax. Sisawortha declares that his
story is only too true. too sadly true.
That is should come to this-that
king should be forced by bitter cir
cumstance TO convert his scepter into
baton and mingle with the humble
chorus! Surely the gods are asleep
that they allow. such bitter neces-
sity to overtake the person of one
Claiming divine origin
1t al arose from the fact that the
French persisted in conquering Cam
bodia. From 1863 to 1sS4 the French
protectorate was only nominal, but dur
ing the latter year King Norodom. The
father of the present ruler, was CO.
creed into signing a treaty which took
from him all plenary powers.
According TO a Iong-estabIshed Gus
tom the King of Cambodia is expected
10 pay all the living expenses Of his
court, which is made up Of some e0o0
persons. As is we'll known. il were bet
ter that a man had never been born
than that he should violate a custom
of as long standing as this one, for
all gord Indo-Chinese, Ike the citt.
zsny OF the celestial empire itself, are
ancestor worshipers.
France has never been particularly
liberal with her puppet kings, and as
result OF this psrsimony. His Majesty
Sisawortha Ands himself in the very
embarrassing position OF having
family of 500 who look 10 hIm "a
their sole means of support Even in
Cambodia. where man can live com
fortably on $40 month. this family
is a heavy drain upon the private ex-
chequer. Something had TO be done.
and done quickly. Extravaganza man
making money presenting their comic
operas purporting TO represent geisha
girls, Korean dancers, and Chinese
choruses. Why should not he present
the real thing? Like Senator Plunkett,
of Tammany Hal. sisowortha seen
his opportunity and TOOK it
There was another fact that figured
prominently in the Kings calculations.
He could secure his chorus coo strong.
and his maximum salary would not ap-
proach within haiIing distance Of the
customary SIs per week The aver
age man or woman in Cambodia is in
afffuent circumstances If he or she Is
commanding salary Of t3 month
Another fact which the prospective
Grafton was that the walking dele
gate has not yet made his appearance
on the Cambodan coast. and. as a con-
sequenca. until a union delegate learns
the language of the Indo-Chinese, Sisa-
wortha is practically safe from any
danger of a Con-iedian strike,
Viewing the project from a utilitarian
standpoint his kinship is a wise man
in his generation. 1t will only require
several interviews each from these 800
dancers that he viii import to make
the name OF Cambodia household
word in every land. And many will
be the startling stories that these
beauties of the Orient can relate. For
example, they can say that the Cam