Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1907-06-18

OuL TO see the WOllu. L ne hluS VI
Siam by easy stages is going to girdle
the earth, and whether the potentate
of this little Asiatic kingdom is actu-
ated by a spirit of adventure and
longing for some new sight and sensa-
tion or is moved by a deep purpose
to know the world better that he may
govern his principality more wisely is
an open question, but one thing is GER
tain, and that is he is having a royal
ly good time and is making the most
of his opportunities wherever he goes.
Paris has just extended the glad
hand to him, and is going to help him
have a good time as only the Pr is
ians can do. No doubt kingly honors
and distinction will be showered upon
him, but it is not just what he is
after according to persons who are
close to his majesty and who say that
he specially desires to remain as much
iacognito as possible, as he wants to
do much sight seeing and on the quiet
have the time of his life"
And after Paris is covered from
center to circumference, London and
ether Europena cities are on his list,
after which it is likely that he will
come to America and cross to the Pa
cific coast, where he will embark for
the voyage back to his own land and
his place at Bankok.
There is no sovereign in the world
who is accustomed to receive more
abject homage than his majesty of
Siam He possesses a most imposing
string of titles, Among other things
he is supreme arbiter of the ebb and
flow of the tides, brother of the moon,
half brother of the sun and owner of
four and twenty golden umbrellas.
Whenever he takes an airing in his
own domain his faithful subjects pros
trate themselves as he passes by, no
matter how muddy the streets may
happen to be- Even the highest in the
land when they approach his august
presence must do so on all fours. His
favorite wives have to kneel before
him. His brothers do likewise. So
King Chulalongkorn is not likely to be
much impressed by crowd that
keeps on its legs before him and
shouts and waves hats and handker-
chiefs at him. He won't bob his head
until his neck aches as European
kings are expected to do when they
show themselves to the public.
AS king of Siam, Chulalongkorn has
4 much easier billet than the occupants
Of European thrones He is invested
with powers as autocratic as those of
The czar of Russia, but his is a pa
ternal despotism which is not tenn
pered by assassination. Siamese folk
don't throw bombs, and none of them
have yet reached that stage of en-
ightenment in which monarchs are
regarded as costly superfuities.
Chulalongkorn is not required to lead
The strenuous life. He can take
.hings as easy as he pleases. His in
come is something like $10,O00,000 a
year. His gorgeous royal palace at
Bangkok is walled and battlemented
,ity within a city. Behind the line of
lot very warlike sentries who guard
is massive gates is contained treas
ire far in excess of the loot obtained
)y the greatest feat of robbery com
nitted In modern times-the sacking |
If the summer palace of Peking in
1850. 1t is really double palace-an
'uter and an inner palace. Into the |
after no European of the male sex
las ever penetrated. 1t contains
about 1000 women and one man. And |
hat man is the king. The Siamese
all the place Kang Mai ("The In
iide,') and so sacred is 1t held that |
,tiquette forbids any open allusion to
I.
The most extraordinary feature of |
he Kang Mai is the submerged |
iarem. situated In an artificial lake.
/ is built entirely Of glass of varie-
gated colors, the plates being joined |
ogether by an insoluble cement. It Is
,rnamented with quaint turrets and
nlnarets. When not in use, It floats
"a the surface Of the lake. When the |