The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-06-12

Out to see the world. The king Of
Slam 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-
ton. or is moved by 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
y good time and is making the most
of his opportunities wherever he goes
Paris has just extended the glad
hand to him, and il going to help him
have good time. as only the Paris
fans can do. No doubt kingly honors
ard distinction win be showered upon
him. but It is not just what he is
afGr. according to persons who are
close to his majesty and who say that
he specially desires to remain as much
inccgnito 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
other Europena cities are on his list.
after which it is likely that he viii
como TO America and cross to the Pa
cific coast, where he will embark for
tho voyage back to his own land and
his place at Bankok.
There Is no sovereign In the world
vino ii accustomed to receive more
abiecL homage than his majesty of
Siam. lie 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 R1iddy 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 kneeI before
him. His brothers do likewise. So
King Chulalongkorn is not likely TO be
much impressed by a crowd that
keeps on its legs before him aud
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
much easier billet than the occupants
OF European thrones. He is invested
with powers as autocratic as those OF
the car 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-
lightenment In which monarchs are
regarded as costly superluities
Chual0ngkorn is not required to lead
the strenuous life. He can take
things as easy as he pleases. His in
come Is something like $iO00O,000 d
year His gorgeous royal palace ai
Bangkok Is a walled and battIemented
city within a city. Behind the line ol
not very warlike sentrles who guard
its massive gates is contained treas
ure far in excess OF the loot obtained
BY the greatest feat OF robbery com
mitted In modern times-the sackine
Of the summer palace Of Peking II
1860 It Is really double palace-ar
outer and an inner palace. Into tbs
latter no European Of the male ses
has ever penetrated It contains
about 1000 women and one man. Ant
that man is the king. The Siamesl
call the place Kang Maj ("The In
side and SO sacred Is II held tina
etiquette forbids any open allusion t
1t.
The most extraordinary feature o
the Kang Nal Is the submergel
harem, situated in an artificial lake
It is built entirely Of glass Of Farie
gated colors. the plates being joine
together by an insoluble cement It
,rnamented with quaint turrete an
mInnrets. When not in use, II float
on tho oarface Of The lake. When II