Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1911-05-30
MISS STARLINC'S
SIAM LETTER:
More About Daily Life in the
Asiatic Mission Field.

n
have gotten through. IL II were not
that the former king is to be cremat.
ed today. so all the schools are TAX
ing a holiday. 1t is customary to
wait three years after the death OF
a king before cremating him. but
many years ago, this king said he
did not want so much money spent.
and so much parade at Mis- death,
so they are carrying out his wishes.
! hear. too. that the present king ia
going to release all the former wives,
Of whom there are some. belonging
to his grandfather. still living. AT
the death Of q king all his wives are
prisoners in the palace. the rest of
their lives, but the new king will do
away with this. How far these
changes will endear him with the
people, or If it will antagonize them.
remains to be seen.
There are to be proper exercises
here this afternoon, which all our
men will attend. 1t is difficult to
get flowers now, so most Of us had
artificial wreathes made. as the ma
tives do. The flowers are made Of
white pitch, and are very ingenious
ly done. But l went over this morn
ing and made wreath for DIR. and
Mrs. McGilvary. The foundation
was of bamboo. wrapped with vine.
very much like the yellow jasmine
you used to have. The flower Of this
vine is a lavender trumpet flower,
and put in sprays of this. but not
too thick. it made a very graceful
design.
| have been working all week on
my order for next year, amounting
in all to over a hundred dollars. and
will get them off on thiy mail. 1t
was my first experience, but it didn't
take me nearly as long as it did Miss
Buck. She says she changes her
mindiso often about what she wants,
and has to make out her orders. $50
many times. Perhaps, after | have
had more experience. l will be more
careful. bust this time. got few
things didn't absolutely need. and
got the best variety, of course, hav
ing fairely good market here. !
can fall back on that, if l find | have
ordered short. And then, am not
so dependent on canned goods as she
is. | have adapted myself very well,
to native vegetables and fruits.
Thank you so much for the flower
seed, opened them the next day.
to have them planted out. but they
were badly crushed and / am afraid,
will not mature. l planted them,
however. That reminded me that
the seed you sent before were in the
same condition, so | guess | won't
try papsies, any more. The hot
season has begun, and it is rather
late for tomatoes, but l planted a
few. to see if they would mature. If
they don't / have seed left, to plant
in the fall. My first cosmos blossom
appeared today, and am very
proud of it.
| did not hear from you this week,
in fact there seemed to be very little
foreign mai. though got two let
tiers from New York.
Last Friday afternoon, Mrs. Mil
Ter had her baby christened, and
Mrs. Kerr was at home afterwards,
to give people chance to tell her
goodbye. DR.. McGilvary christen
ed the baby. and it was a most pain
full ceremony. Mrs. Kerr was hold
ing him, when the time came, she
put him in DR.. Ms. arms. But the
old man is easily confused, and asked
her to change the baby. which she
did. This put the baby on his right
arm. and when he went TO reach for
the water. he could not let go the
baby. He tried to put his left arm
under the baby, so his hand would
support its head, but he could bare
ly reach its head with the tips of his
fingers. He began to tremble, and
made grab for the baptismal bowl
three times. and spilled water all
over the floor, but didn't get enough
on his hands to taptize the baby.
After each attempt. he would have
to grab the baby, to keep il from