Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1913-11-14

travel returned home to take up the
serious study of his fathers kingdom 1t was
thought that a matter of course he would fol-
low the custom of the royal house to which he
belonged and marry But. greatly to the aston
ishment of the entire realm this he fatty refused
to do, and not even his fathers kingly requests
could change his decision Now, marriage by
Siamese monarch means not the simple taking
of one wife, but the complicated and wholesome
absorption of a hundred. His late majesty King
Chulalongkorn had three wives when he was
crown prince and added 81 others to his house
hold before ascending the throne, and his father
the great Mongikut. claimed many hundreds OF
wtyeE. So when young Prince Vajiravudh turned
his back upon the beauties OF the court and
would have none Of them he established prece
dent of cebacy unheard of in his domain since
before time was"
There was never a suspicion of scandal
nected with the prince, either while he was at
Sandhurst or at Christ college, Oxford nor dur
ing his many visits to Berlin. Paris, Madrid,
Vienna London-coverlng many years OF his
most impressionable age-not even word during
his flying trip through the states and II he went
back to his Asatic throne leaving his heart here
or in Europe the world has never been notified
of the matter nor has any particular caretaker
been singled out as the possible happy custodian
of the royal gift.
But should this rumor have more than the
usual claim for credence-should his majesty.
Maha Vajiravudh, the supreme ruler OF all Siam,
"marry an American''-what then? There is
royal family in this democratic country from
which the young man could or should make his
choice and by doing cement the bonds that
already hold his little kingdom in far away Asia
very close to Uncle Sans heart. But there are
American ladies a-plenty that are fair to look
upon, rightminded and talented enough to be any
monarch's queen, and II this be culture quest
as well longing of the heart-there can be
no question of money In the affair, no bargain
of gold for title for Slam is one of the richest
of the little kingdoms of the world and her SOW
ereign holds by the right of possession legal
title to about everything worth having In his
entire state-if this then be a quest Of the royal
girl his majesty could make better choice
than one of the true American nobility many
of whose daughters already serving in similar
positions of trust and responsibility with rare
distinction and dignity, though as co-rulers over
smaller principaties.
When the writer a child he remembers
being taken by the hand by King Mongkut. Vail
ravudh's grandfather. and being led into the
kings favorte room-hs American room. On
the walls of portraits OF the presidents
OF the United States. They not good like
nesses-some of them-but they we're the best
his native artist could make from the photo
! graphs and other pictures his majesty had &C.
cured. They were all there, however. and In
order. from Washington to the ruler at that time
| Abraham Lincoln.
II am very fond OF America" said his majesty.
as he closed the door. very fond. And some
| day to be united"
Was this prophecy, that, uttered half cen
fury ago. is to be fulfilled by the marriage of his
! grandson to American
! Old King Mongkut patterned his policy of
! righteous rule" as closely after the principles
4 found In the Declaration of Independence as he
\ dared and remain the throne OF his father
\ His son, King Chulalongkorn, never ceased to
1 lament that he was not permitted to see the
promised land Of America His multiplicity of
wives and his desire 10 bring than one
1 with him on his official visit caused colfness
| in Washington diplomatic circles that damped
! his ardor at the time-and he insisted upon his
4 son making a special effort to visit the Entee
4 States and personally meet the president Of tho
! great country OF which your grandfather
! fond and which have beer unable to see ~
There have always exfsted the moss cordial
relations between these two Numerically OPP
/ posed goyernments-the most despo;ic and the
most democratic France has bullied her Asiatie
others; the descendant of line Of princes dat.
4 ing back to time when Egypt In her IN
1 fancy and before Greece was born he. the Illus
trious, the invncible the divine master of the
immortal souls, has played football at Rugby.