Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-12-17

S~seSSS'SeseSses's'Seses eseseSes>ess>eSS
yard, where h. has q house for them.
The richer the man is, the more
wives.
When a man goes broke" he lives
with and OF of his friends until he
gets on his feet again.
And yet" says Huffman. the
Siamese do not mix like We do. They
do not call on each other or dine with
each other, and foreigners do not call
on them. Their chief outdoor sports
are kicking the rattan ball and kite
flying. A circle of men or boys will
form and keep the ball going without
touching 1t with hands. Expert per-
formers will keep the ball in the air
half an hour. knocking it with head,
elbows, knees and feet, but never
touching 10 with hands. In kite flying
rival parties will send up a male and
female kite, so called, the male be-
ing the larger. A line is drawn on
the ground. The male tries to grab
the lady kite and elope with her
across to his side of the line. The
female flyer also tries to abduct the
male to her side. Whichever il able
to carry the other wins"
Marriage Customs.
Huffman says the young Siamese
swain never calls on his sweetheart
at her home; that woulC be impos-
sible. He sees her outside and they
begin a Irritation. Then they meet
often. and may even elope and wed.
But usually the marriages are ar
ranged beforehand. The bridegroom
gives the parents what IL called milk
money" for the bride. This Is to pay
them for the bride. When they marry
they live together In the parents
home for q year. then 60 to their own
home, and perhaps the parents will
return the milk money to let the
young couple buy furniture and get
q good start.
Huffman employs more than one
hundred on the Daily Mail. all but
four being Orientals He issues both
an English and q Siamese edition.
The typesetters are paid from SO to
$40 per month-good wages in Siam.
The same motion picture plays are
exhibited over there" said Huffman.
''and they are attended by crowds Of
the natives. who enjoy the pictures
with keen delight.
1T is very difficult to tell the men
from the women. for all wear a sort
of trousers or skirt that gives you no
chance for distinguishing. The Siam
ese takes a roll of silk about three
and a half yards long, wraps 1t
around the body, rolls up the loose
end tightly and then. bringing 1t be-
tween the legs, fastens 4 securely to
the waist in the back.
Elephant Lore.
For a while Huffman had charge of
timber work In q tearwood forest
where elephants are employed. He
has had much experience with the
biz beasts.
Some of them are harder to ride
than q bucking bronco" he said.
Some elephants will shake their
heads when the rider straddles their
neck. The rider will be thrown from
side to side so violently that he will
be sore for a week afterward. sore
enough. maybe. to keep in bed. Then
there are a few elephants that shrink
their skin to make II uncomfortable
for the rider. This is worse than
ever, for It makes the rider culver
violently from head to foot and dazes
him. The female is more docile than
the male We used them to carry logs
to the river and then work them down
| stream. Sometimes when we would
have q jam we would send in q strong
elephant to break up the logs"
| When three or four years old the
elephant becomes rather mischievous
At that age it may stand five feet
high and is very heavy. Often they
will run down q man, give him ar
affectionate slap with the trunk OF
his back. then run away squealini
in delight. But the gentle little slaY
usually makes q man take the count
Once in a while, Huffman says. al
elephant will kill and eat q man. HI
says he knew of such q case.
Monster Gray Eagle.
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