Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-01-30
A Mysterious
Burial in Siam
BY WARREN MILLER

(CepyriGnE l9iI, western Newspaper Chicn''
IN Siam on tie banks of the
Klawng canal, not far from the CITY
Of Bankok, lived Lin Thai IL q
thatched house elevated On posts ana
looking more like an antiQuated barn
than anything else. One night Lin
Thai came home from gambling
house in Bankok-the Siamcse beat
the Mexicans in gambling-having lost
what little money he had, and settled
himself to chewing the betel nut be-
fore turning in on his straw bed.
While thus engaged, the juice of the
betel nut dripping through the open
ings in the floor, Linn looking through
the crevices in the back of the house,
uttered an exclamation of surprise
and cunning satisfaction. His abode,
though q primitive one, stood in the
vicinity of the residence of Thee Wan,
a rich ivory merchant. Lin had very
good eyes and could distinguish dis
tant objects with remarkable clear
ness.
He saw Thee Wan and his wife car
rying from the rear Of their house
box just large enough to contain lit
tie child. Thee carried the box while
his wife held a light. They took the
box to a spot about hundred yards
from their house; Thee dug q hole IN
the ground; the box was placed in 1t,
covered with earth then the man ana
his wife knelt beside the spot, and
they said their prayers. This being
finished, Thee led his wife away, she
weeping as though her heart would
break.
Lin Thai was overjoyed. He had
often gazed upon the palatial resi-
dence of Thee Wan and cursed his
fate in having to live in such hum
BILE abode as his own while Thee wan
resided in such splendor. Lin did
not consider that while the merchant
had worked hard for his comforts, he
Lim) had spent his time gambling.
Lin had lively Imagination, and
evolved many explanations Of the Sc
cret burial he had witnessed. This
was his favorite theory: Thee Vans
wife had an orphan nephew, minor,
who would inherit large fortune In
elephants. The child had been under
the care of his aunt. To get posses
sion of the elephants, the couple had
murdered the heir and buried him In
the rear Of their grounds in the dead
Of night.
While Lin was asleep that night he
dreamed that Buddha had appeared to
him and told him that his theory was
correct, and directed him to send q
message to Thee telling him that he
knew his secret and unless he would
send him hundred tekels (about $6O)
he would inform the kings officers
that he had seen him and his wife
bury their nephew at midnight.
Now, while Lin had every conf
dence in his dream and in Buddha, he
would rather have examined the grave
himself and confirmed the theory. Un-
fortunately, the grounds of Thee were
inclosed and guarded by dogs. Linn
would have poisoned the dogs, but the
dog is q sacred animal in Slam, and
Lin dared not commit such an un-
holy act. So he proceeded more dis
creetly, obeying Buddha's instructions,
and sent an anonymous letter to Thee
demanding blackmail.
Lin waited q week, and receiving
no reply, he sent another message to
Thee, this time demanding thou
sand tekcls for keeping the secret.
Since this produced no effect he kept
on sending demands, till tiring Of
threats, he sent one more message
declaring that it was the last, and
that if the money was not Immediate
ly forthcoming he would inform the
kings judicial officers of what he
had seen.
This, like the rest Of Inns mes
sages, not producing any effect, he in
formed the kings chief prosecutor Of
the mysterious burial and awaited the
result. He was soon summoned to
court, where he told the whole story,
including the elephant fortune, which
had been confirmed by Buddha In his
dream.
The king was very wroth when he
heard of the elephants, for his majesty
has q clnch on the elephants in Siam,
and it is hands off by all others. He
sent an order for Thee Wan to appear
before him and answer to the charge
that had been made against him and
his wife. Thee appeared at the court,
and begged that the king send his
chamberlain to his house; the grave
should be opened, and the contents OF
the box exposed.
The same day the chamberlain, Thee
Wan, and his wife, and Linn, with at
tendants from the court, stood beside
the spot where the burial had taken
place. The grave was opened, the lid
removed. md there Law the remains