The Era-leader., 1918-10-31
A Mysterious
Burial lnSlam
ecopyright, 1917, Western Newspaper union')
gv WARREN MILLER

IL BY WHlN<SiS H1iA-AA'
| M--------=.------- -------------.--a.---.-.&s
| 1copyright 1917, Western Newspaper Un'on')
Tn Siam on the banks OF the
Klawng canal, not far from the Guy
of Rankok, lived Lin Thai IN.
+botched house elevated on posts ana
looking more like an antiquated barn
than anything else. One nisht hlin
Thai came home from galnDllhg
house in Bankok-the Siamese beat
the Mexicans in gambling-havlns iost
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
hetel nut dripping through the open-
ings in the floor, Lin looking through
the crevices in the back of the house.
uttered an exclamation OF surprise
and cunning satisfaction. His abode,
though a primitive one, stood in the
vicinity of the residence of Thee Wan'
q 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
rving 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 q spot about hundred yards
from their house; Thee dug hole in
the ground; the box was placed in it,
covered with earth; then the man and
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 ovcrjoyed. He had
often gazed upon the palatlal 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 q lively imagination. ana
, evolved many explanations of the Sc
: cret burial he had witnessed. This
was his favorite theory: Thee Vans
t wife had an orphan nephew, a 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.
e While Linn was asleep that night he
e dreamed that Buddha had appeared to
= him and told him that his theory was
6 correct, and directed him to send a
6 message to Thee telling him that ne
e knew his secret and unless he would
d send him hundred tekels (about SGO)
r he would inform the kings officers
K. 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
"a himself and confirmed the theory. Un
fortunately, the grounds of Thee were
inclosed and guarded by dogs. Lin
would have poisoned the dogs, but thu
y dog is a sacred animal in Siam, ant
:! Linn dared not commit such an un
z holy act. So he proceeded more dis
= creetly, obeying Buddha's instructions
and sent an anonymous letter to The
demanding blackmail.
Linn waited a week, and rcceivin;
- no reply, he sent another message t.
Thee, this time demanding thou
sand tekels for keeping the secret
Since this produced no effect he KEEP
on sending demands, till tiring Q
threats, he sent one more messag
declaring that it was the last, an
that if the money was not immediate
ly forthcoming he would inform tn
kings judicial officers Of what h
had seen.
This, like the rest Of Lim's mes
sages, not producing any effect, he II
formed the kings chief prosecutor G
the mysterious burial and awaited tn
result. He was soon summoned t
court, where he told the whole stor!
including the elephant fortune, whic
had been confirmed by Buddha In hi
dream.
The king was very wroth when h
heard Of the elephants, for his majest
has a cinch on the elephants in Sian
and it is hands off by all others. Fl
sent an order for Thee Wan to appea
Il before him and answer to the chare
i that had been made against him an
his wife. Thee appeared at the cour
and begged that the king send HI
chamberlain to his house; the gray
should be opened, and the contents
the box exposed.
The same day the chamberlain, The
Wan, and his wife, and Lim with a
. tendants from the court, stood besiC
the spot where the burial had take
place. The grave was opened, the Ii
H. removed, and there lay the remai1
y of a little monkey.