Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1918-01-19
A Mysterious
Burial inSiann
By WARREN MILLER
tcOpyrisht. iSiT. western Nsv,psp.r usIoa' !,

IhuiNhtu HouSt tieNuttu on posts and
looking more like an antlquated barn
than anything else. One night Lin
Thai came home from a gambling
hose In Bankok-the Slamese bent
the Mexlcans IN gambllng-having lost
what little money he had, and settled
himself to chewing the betel nut be-
fore turning in On his straw bed.
u While thus engaged. the Juice OF the
betel nut dripping through the OPEN
ngs 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 n primitive one, stood in the
Vicinity OF the residence OF Thee Wan
n rich Ivory merchant. Lin had very
goOd eyes and could distinguish dis
tant objects with remarkable clear.
ness.
lie saw Thee Wan and his wife car-
Trying from the rear or their house n
box just large enough 10 contain a III.
tie child. Thee carried the Aox while
his wife held a light They took the
box To IA spot about hundred Yards
from their house; Thee dug a hole in
the ground; the box was placed in IL.
covered with earth; then the man and
his wife knelt beside the spst. 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
(Llm) 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, u 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 nc
dreamed that Buddha had appeared TO
him and told him that his theory was
correct. and directed him to send
message TO Thee telling him that he
knew his secret and unless he would
send him hundred tekels (about 500
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
and confirmed the theory. IN
the grounds OF Thee were
Enclosed and guarded by dogs. Linn
would have poisoned the dogs, but the
fog il sacred animal I'm Slam, and
Lin dared not commit such an UNI
,oly act. So he proceeded more dis
'reetly. Obeying Buddha's instructions.
md sent an anonymous letter TO Thee
blackmaR.
Lin waited week. and receiving
10 reply. he sent another message 20
Thee, this time demanding thou
and tekels for keeping the secret.
Since this produced no effect he kept
On sending demands, till firing Of
threats. he sent cne more message
that Il was the last, and
hat II the money was not Immediate
y forthcoming he would inform the
Kings judicial officers Of what he
Nd seen.
This. like the rest OF Inns mes
ages, not producing any effect. he In
ormed the kings chief prosecutor OF
he mysterious burial and awaited the
esult. He was soon summoned TO
curt. where he told the whole story,
the elephant fortune, which
ad been confirmed by Buddha In his
ream.
The king was very wroth when be
card OF the elephants. for HIS majesty
as einch on the elephants In Siam.
nd II is hands OF By all others. He
ent an order for Thee Wan to appear
efore him and answer 20 the charge
hat had been made against him and
is wife. Thee appeared ut the court
nd begged that the hing send his
to his house; the grave
hould be opened. and the contents Of
he boz exposed.
The same day the chamberlain. Thee
Van. and his wife. and lin. with at
from the court, stood beside
be spot where the burial had taken
lace. The grave was opened. the lid
emoved. and there lay the remains
a little monkey.
Thee explained that II had been q
ct Of his wife's, that there was no
ephew. no elephant fortune; indeed.
lat Lin had coined the story out Of
ls brain.
Lin was taken by the chamberlain \
, the king and the results OF the ins
estigation were given 10 his majesty. 4
i'm begged 10 be excused for making
mistake which was a very natural