Catoctin clarion., 1918-02-14
A Mysterious
Burial inSiam
By WARREN MILLER


Klawng canal, not far from the city
Of Bankok, lived Lin Thai IN
thatched house elevated on posts ana
looking more like an Anticipated barn
than anything else. One night Lin
Thai came home from a gambling
house in Bankok-the Siamese 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
anl cunning satisfaction. His abode,
though q primitive one, stood IN the
vicinity of the residence OF Thee Wan'
a rich ivory merchant. Linn 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 1T
tie child. Thee carried the box Whlle
his wife held light. They took the
box to spot about hundred yards
from their house; Thee dug hole IN
the ground; the box was placed In IL,
covered with earth then the man ana
his wife knelt beside the spot, ana
they said their prayers. This being
I,l to %
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 us 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.
l. 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
| message to Thee telling him that he
| knew his secret and unless he would
send him hundred tekels (about S6O)
! 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 Il sacred animal in Siam, 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 week, and receiving
mo reply, he sent another message to
Thee, this time demanding a thou
sand tekels for keeping the secret.
Since this produced no effect he kept
ION sending demands, till firing Of
threats, he sent one more message
declaring that 1t was the last, and
that If the money was not immediate
by forthcoming he would inform the
kings judicial officers Of what he
had seen.
This, like the rest of Inns mes
7 Isages, 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
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 Lin, with at
PENDANTS from the court, stood beside
the spot where the burial had taken
place. The grave was opened, the lid
removed, and there lay the remains
Iof little monkey.
Thee explained that 1t had been a
pet Of his wife's, that there was no
nephew, no elephant fortune; indeed,
that Lin had coined the story out Of
lhis brain.
Lin was taken by the chamberlain
to the king and the results Of the In
vestigation were given to his majesty.
him begged to be excused for making
b mistake which was a very natural
one and the king might have excused
him on the ground that his theory had
been confirmed by Buddha himself;
but his majesty was greatly disap-
pointed at not being able to confscate
"a herd Of elephants to attach to his
own herd, and consequently not dis
posed to leniency. He ordered Lin
to be beheaded, and the poor man, In.
stead Of having house over his head.
however imperfect, was consigned to
"a home under ground.