The Era-leader. [volume] (Franklinton, La.) 1910-current, 1920-11-25
4 Mysterious
Burial inSiiam
By WARREN MILLER


Tn Siam on the banks OF the
KIawng canal, not far from the city |
of Bankok, lived Linn Thai in
house elevated on posts and
looking more like an antiquated barn |
than anything else. One night Lin
Thai came home from a gambling |
house in Bankok--the Siamese beat
the Mexicans In gNmhling-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 opeT-
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,
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 q light. They took the
box to q spot about hundred yards
from their house; Thee dug a 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 raiatiai resi-
dence Of Thee Wan antl cursed his
fate in having to live In sucl! Il mum
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 a lively imaglnation and
evolved many explanations OF the Sc
cret burial he had witnessed. This
was his favorite theory: Thee Vans
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.
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 a
message to Thee telling him that he
knew his secret and unless he would
send him a 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. I'm
fortunately, the grounds of Thee We're
inclosed and guarded by dogs. Lin
would have poisoned the dogs but the
dog is a sacred animal in Siam, and
Linn 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 a week, and receiving
no reply, he sent another message tr
Thee this time demanding a thou
sand tekels for keeping the secret
Since this produced no effect Ire KEEP
on sending demands, till firing OF
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 thu
kings judicial officers Of what hi
had seen.
This, like the rest of Inns mes
sages, not producing any effect, he in
formed the kings chief prosecutor O.
the mysterious burial and awaited tn
result. He was soon summoned t.
court, where he told the whole story
including the elephant fortune, which
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 Siam
and 1t is hands off by all others. H
sent an order for Thee Wan to appea
before him and answer to the charg
that had been made against him AM
his wife. Thee appeared at the court
and begged that the king send hi
chamberlain to his house; the gray
{ should be opened, and the contents o
! the box exposed.
The same day the chamberlain, The
4 Wan, and his wife, and Linn, with al
tendants from the court, stood besid
the spot where the burial had take
{ place. The grave was opened, the Ii
! removed, and there lay the remain
Of a little monkey.
Thee EXPLAINED that II had been