The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-09-11
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~ He recent death of his royal hlgh-
ness, Chao Fa Chrakrabongs Phiva
narth, Prince Phtsanuok, the heir
presumptive to the Samese throne
directs attention to the fact tha'
'e,l7>f1 King Rama vi is the first bacheioi
a2TEtSlft king of Siam in $500 years. Anu
~ GSN what is more, it is international
~ %gAH diplomatic gossip that he is waiting
~ GTT to win an American woman TO snare
ISSTSAAX his throne. One reason may be that
MTS$A King Rama has seen. American
II Wy beauties in twenty states or TIE
Union.
Rama vi. known to his own people Se,ndet
phra Paramindr Maha Vajiravudh Mongkut htao'
Sorndet Phra Rama Thibod vi. is one of the most
futeresting monarch. writes Frederick Dean. 81.
A. in the New York Tribune. The first bachelor
that ever sat upon the Stamese throne. he is saio
10 be waiting for American girl to share MS
CHROME. The kings grandfather, Maha Mongkut,
uscd to say that he desired-and had-a member
al every family of note In his kingdom In MS
household" No outsider ever knew just how
faany wives he did have. His son. Maha Chula-
H0pskoru the father of the present king had three
wives On the day before he was made crown
Tsrfnee On that day he married ninety-Seven
more to make up the complement of one hundred,
(which the proper number of wives for the
Crown prince to have. When lie died-ten years
ago-he had between 1000 and 5000. When his
son, the then crown prince returned from his long
Tn England France, Germany and Russia. and had
Euade frequent visits to Belgium, Italy and Spain
Norway, Sweden and the Neti,erlands-hs father
presented him with collection Of Samese
beauties, saying:
My son, here are something hundred
sse she beauties of the court for you to start light
housekeeping with, and to these you may add as
yoG fit"
But the young prince. much to the discomfort
OF his royal father told the monarch that he would
Ssve of this wholesale marriage business,
and added that when he was ready he would marry
NS8ne wife, and she shall be the queen of my heart
well the queen of my realm" His father
took the decision of his very much to heart
sind some have gone SO far to say that his boys
sfabL orn adherence to his word helped to end his
,royai fathers life When his majesty Maha
Eajiravudh-known thereafter Rama VI
cdn,e to the throne as there was no queen and
no heir crown prince or. they say In Siam,
heir presumptive had to be chosen. and the
.i@t naturally fell to the late Prince Phitsanuick,
rxho a brother Of the king by the same
smother.
Siam is polygamous country. According to
-saamese law man may have as many wives as
me- can support. The households of royalty
Into almost countless numbers. Old King Mong-
Emit the grandfather of the present monarch used
an say:
81 like large families l have eighty-six
children"
7saIf-brofhers and any quantity of i,alf-ssters In
szolng away with the royal harem his majesty
yfreck blow at of the oldest and most funda
ssaeural customs of the country. And IL he
chooses to step out Of the beaten track and marry
a foreigner he will be CARRYING out but ono more
,e,f his unexpected reforms. for which he has been
r,ofed ever since he came to the throne.
Rama VI is remarkable man In many re-
,z,,er1s AZ the age of twelve he was sent tor
En,,and. where he fitted into the foreign school
,,..;r,e I'm less than six months. He played foot
All At Rugby, learned to fence. ride and swim;
-serad into tournaments Of golf and tennis, firted
- wrote love lyrics. Later he went to Heidei-
- where he crossed swords with the daredevils
- yank and sang his way into the hearts OF his
frsIow workers Returning to England ne entered
~.-sst college oxford. where on graduation ne
- =. -. nrst prze away from seven Of the brain
- Of Britishers. and then went to Paris; where
- -,,.e a MAY that was produced at the ccmedie
Ss-.s,so !. he returned to Germany and wrote his
A.sss sor his Doctors degree in German. and
me- visiting every court Y Dsraee re5u1 'nea
-. ey way Of America where he stePped long
s,.s - pay the presdent IN exteaded visit and