The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-09-18
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%~ HE death OF his royal high
ness. Chao Fa Chrakrabongs PhVa-
narth Prince Phitsanulok. the helr
presllnptive to the Siamese throne
directs attention to the fact thal
MI King Rama vi is the first bachelor
t1tESSIt king of Siam in $500 years ANU
44sP S1SN what is more, it is internatioha'
W TsS diplomatic gossip that he is waiting
~ III to win an American woman to snare
sS|SEESpX his throne. One reason may De that
MHSRA King Rama has, seen American
81 w beauties in twenty states OF the
Union.
Rama VI known to his own people as Sender
Eshxa Paramndr Maha Vajravudh MonGkut krao
sSamdet Phra Rama Thibodi vi, is one Of the most
Interesting monarch writes Frederick Dean, NJ
-, IN the New York Tribune. The first bachelor
7sAaf ever sat upon the Siamese throne. tie is sad
us ae waiting for an American girl to share his
sArone che kings grandfather. Maia Mongkut'
xScd to say that he desired-and had member
IT every family of note q his kingdom in his
'13Aausehold." No outsider ever knew just now
naxny wives he did have. His son. Maha Chula-
AarskorI the father of the present king, had three
~saR5Ess On the day before he made crown
Eyxince- On that day he married ainety-seven
TO make up the complement of one hundred,
rahich was the proper number of wives FOR the
GROWN prince to have When lie died-ten years
aRza-hc had between 1000 and 5000 When his
son, the then prince. returned from his long
sfzy in Europe-he had spent third Of his life
Tn England. France, Germany aud Russia, and had
made frequent visits to Belgium. Italy and Spain.
Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands-his father
Eyresented him with a collection Of Siamese
EseautIes, saying:
NV son. here are something over hundred
pf the beauties of the for you to start light
housekeeping with, and to these you may add as
Eoas see it,"
iBnf the young prince, much to the discomfort
OF his royal father told the monarch that he would
bic x,1,0la 10 rriayp hucinp
and added that when he was ready he would marry
:osYe wife and she shall be the queen of my heart
AS well the queen of my realm" His father
.ssok the decision of his son very much to heart
-rsH some have gone far as to say that his boys
szzrha on adherence to his word helped to end his
rsyal fathers life When his majesty Maha
EaHravudh-known thereafter Rama VI
exxS,,e 80 the throne there no queen and
heir a crown prince or, as they say In siam,
zzn heir presumptive had to be chosen. and the
;EM& naturally fell to the late Prince Phtsanuick,
svAo was a brother Of the king by the same
sSsofher.
Siam is a poIygamous country. According to
Ezansese law a man may have many wives
! Haze can support. The households Of royalty ran
sar,fe almost countless numbers. Old King Mong
aGrk. the grandfather of the present monarch used
1zzs say:
II like large families have eighty-six
-cl,Tdren-"
The present king has something like twenty
5Txaef brothers and any quantity of half-ssters In
sEsinx away with the royal harem his majesty
sssruck a blow at of the Oldest and most funda
sxsensal customs of the country. And IL he
CHOOSES to step out of the beaten track and marry
ss foreigner he will be carrying out but one more
.saf his unexpected reforms for which he has been
usz,irsi ever since he came to the throne.
Rama VI is a remarkable man in many re-
>znecfs At the age of twelve he was sent to
rxssxiund where he fitted into the foreign school
rrvrl.ue In less than six months He played foot
ran nj Rugby learned to fence. ride and swim:
raArred into tournaments of golf and tennis hirted
.uue wrote love lyrics Later he went to Hefdei-
srv.e where he crossed swords with the daredevis
- drank and sang his way into the hearts Of his
Sk<x~w workers. Returning to England he entered
xxhxas& college, Oxford. where on graduation ne
go he arst prize away from seven Of the brain
- sf T3ritishers, and then went to Paris where
- ~rote play that was produced at the Coincide
ne returned to Germany and wrote his
-. Tor his doctors degree In German and.
- visiting every court in Huraoe' returned
49, ~ way Of America, where he stopped long
s-ec.N b nay the president n EXTENDED visit aoo