Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-10-18
New York
Letter

NEW YORK-Some day the King
Of Siam Is certain to be decorated
as the greatest visiting fireman"
New YORK has ever entertained.
Other notables come and 60, but
they have a way Of behaving like
notables. They stage very formal re-
ceptions, receive a welcome from
the mayors committee, sit at the
head Of a banquet table and, may
hap, drive about town in a swanky
car.
But not the King Of Siam. ,Alo ap-
pears blessed with the same curio-
sity that makes New York a city Of
gawkers. There was nothing on the
list OF what to do in New York that
this distinguished guest did not peep
into.
He went to the top of the En-
pire State building; he took an air
ride over the city; he attended first
nights and went to the Statue OF
Liberty: he inspected the subways
at rush hour and appeared at q
dozen and n dedications; he ap-
peared In certain ritzy night resorts
and allowed himself to be photo
graphed a hundred times.
Press agents soon heard about
him and begged his attendance az
this affair and that. Seldom did he
disappointl With charming ingenu-
BUSINESS he walked into the traps OF
gents with axes to grind. Before he
left town, city editors were COM
planning at the publicity angles"
Several were putting stories about
him back on Page IL, and limiting
the narrative TO q stick"
Did the King Of Siam care? Not
one bit. The next day he would be
up bright and shining and enthus-
iastic. ready to appear at some movie
studio in Astoria.
or course, all this IS not considered
the thing to do" where distinguish
ed guests are concerned. But the
visiting king thought 1t great fun.
When he left, 1t Was his turn to
laugh. He had not combed the big
town in a superficial manner. He had
observed ana made notes. He had
looked in upon a thousand-and-one
gadgets that go to make up the
metropolis. He had done what every
good visiting fireman would like to
do. He had become a paragon among
visitors. He had been part and par
Gel of the comedy and the romancel
Come again. kingl
Whichs reminds me: a legend has
made the rounds ever since the king
was seeing the town.
The legend runs that the king
turned to the flock of reporters who
trailed him and expressed the desire
to see one Of New York's speakeasies.
Accommodating him, the boys" took
him to a place in the Forties fire.
quented by newspapermen.
Solemnly one Of the journalists
agents turned to Mike the Bartender
and gave d formal introduction:
This, Mike, is the king OF Siam.
Naturally. the bartender decided that
some gag was being sprung. Surely.
a king would never enter his lowly
joint
OO MIKE, eIlJcIlls ulIO IAAc SpAlb VI
the occasion, walked from behind
the bar and whanged his ma eSty
scundly upon the back.
Glad to see you, kingy, old kid.
What1l you have?"
And the tale goes that the king
smiled broadly and ordered a Scotch
and-soda. As nc was leaving the
king turned solemnly to the bar
tender and said: Il am told one has
to have a card to return to such
places. Could you accommodate me?"
They do say that this s~peakeasy
card became one Of the sovereign's
treasured souvenirs.
And. II you recall, this Is n Of
the wealtiest monarchs left in the
world.
And with a grand sense of humor!