Page:Siam and Laos, as seen by our American missionaries (1884).pdf/323

This page needs to be proofread.

swered. Turning again to the cases, he exclaimed emphatically, 'They are beautiful things! and I am coming back to look at them carefully—am in haste now.' And off he went to look at the other unviewed departments. Since then we see by the paper published in Bangkok that His Majesty has paid the girls' school of Bangkok the high compliment of declaring himself the purchaser of the collection, and has attached his name to the cases.

"The centennial is voted a success by all. There are fifty-four departments, and each is handsomely arranged, reflecting great credit upon the Siamese. The Queen's Room is the richest and grandest of all. It is devoted to the royal jewels—that is, all such as are owned and worn by the queen and princesses; clothing made of gold-lace cloth and gold-embroidered cloth of heavier but fine texture; embroidery on satin, such as cushions, curtains and bed-spreads; embroidery in worsteds; vessels of gold, silver and a combination of gold and copper, fine carved work in ivory and artificial flowers of gold and silver. The royal jewels are arranged on a pyramid about ten feet high and shut in by a glass cover. The whole is placed under a pagoda of bright blue, trimmed with white, which spreads out over it, but does not hide the jewels. The latter consist of rings, anklets, bracelets, ear-jewels and necklaces. The collection of these