red and cloth-of-gold hang- 
ings, the exposed woodwork 
following the same color 
scheme. 
There were thousands of 
children, both boys and girls, 
grouped by schools. After 
the address the boys marched 
past in rcAaew. Most of 
them belong to Boy Scout 
organizations and wore the 
appropriate uniform, as much 
is being made of this move- 
ment in Siam. 
That evening there was 
held a gala performance at 
the Theater Royal by the 
Royal Company of Masked 
Players in honor of the coro- 
nation fete, which only in- 
vited guests of His Majesty 
attended. It began at lo 
p, m. and ended at 3 a. m., 
with an hour's intermission 
at midnight for an elaborate 
buffet supper. 
I have never seen a more 
fairyland-like interior or a 
prettier house, the various- 
colored costumes of the la- 
dies and brilliant uniforms 
of the men all spread out 
before one. The stage was 
lower than with us and ex- 
tended way out into the 
audience, so that the parquet 
was on both sides as well as 
in front. The ceiling was 
composed of heavy white 
clouds of cotton, with open- 
ings for the electric lights to 
shine through. 
Two plays were given, or 
rather acts from them. The 
action was entirely a ballet 
performance o f Siamese 
dancing or posturing and 
slow, deliberate movements. 
The actors or dancers never 
spoke, but the tale was told 
by a sort of chanting Greek 
chorus behind the scenes. 
Both plays were allegorical, 
one an incident from their 
mythology and the other of 
the wars between the monkey 
people and the demons. 
400 
