The King Of Siam's Amusement

T.he business of cating conoluded, tho King culled upon his foreign fr'onds to particípate in a royal game which had beun in vogue as far back as their historicnl records extended, and whicli no guost migbt rtjtuse to sharo in without giving personal offense to the sovereigu. After this iutroduction, at a signal givcn by the roy;il host, five hugo baskets iilled with very small limes wew placed directly in front of the throne. Inviting tho foreigners to scramblo for the fruit, and telling them that whoover succeeded in gutting tho l;rgost number should enjoy nis highest favor, the King threw as ïuauy as ne could liold between bis two hands in such a inanncr as to scatter :iem in every direction over the widest jossiblo space. This was ropeated scores upon scores f times, and tlio guests, wishing to hunor the whim of their host, entered ïeartily into tlie sport, scrambling abont n hauds and knees in pursuit of tho imes, sometiraes receiving from tho mery iild gentleman a hearty pelt over tho lead or knucklca, at which he would beg ardon Hiid assure his friends that it was uitu accidental. Aftor an hour thus jent the foreigners begged leave t(j dest, nnd the nativo nobles took their turn t tlu: sport. On examination each lime was found oontas a gold or silver coin ; and, as ie üinount tlms obtained by each indiidual w;ts quite considerable, tho ladies Tid gentlemen of our party sent up the money to the King, stating that it would )e a violation of the etiquette of our ountry to receive presenta of money. ut his Majesty begged very earnestly lat the coins should be ritained, though merely, he said, as a token of royal favor, nd in eomplianoe with courtly usage - ot at all for their intrinsic value.