are reached Siam will have been penetrated to her remotest bounds. The missionaries stop at no trials; they count not their lives dear unto them if only by some means this beautiful fascinating little Kingdom be won to Christ, like the finest gem in His crown when He shall claim the nation "for His inheri tance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession." It has been said that the King of Siam wants all the fruits of Christianity but rejects the tree. But the tree is planted in their midst and thousands of his subjects are finding comfort and rest, joy and peace in its shadow and life-eternal life from its branches, "for the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations." Like the rich young ruler Siam seems to lack but the one thing needful. And over against her as a nation the Lord of the Whole Earth stands watching-waiting, as He once looked out over Jerusalem, with infinite, yearning love, saying, "How often would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not."

CHAPTER XIX

CUSTOMS AND CHARACTERISTICS

Customs and characteristics of the different branches of the Tai have been given in every chapter, but there are some that are so peculiarly characteristic of the race and so differentiate and set them apart from the nations and peoples around and among them that they ought to have special mention.

The Siamese Buddhist festivals already described are observed among all the Buddhist Tai, and where there is contact with other nationalities they are modified somewhat by the customs of their neighbors, as noticed in the Kun, Ok Wasah festival at the close of Buddhist Lent. They followed a Burman custom in the maze and a Chinese custom in the dragon float.

Strange to say, the custom of tattooing which one would think is more connected with Spiritism than Buddhism, as a charm rendering them invulnerable, is not practiced at all among the non-Buddhist Tai, where the fear of spirits is most rife. We onco had a Christian cook who was supposed to be invulnerable when a Buddhist. He told me he never appeared without his jacket on, as he did not want anyone to see the cabalistic signs he had tattooed on his back.

Cremation does not seem to be practiced at all among the non-Buddhist Tai although the cremation of dignitaries is common through Siam and Burma and even up into China. In a cremation of an old Burman priest in Kengtung they had a four days festival, with booths and market stalls, etc., out on the plain. A rope was attached to either end of the funeral car and they had a tug of war. If the upper side was stronger the car went merrily up the hill. If the lower side prevailed it came rolling gaily down again amid the shouts and applause of the crowd. The poor old priest surely furnished more amusement in his death than he ever did in his life. After the yellow robed priests had knelt in a circle and chanted the prayers for the dead the coffin was opened and relics were handed out while we retreated with handkerchiefs to our noses. The funeral pyre was lighted by little manikins which, when a fuse was lighted, ran up the ropes and plunged into the pile.

A description written by Mrs. Peoples of Nan, shows the custom in a funeral ceremony of one of the fast disappearing titled rulers of North Siam. The Laos or Yûn chiefs are being superseded by the Siamese officials in all except a few cases like this where the chief was a man of such strong oharacter and so much respected by the people that he was allowed to retain a nominal position of rank and authority until his death.

One hundred days after the death of our beloved "Prince. of Life," we received an invitation to attend a commemorative service at the palace. At four p.m. we drove into the city and entered the palace gates to find the splendid Nan army band seated in front of the palace and playing "Marching Through Georgia!" At the head of the steps leading to the reception hall we were met by our kind friends Prince Uparaj, and the Princess his wife. The prince is a brother of the late Chief, and succeeds him after the cremation.

The reception room was filled with the chief princess and officials, after greeting them we were taken into the "Throne Room," where the golden catafalque stood surrounded by the insignia of his royalty. One can give but a faint idea of the splendor of the carved ivory throne, crown of beaten gold, case of really magnificent orders, and the sealed cabinet of rare old beaten gold vases, Ranged along one side of the great room where the Buddhist abbots and head priests, in their yellow robes, and on the opposite side were all the chief princesses, and relatives of the "Great Prince." In the upper corner his male relatives were seated. They were all so cordial and greeted us so kindly, I was emboldened to ask the privilege of having a photograph taken. This was so eagerly assented to by the Prince Uparaj and the princess who was conducting me about with her arm around me, that we immediately took our carriage and went to the market, bringing back Mohammed an Indian photographer. I fear the priests were kept waiting while the photo was taken. Then a long strip of "sacred" cloth was attached to the catafalque and hundreds of yellow priests robes were placed upon it covering the length of the room. As the priests of one temple obtained their offerings, they retired and others took their places. Once as I was passing into the reception room I met a company of priests at the door, and was surprised to hear the head priest give an order to let me precede them!

I doubt very much if another woman in Nan ever preceded a Buddhist priest!

When I asked Princess Rock when the cremation would take place, she said the Great Prince begged that his body be kept for a year, and that many occasions be made whereby he might make merit.

The use of musical instruments in their processions and festivities is universal among the Tai from Siam to the Yangtze; differing in beauty and in musical tone, from the little banjo made of ivory with gold mountings used by the girl band in the Chief's Palace in Chiengmai, or the half cocoanut shell properly polished, mounted and stringed, to the rude little primitive instrument whittled out by a Yangtze lad with his jack knife and strung with horse hair.

The Yangtze boy does not go serenading about with it as his Yûn cousin does. The Chinese custom is followed to some extent in courtship and marriage. Engaged couples are allowed to see each other but not to converse. The husband lives in the wife's home or she in his according to convenience. It is us ually the latter, but the little wife goes back and forth from the old home to the new at pleasure.

The xylophone of Siam is known but not in general use among the Tai of China. The raucous horn, in use everywhere and what used so to try our nerves, is now being replaced by the brass band in the cities of Siam, with foreign instruments and foreign training. It was interesting to notice that the reed organ in use among the Lao of the French State is also found among the far away Tai of Kweichow province in China.

Dancing, which is common in Buddhist merit making processions everywhere, is also seen among the Tai on the Yangtze in connection with spirit feasts and offerings, but not on other occasions. Wedding feasts are common among all branches of the Tai Race. There seems to be more liquor drinking in the north at such times than in the south. A house raising as a community affair is common to all, followed by a feast. Among the Lu there is a specially boisterous house warming, with a gathering of all the family friends and neighbors.

There is a beautiful custom among the Tai Nüa at the time of the New Year which is also prevalent up on the Yangtze. The children and young people kneel down before the grandmother of the family and she puts her hand on the head of each one

and murmurs a blessing. To a child especially dear she gives a coin or a trinket or a cake.

Literate and illiterate, under whatever flag and in whatever clime, there are Tai characteristics which seem independent of the accidents of isolation, partition among European powers, the impact of Buddhism, or other extraneous causes. Among these are the universal love of flowers, the almost universal love of music, the laughter loving, merry heart, openhanded hospitality, respect for women, and a native religiousness.

In every festive gathering flowers deck the heavy coil of raven hair of the Tai maiden in Siam, Burma, or China, or replace the cigaret stuck in the hole of the lobe of the ear of the young man when he goes courting. If a girl gives a young man a flower it is a sign she favors his suit.

As for music, I long ago revised my first impression of Tai music. I discovered that they have tunes and very musical ones, too. Siamese songs set to their own sweet tunes are now sung in all the schools, both government and mission schools; dainty little child songs like their "Ode to the Moon." Our people are beginning to use their native tunes with our Christian hymns. Their Buddhist chants are very musical. Their national anthem is surely as melodious as any I have heard from all the great nations, as it rolls out on the evening air from every barracks, police station, and school all over Siam, in clear boyish treble and deeper bass voices, or the sweet voices of our girls in the boarding schools. Church choirs and school choruses; singing at home and in the field; father, mother, and children lift their voices everywhere in our Christian hymns and songs. I am sure it must be a sweet incense of praise before the Throne on high.

In 1911, while at Battle Creek Sanitarium, I had the pleasure of listening to a lecture by Dr. W. E. Geil, the famous author and explorer. His subject was "The Pygmies of Africa," and he said in the course of his lecture, "They are the most laughter loving people in the world, except the Tai of Southern Yünnan.' He certainly was right about this characteristic of the Tai, in the north especially. They roar with laughter over the most sacred scenes in picture chart or sciopticon when something strikes their sense of humour, and a laughing piece on the gramo phone leaves them convulsed with merriment. A class in school once rolled on the floor; teacher and pupils in delighted uncontrollable mirth when they began to learn the song of "Three