SUPPLEMENT
THE HONGIS
IN AN EASTERN CAPITAL A ROYAL ROMANCE COMES TRUE
THE EMPEROR OF ANNAM
AND HIS BRIDE
PICTURESQUE COUPLE IN PALACE OF WONDROUS CHARM
SPECIALLY WRITTEN FOR THE "TELEGRAPH”.
A gayer young Royal couple have never sat on a contemporary Throne than that come to reign over the ancient Empire of Annam.
His Imperial Majesty Bao Dai of Annam is only 23 years of age; and the young girl, from a wealthy com- moner family, whom he has chosen for his Consort and to whom ho was wedded last month, has also only just topped her teens.
They now sit on gold and Incquer thrones gorgeous affairs oftener heard of than acon-in a Falace of wondrous, artistic beauty, wait- ed by rows and rows of bow.
upon ing respectful altendants.
Who would not like to be King and Queen with all these nice things to be King and Queen for? For the young and pretty miss who has found herself, almost overnight, transported into sphere, wearing the yellow brocaded robes and dla mond-studded tiara of an Eastern Empress, joint-ruler of a realm of 20,000,000 subjects, it surely must be the realisation of Love's Young Dream.
THE NEW QUEEN.
She is Marlette Jeanne Nguyen Huu-hao, daughter of the Southern people, with the oval face and the fresh complexion of the Southern people. Her father is what people down there respectfully term a "proprietaire" land-owner whose vast terrain of rice-fields may not be crossed all in one day.
|
I
studying under a French tutor and it was a case of love at first sight.
She is a tennis-player of' note, and both are keen on games. They saw a great deal of each other during those student days, but at that time it was not to be presumed that the friendship between the couple had more
It than to
tho cameraderic natural and spontaneous between students from any one country in that University City of 10,000 foreign students:
'EVERYBODY SURPRISED,
it was Bao Dai who sprang the surprise on his Family and subjects after his return to Indo-China on assuming the reins of native government. Of course there had to be an Imperial Decree about it. Framed in both English and in native characters, it presented the case with all the force of a deep
royal and personal conviction
dignity. It was adroitly phrased, but through it all was clearly dis tinguished the personal, compet-
choose this lady for our Consort 1" One may here continue the Pro- clamation further, and in the same strain although with less subtlety shall say have added: "And none Nay!"
Many had expected His Imperial Majesty to follow precedents, and marry one or other of the daughters from the oxalted and eligible familles represented at the Court. They were not prepared for other surprises to follow.
She is pretty, cultured and accomplished, with all the attri-ling note: "It is our pleasure to butos money can acquire or on- hance even in that ultra-modern of all cities--Paris. Many years of residence in the French metropolis, spont in the course of assimilating all that is worth while in a Western educational environment, has turn- ed out a typical Parisienne, with the Parisienne's easy, graceful carriage and proverbial good taste for dresa.
Her elder alater, whose student days she shared, married into the old French aristocracy, and be In proclaiming an intention of came Madame la Baronne de Dide-breaking away from all old fetishes, lot. Young 18-year-old Mariette | he proceeded about it with energy, Jenn mot Crown Prince. Bao Dal ofnovering in the first instance native Annam, who was then also in Paris State and Household Affairs from
The young Emperor of Annam and his pretty Consort are here glimpsed agelost an anti- que back-ground. The staborate regalla the Emperor has to wear on all State occasions has been evolved from the classical epoch of the Three Kingdoms. The Girl Empress is caught by the camera in a happy mood. In the glittering Audience Chamber pictured, is the Ancient Throne, of exquisite gold and red lacquer designs. The Palace Gate of carved marble is of atateliness such as may have bean concaired by Coleridge in his vision of Kublai Khan. In the centre is one of the Nine Dynastic Urna dedicated to that number of old Aanamitia Emperors, and in which license is burnt overy year at the Feast of Namgiang.
The Children's Party
a form of fomisine control by lady members of the Royal House.
"A gynecacum la au anachronism in these progressive times," His Majesty declared.
By the time old-fashioned Court functionaries had recovered from the shock, the Royal nuptials had taken place.
BRILLIANT SPECTACLE,
at The sonorous notes from the huge song rolled over the ancient city, to die away gently in the dis- tance. The twilight suddenly molted into dusk, and once again the ancient city returns to its accustomed peace and quietness, to its brooding of a former greatness now buried in the dust of its Royal tombe.
It was a grand and glorious affair Now and then, as in the hectld week last month when the Royal. on that 24th day of March, with nuptials were held within its con- the Governor-General and other fines, life in this ancient stronghold high representatives of the French of the Annamitle Emperors has Protectorate present One had a glimpse of
vast concourse of gold rustled to outside Influences, but, for the greater part, the Purple And silver laced uniforms vieing in
with its City
age-old architectural dazzling brilliancy with the richly wonders, Its Mausoleums of great brocaded robes of the mandarins and the picturesque costumes of Majesties, for the time be- ing at any rate, had also laid aside the Western attire they usually wear, for the old-world regalla evolved from the earliest days of the Nguyen Dynasty. It meant, you 800, 80 much for their loyal subjects.
This ritual costume bears strong Chinese tendencies; and recalls the days whon Chinese and Tartar hordes from the territory border- ing the Empire's northern frontiera over-ran the country and were as often expelled by a people, Jealous of Its national Integrity, until peace was eventually secured by a tactful "giving of
A faco" and present for the Manchu overlord..
In the half-century that has since
supervened, of French colonial enterprise exercised through a form of Protectorate over a territory of 200,000 square malles, much material progress has been made; but while modernism is marked everywhere, it has left the old native Capital of Hue, situated on the River of Perfumes, almost untouched and unspoiled,
PRICELESS TREASURES.
Hero, in the Imperial City and its innermost Holy of Hollca-the Forbidden Purple City is enclosed two square miles of gorgeous Palace buildings, ancient Mau- soleums, and well-laid out pleasure parks, containing priceless works of art of much antiquity and his torical value.
Its monts and lakes are covered with lotus, so thickly ontangled that they stir not to the wind tow wafted in from the west with the approach of dusk.
Behind the purple rim of the Western hills the sun is setting in haze of yellow dust, and against this golden light on the citadel are sharply allhouetted ramparts the quaintly-garbed figures of the Palace guards as with measured strokes, and with a solemn ritual observed from time immemorial, they struck the hour of the gun-
|
rulers, has remained much as it was when the Kingdom at Ita grandest opoch had flourished as a mighty Empire, ranching out to the furthermost Hmits of Indo-China
and the Malay Peninsula.
A STRANGE CONTRASTS.
In such a spot as this, Coleridge might have found his romantic dream, when in chanting of that great Mogul conqueror who in the hoy-day of his power, had swept down to those southernmost limits of Asin, ho wrote:
In Xanadu. did Kublai Khan A stately Palace domo decreo. The young and very modern. couple who have now taken posses sion of the City with all its mildow- ed traditions, may well find much to contrast with a Paris environ- Official etiquette and usages ment herein are slow, cumbersome, and takes up an unnecessary amount of time. Whether the old order will
completely give place to the new to a radjustment of According ideas, is not yet known, depending on the dis as it doca entirely: cretion of a young ruler, why, how- ever, has early demonstrated a capacity for roforms, where such reforms appear to him necessary.
The present le a difficult time for all rulers, as true elsewhere as In Indo-China, where tranquillity has only recently returned after a period of
political unrest Em peror Bao Dal, on his part, has gained the sympathy of loyal sub- fects, as much on account of his youth as a capacity demonstrated. to assume the responsibilities "of his high offlec.
His has been a popular marriage, one hailed with universal satisfac- tion as it has inspired a closer link between the peoples of the three Annamitic provinces. Of this at- lenst they are sure--it will con tinue to be a happy married life shared with the Southern girl he has chosen from many others. It has entered on an auspicious start with a bonediction bestowed by His Holiness The Popa,
VIGNETTES OF LIFE
By J. NORMAN LYND
THERE'S
ALWAY'S
SOME
GUEST WITH
A GRIEVANCE -
HIS BALLOON HAS BEEN BUSTED
OR HIS CANDY HAS BEEN
SWIPED
“I TOLD YOU NOT
TO CALL ME 'FATTY!!"
THE OBJECTIONS
TO DOING
TRICKS FOR THE GUESTS ARE THAT THEY CLAIM ALLCOINS TAKEN FROM THEIR EARS, OR THEY START, DIGGING FOR
TREASURE
WHAT DID YOU BRING
MER
THEM-
SELVES
NORMAN LYND
+38
BLONDES
ARE DANGEROUS AT ANY AGE
A CHILDREN'S PARTY
SHOULD BE WELL
POLICED -- THERE'S ALWAYS
- A TIME WHEN THEY START TO
PLAY THEIR OWN GAMES -
SOME ARE GOING TO OVEREAT AND IT IS
WELL TO BE
PREPARED
Copyright, 1984, by Public Ledger, Inc.
MY MOTHER TOLD ME TO TELL YOUT HAD A LOVELY TIME!