The Van Buren press., 1872-05-14
Converted Sandwich ISLANDERS.


Shark God for temporary succor in time
Of trouble An eruption of the great
volcano OF kilanea, or an earthquake, al
ways brings deal of latent loyalty to
the great Shark God TO the surface. 1t
is common report that the king-educs-
ted, cultivated, Christian gentleman, as
he undoubtedly is--stiil turns to the
idols Of his fathers for help when disas
ter threatens. A planter caught shark,
and one of his Christianizod natives tes-
titled his emancipation from the thrall of
ancient superstition by assisting to dis
sect the shark after fashion forbidden
BY his former creed. But remorse
shortly began to torture him. He grew
moody, and sought solitude; brooded
over his sin, refused food, and finally he
must die, and ought to die, for he had
sinned against the great Shark God, and
could never know peace anymore, lie
was proof against persuasion and ridi'
cule, and in the course Of day or two
took to his bed and dod, although he
showed no symptoms Of disease. His
young daughter followed his lead, and
suffered like fate in week. Supersti-
ton is ingrained in the native blood and
bone. and it is only natural that it should
creep out in time of distress.
In the rural districts Of any Of the ISL
ands the traveller hourly comes upon
parties of dusky madens bathing in the
streams, or in tho sea, without any cloth
ing on, and no Incorporate zeal in the
matter of hiding their nakedness Whom
al ~ h,i
dence in Honolulu, the native women
wonld pay their families frequent friend
ly visits, day by day, not even clothed
with blush, 1t was a hard matter to
convin &c them that this was rather indcl-
icate FINALLY, the missionaries provid.
ed them with long. loose calico robes,
and that ended the difficulty, for the wo-
men would troop up town stark naked,
with their go wns folded under their arms.
march to the missionary houses, and
then proceed to dress. The natives soon
manifested a stroug proclivity for cloth
ing, and it WAS shortly apparent that they
only wanted il for grandeur, Tho mis-
sionariss imported a quantity Of hats,
bonnets and other male and female wear.
ing apparel, instituted general distri
button, aad begged the people not to
come to church naked next Sunday, as
usual. And they did not; but the ma
tionsi spirit Of unselfshness led them to
divide up with neighbors who were not
.at the distribution, and next Sabbath the
poor teachers could hardly keep counte
nance before their vast congregations.
In the midst Of The reading of the hymn,
a brown, stately dame would sweep Of
the aisle with whirl Of airs, with moth
ing in the word on but stove'plpe f"
hat and pair Of cheap gloves an
other dame would follow, tricked out
in q mans shirt, and nothing else; an
other one would enter with flourish,
dress tied around her waist, and the rest
of the garment dragging behind like a
peacock's tail of duty; stately "buck'
Kanaka would stalk in with woman 5
bonnet on wrong side before-only this
and nothing more; after him would
stride his fellow with the legs Of pair
of pantaloons tied around his neck, the
rest Of his person untrammeled in his
rear would come another gentleman sim
ply gotten up in a fiery neckHo and a
striped vest. The poor creatures were
beaming with complacency, and wholly
unconscious of any absurdity in their ap
pearance. The spectacle
which the congregation presented was so
extraordinary, and wthal SO moving,
that the missionaries found it difficult to
keep to the text and go on with the ser.
vices; and by and by, when the simple
children of tho sun began general
swapping fgsrments in open meeting,
and produced some irrcsislibly grotesque
effects in the course OF redrossing, there
was nothing for it but to cut the thing
short with the bcnediction and dismiss
the fantastic assemblage. Mark Train.
MARRIAGv Down STAIRS - Married.
several days since, at the shanty OF the
bride, Miss Emily Norton, free woman of
color, to Mr.. Edward Rckett, "plain "
the service being performed by the
Rev. NJ. Haywood, colored.
The beautiful and accomplished bride
is fair, fat and fifty-about the coler OF q
side OF sole.leathsr painted with talow,
and is one Of lhe best washers and iron.
ers on Acequia street. The gallant
groom is pure Caucasian, an American
born gentlenan-drives government
team with great case
The only bridesmaid on the fslicituous
occasion WAS old Aunt Malinda Hawkins,
wife OF old Uncle Isaac, sometimes call
cd DR.. Isaac. Being taken by surprise
Aunt Malnda left her wash.tub, and
proceeded directly to the altar. She
was dressed sans stockings, sans one
shoe, with rope tied around above her
hips which held her skirts high above the
foor-shs was tho admired Of all admir-.
ers. The ceremony was quite private
and family affair.
And very little change wac noticed in
the household, in fact the parties had
been just az intimate as could be for &
long time, but the bride was not happy
sleep came not to her eye lids, her meals
were not enjoyed, and thinkin' over
theway she was doin', used more soap
to the dozen than she got for tho wash.
ing. The sympathetic Rickett, who is
about thirty fvo years OF age, and re.
spsctabls looking white man, could
stand those sighs no more, 90 getting
his papers and parson Haywood he car
ried the war into Africa in 4 legitimate
way. Mr. II. seems very happy-he dips