The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1879-03-19
WEDNESDA Y. MARCH IL, 1879.
OUR CALIFORNIA LETTER.

GAN oOSbs COiuoiJ ~ low.
Opportunity has been somewhere defined as
being that peculiar fitness Of time and place for
doing thing which often springs out of an occa-
sion, while occasions as often created for the
sake Of giving birth to an opportunity. For ex-
ample, have heard of an old soldier, whose
highest intellectual delight, and yet whose
greatest weakness, consisted in the telling of
one story. A bene6cent friend, anxious to
crafty him, used frequently to make dinner
parties ut oil Of which he was favored guest.
When the hilarity was at its height. the old
soldier would contrive to make such shuffiing,
explosive noise with his feet, as to attract mo-
mentary attention.
"Hist!" he would then exclaim. with tragic
start. What is that noise ? 1t sounds like a
bombardment That reminds me OF a certain
battle in -" And this -eritable old "son
OF gun flor his father had been CANON would
again hauEt bis threadbare story. / also have
the opportunity of telling one. Mine however,
is fresh. fair and full of sweetness The hero
likewise lie a soldier but his warfare has been
against prejudice. sel6shness and the want among
men of that climax OF virtues, charity:
was the guest Of q charming woman in Wash
ington, D. c., aud enjoying like child. my first
visit to our National Capital. The season was
May. The city was full of celebrities. aud l,
never weary of encouDtering them. One eve
ming IN company with my hostess. was en- route
for church festival. 1t was raining an eastern
"settled spring rain" and the streets of Penn
sylvania Avenue glistened in the gaslight with
the sluice of the sacred solI.' The street cars
were crowded, and the one in which we rode
deDsely packed, but chiefly with gentlemen,
many OF whom we recognized as our so lately
scanned Congressman. My hostess had the cul.
tiVated faculty of taking in everything at
glance, and we we're scarcely seated before she
whispered: do you see that majestic old man
in yonder corner? He looks ike one of the
Titans" He truly did. in go far as Que dares
materialize those brave sons Of Uranus with the
fashions of to-day. He was large man, clad in
grey tweed brawuy, shaggy, and evidently the
possessor Of great strength. His shirt. spot
lessly clean. was confined loosely around his
throat with narrow black ribbon, over which.
was turned down scbool-boy fashion, broad
unstarched linen collar. A heavy, curling beard
and moustache OF iron grey. concealed his mouth
and lower face, while broad -brimmed felt hat.
thrown or slouched carelessly upon one side of
his head shaded his upper forehead. But the
wide, beetling brow, the calm rejecting eyes
aglow with vitality, the aquiline nose and deli
cate nostrils, The massiveness of the entire face
and figure was one which we rarely see since the
days when first sculptor carved Sphinx. Nor
are the Spbnxes more of study to the mind
which digs at the roots of things, than was this
living mystery of seltsustained, unfettered man.
hood There was much tDerriment, remember,
among "the members" present. The Amnesty
bill then pending. was tossed like shuttle cock
from lip to lip, followed by many curt wittcisms
which the tension OF session hours had failed to
efuse but our Titan seemed thinking-if he
thought at all-only of the outside, patteriug
rain. The car stopped for another passenger,
and an exhausted looking woman. poorly dressed
and dripping wet. with chubby boy of two
years old clinging around her neck, entered HIS
dangling and muddy feet no more than her limp
drapery were dainty things to brush against the
nations broadcOth, and doubtless that was the
reason she cutched so eagerly yet shrinkingly a
strap overhead glad TO be allowed standing room
among such respectable comfort. She hung
there, however, but for one instant before tine
old man stood beside her. and taking the boy
FROM her arms without q word. placed her in bis
| own seat with the courtesy of Crichton The
astoDished child gave one inquirDg look into the
bearded face which answered him with smile
and then the little one snuggled against tina,
broad warm chest like birding in its nest. l,
was beautiful exhibition of the wonderful free.
masonry between goOd-Dature of the highest
type aud the almost divine wisdom of child
Speaking few low words to the mother be
drew from his pocket white handkerchief which
be wrapped around the child's wet shoulders
then caTessingly laid bis cheek upon the brown
head which had shYly nestled against his bearded
| neck. No one witnessed the scene except nv
friend and as 1t occurred in the front of the cal
and be aisle was throDged nor was the self.
| appointed nurse aware of our interested cognl
zance. The next corner was the terminus of the
woman's journey as also of ours. As she arose
to take her boy. heard his bearer say II will
carry him for you" and stridIng forward, we
three women followed him. My hostess, who
was in advance OF me- wore in her brooch q rose
| OF perfect beauty. | saw her hastily detacb il
as we descended into the mud and darkness anG
lmpulslyely hand it TO the old man. who was
shielding us in group with his umbrella unit
ours was hoisted. Like the midnight lightning
whose fash makes the landscape clear as day
was the smile which lit up his face. as IN whis-
| per, spasmOdc in its utterance be said THANKS.
| ln another instant the car had passed on. this
woman and her boy entered gateway inst al
| hand, and We were within few steps of tbs
| church door. "Your Titan will think you are
demented Ruth" said burriedly, Not bit Of
IT. she quickly responded never was a true
woman's gift more worthily bestowed, nor b,
none will it be more devoutly honored, for that
chivalrous old man is The Old GREY Poet
Walt Whitman" IL was az event to have seer
and recognized the white soul of living poet
and such poet. under circumstances 90 pre
eminently matter-of-fact and the occasion fol
the opportunity Of my recording it just now wal
bis own remark lately while visiting the mag
nihcently furnished sanctum of an Occldents
editor: IL know | could not work here h,
said, 81 could do it much better with ink blolcbe,
about me and litter around perhaps ther,
might be few broken chairs 10 the room. mn
out Of doors is the very best sanctum of all
He, the fui-lunged, shnggy-chested hercules hac
felt the ssbtle and healthy inspiration of warn
and wandering uight-winds when be wrote
II am he that with the tender and growing nixbt.
call to the earth and sea haf-held By the night
fress Close nAreboaomed night Press close magnetic
mar hlnN ne