The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1880-12-29
3aluaiialt 6azhtte.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER ~. 1880.


II IS an old story, ana happened many, many
gears ago, my friends, for my head is now crowned
by white hair, aud my heart cooled thrpngh age, is
no icnger agitated by youthful passions. When /
indulge in retrospect Of this episode in my life,
cannot help feeling soung again. and tears of
pleasure I'll my eyes. For a few moments then, l
win return in imagination to my 18th year. Seven
teen What thoughtlessness, what gaiety, what
foolish wishes, what ardent aspirations for un-
conirolies Independence, what wild desires are
contained in fisis word seventeen. Charming age
for which the past does not exist the present does
not count and the future alone enters into ones
dreams of happiness. At that time shaved thrice
a day, hoping to make my moustaches grow
also hksd 10 smoke cigarettes when beyond the
reach of my fathers severe eye and thought them
delicious, though they made me fearfully Ill To
thoroughly establish my independence, taking
great care however to be unobserved, slipped out
10 bar rooms, where ordered in sentorinn voice
n glass of some atrocious mixture, which swal-
lowed heroically, whilst making frightful faces.
But especially excelled IN casting burning glances
at all the women who came across my path
whether young or old. ugly or pretty, and fan
cied myself second Don Juan and an Irresistible
Bsampais sstjet. After five years seclusion in one
of our colleges, and after having passed my uni
versity examinations in more or less satisfactory
manner, / arrived at my home which was situated
in of our quietest and sleepiest country towns
ON fine September morning. 1t having been de-
cided that should be called to TIE bar, was thus
enabled to remain a whole year under the pater-
nal roof. was speedily settled in my old room
oE the third floor, which room i soon brought to
its usual state of charming disorder. The next
thing did was to put my head out of the window
to look at the street but besides the butchers
dog who, philosophically sitting ON its hind legs,
seemed buried In deep meditation, and the gro
GERS cat sleeping lazily stretched out In the warm
rays of the sun, nothing, except Growing cock
disturbed the calm of the neighborhood. was
not long, however, in discovering, that on the OPP
posite side of the street there was a window her
medically closed, whose balcony was festooned
with green creepers, and decorated with pots of
flowers, filling the air with their sweet fragrance.
Inside, heavy curtains intercepted the light, and
prevented my curious glance from penetrating the
interior. Some mystery seemed TO be attached to
this window which, unlike those of the neighbor-
ing houses, refused to admit the perfumed morn
ing breezes. Three four times that same day
went up TO my room to look at it, 5ut each time
found 1t obstinately closed. Foliage and flowers
prove beyond doubt that that room is occupied
by ladies' said to myself, and in the evening
truly enough, learnt from my parents by judicious
questioning, that the house which had attracted
my curiosity was inhabited by lady and her
daughter. She was the widow of an officer killed
during the war, still young, though aged by her
bereavement both mother and daughter wore the
deepest mourning and were always closely yelled.
They saw no company and scarcely ever went out
except TO church TO pray for the beoveddead. All
felt that it was one of those deep lasting sorrows
which sometimes weigh down family, and every
one respected their grief-shey were called the
lnconsolables. 1T is impossible to describe how
much this mixture of sadness and mystery, seized
hold of my imagination. dreamt all night of the
two unknown, but especially of the youngest,
whom pictured to myself as having the features
of an angel, with soft dark eyes and golden hair.
l scarcely slept, and rose in the morning with the
firm resolution of doing my utmost to succeed in
seeing her. Under the pretext of Immediately
commencing my studies, established myself in
my room, placing my table SO as 20 command the
I
day TO mount watchful guard overit What deli
cious hours! What charming reveries. By de-
grees my imagination becoming more infamed,
set up an ideal of the lovely unknown, and dedi-
Gated to her all my affection, my love, my strength,
my whole being in fact Ny little room was a ver-
table Paradise, where liked to go and give my
self up in peace to this strange fascination. How
mi1y delightful moments passed, my eyes fixed
on the bewitching balcony, and my glance lost in
vague uncertainty, dreaming of her, who though
yet unseen loved SO much What poetry offer
ed at her shrinel What letters wrote describing
my feelings to her / always DESTROYED however
both letters and poetry as being unworthy of her
high perfection The set of verses which intended
reclt1ng at the moment of making my declaration
will never fade from my memory-the word angel
was repeated in il more than two hundred times
and promised without hesitation to win her a
crown Nevertheless, during nearly ten months
the window was not opened, and had not been
able to catch glimpse of her, to whom | was
entirely devoted. My father thinking that spent
all NY time in hard study, complimented me on
my assidlity, and begged me to spare myself lit
tie as my health even was beginning to be affected
by such a sedentary life. Alas If the poor dear
man had come up TO my room, he would have
found my Blackstone opened at the same page, as
on the day when was seized with my love fever
row come to the denouement of my story. On
warm afternoon in the following month of June
while according to my usual habit, was dreaming
of my unknown enchantress and repeating per-
haps for the thousandth time my famous poetical
declaration, gentle drowsiness took hold of my
senses, and fell into a profound slumber. How
long 1t lasted know not. Suddenly the creeking
noise of rusty hinges awoke me, and through the
partially opened window appeared a maryelously
beautiful form. Scarcely able to believe my senses
started up, oyerthroEing table, books, inkstand
everything that was before me, and rushed on to
my balcony. became red and pale by turns, tried
to speak, but my tongue refused utterance my head
swan, my temples throbbed, my whole body vi
brated with nervous excitement, and nv memory
forsook me. / remained there standing before her
speechlees, with her enquiring and astonished gaze
fixed upon me. By a supreme effort of will at
last gasped out these fatal words Please tell me
what O'Clock 1t is ?" A burst of silvery mccking
laughter resounding in Ely ears, and the slamming
of a window brings me to keen and vivid sense
of having been perfectly ridiculous and collapsed
in fit of rage and despair When recovered
few moments after, / was entirely cured of my
love, but alas quite sceptical as regards women
in general.