The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-05-26
OBSERVER.

Mr.. EDITOR The following incident, related
in verse actually occurred on Hawaii in 1881,
and serves to illustrate the very strong affection
which natives not unfrequently bear each other {:
On Christmas Day of 81 the sun was very bright
The sky was blue, and all around seemed filled
with delight.
A native of Hawaii was sent to bid the doctor go
To see a man in agony-the cause he did not know.
The doctor started with the guide they galloped
DER the stones,
And in among the guava bush, regardless of their
bones
They galloped down the mountain side a mile, or
little more,
And halted at a little hut that had sn open door.
The roof and walls were made of grass-there was
no window there
1t only had a little room, and that was almost bare f.;
1t only had a single bed, and that a plated mat
Spread out upon a lot of leaves that were both dry
and fiat.
On this the sick was lying down, and struggling
for breath,
And every thing about him showed that he was near
to death.
The doctor paused a little time, the tear stood in
his eye;
Then old Ia LAM said to him-"O oh doctor must
die?
Thanks, dear doctor-many thanks the truth 1
fully know
I see that Death has really come, and 1 will gladly
go
I'll gladly go and meet my God, the struggle now
is done,
And through the Blessed Saviour 1 the victory
have won"
He paused a moment, then he said unto his only
boy
TIT won't be long before you come to share with
me the joy
That is prepared by Him who knows what is best
We then shall see each others face, and never part
again"
He stopped, was dead. A moment more, and near
him on his bed
His son was stretched, and lifeless too-the both
Of them were dead.
EDITOR P. G.. Alt is easy to fight o battle
after it is all over, to see what should have been
done, what was just the necessary thing to bring
success; but it is the cool, calm, calculating
General who can see these things beforehand
and bring about the issue desired-so it has
been with the perplexed question of the Madras
to the Board of Health, and too much credit
cannot be given for the determined resistance
with which they have prevented the landing of
the Chinese from this den of pollution and
death. In the history of epidemics one lesson
may be learned. That communities have no
sense OF Justice, so 1t IS when necessary steps
are to be taken to prevent contagion, public
opinion will pour out its walls of wrath, but the
responsible parties can only stem the current of
abuse to find at last the gratitude of a nation
showered upon them. Respectfully,
QUARANTINE.
Mr.. EDIToR,-I notice a communication in
your last weekly issue under the heading. "Y.
NJ. C. A. in which the writer delivers himself
of a gushing panegyric upon the above named
association, summarily disposing of all adverse
criticisms of the association by calling them n
''crop of sneers difficult to account for on any
thing creditable to the understanding or heart
of those from whom they proceed" He makes
a display of the facts as they present themselves
to his mind, as he says and without adducing
any other reason than his own opinion he de-
clares that other peoples opinions are ill
natured, /" or " sneers." This is not very credi-
table to the charity of his mind or the logic of
his screed as a professed member of the
Y. NJ. G. A. Perhaps, however, he is one of
those persons who havegiven outright the sum
of twenty thousand dollars, and hence concludes
that it is hardly reasonable for outsiders who
gave nothing to indulge in a course of public
"fault-finding.H He then goes on to state that
the right of every voluntary association to man.
age lis W affairs is fundamental" He further