Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1884-11-29
4 Reporter. story

The city editor came out from his private |
Office aud closed the heavy koa door with
tang When he reached the middle Of the |
local room. he locked around at the lot OF US
who "a, dAwdling a, our drsks and said " Is |
ANY OF you gentlemen on intimate terms with
the devil p 4 sniekering litter ran around |
the room--we thought he mean, the foremans
junior assistant.
Ordinarily the city editor is the most ufbine
as well as the mos, pa,ien, Of men, but to- day
he was evidently worried about something. A
irown darkcned his brow for moment. A
it passed away he said quietly but with
thrilling intensity ihst hauuts me even now
Boys, its no laughing matter, Mephistopheles
i, In Honolulu in p,sf,id nt,teaat and want
some Of you to run him to earth.
" The devil you say - said the humorous
reporter under his breath.
" The G.Gibson you say, corrected the
political leader writer
The black look came to the city editors
brow for another instant and the wits we're
dumb.
Boys, / am in earnest. There is in Homo.
lulu either the prototype Of the being who
ruined Faust OF Faust himself-ei,her the
,smp,er in bodily guise OF one so sorely
tempted tina, he has sold his soul ior price.
When asked as you thought facetiously-
whether any one Of you was on intimate terms
with the devil. meant merely was there one
Of you who had made study Of the devil
the devil in history, the devil in literature the
devil in current legend p
The poetic editor was about TO speak but
too quick for him and said " know the
man who knows the devil better than any
other Honoluisn. Shall 60 and see him p
As no one else volunteered any more en-
eoaraging information the city editor com.
missioned me to 90 and see my friend and re-
port TO him after dinner that night.
That afternoon, called upon my friend, =
tall, slender keen. featured student whose dark
hair and darker eyes and kindly yet melancholy
mouth have always fascinated me. knew
tina, 10 him the genesis Of the evil one was
craven on his merhory with the cleaness OF 4
printed page, and so was more than surprised,
| was startled, by the effect OF my question.
He turned his luminous eyes upon me as II
he would read my Utmost thought and said,
with that, thrilling in,ona,ion which is hall
whisper, half cry, Have you too seen him -
Perhaps there are readers who have never
fel, the chill OF the sudden, unaccountable
hosror-the uncanny atmosphere Of impene,ra-
bic mysiery-suuounding certain psychologist
Hut her, ho x.gin
wha, mean without demanding an analysis,
|, is enough that ! was strangely moved and
could only mutter. eonfusedly, "wHo
Where Z"
"Who the devil Where here
in Honolulu And then ne went on to tell
me story which has It's confirmation in the
alnos, eircumstan,ially truthful tale au
about to relate. | returned and told the cit,
editor all my friends story that was no, con
hdenial. The resul, OF my interview with tn,
chief was--ds,cs and names and localities es
sep,ed-as follows.
I, is a part Of the constant. every day duty
Of good reporter TO know as many people
ssN as he possibly can. BY 'well NEAR
to know their peeulian,ies, their whims, thei
oddities, their personal traits OF character thei
habits Of daily life. Among the Honoluluan
with whom had become fairly well aequainte,
vas gentleman Of mature yeaD, OF por,l!
presence, Of sfable manners, and OF undeni
able intellect. His residence, no, far from
King Street, in pau Of the town will no
more definitely designate, was an unprelentiou
rasutua.liasx xff,tcfHr,- taullfua hun
like, over much ground aud in a measure hid
den By much shrubbery. The family was
small one. l shall no, mention the number Q
ladies not the relationship 10 the family head q
the lady who figures in this story Among tn
peeulian,ies Of the gentleman whose charae,sri'
tic, and sunosndings have patty describe
~ss ,hs hsbi, Of sleeping during potion q
each day and dsyoiing portion Of each n Oh
10 lons pedestrian ramhle.
On one moonlight evening lie, VI call II
year Ago-his wandering footsteps led hin
sloag Judd sueel and on TO the spun Of hi
which divides the salieys Of Nuuanu and kalili
I, ~As glorious evening. Gu, upon II
reef the lapplng waves broke into giobales {
molten silver as the
''ysilo- hall ueoa. age sad io~-
lay On the horiion beyond BARRIERS point 81
taking ihs plunge into the blue black wave
beneath IL. Twas beautiful scene aud I
spectator knew every inch Of il. He ~
farming back ere the Fastening darkness mad
his paih~ay less agreeable ~hsn voice, al
pinn,ly a. hi. elbow, spoke his nalne an
aid "a salanically psei,y scene, isni h
Ny aesuain,aues tuned and struck GA, VII
HI, ngh, ATM, vigorously. Il was one Of tho
aoo, langes into space which arc diAss,To
only to the langing arm. And again she voi'
sounded close TO his ear. |, said ~
vosldn', huI, 40, voald you p
And my acquaintance recognized the yoles
Thai nigh, slep, under 49,, roo
and that nighi, foI The hrs, time in hh III
played cards iof stakes.
4 ~