The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1890-10-03

mothers OF the race, they afford a
feast for the eye which has an appe-
tite as keen as that of the stomach.
All the western sky glows.. with It's
delicate beauty the many-hued
clouds float here and there as noise
lessly as springtime comes, or light
is swallowed up in blackness.
Here at our left around the curve
is bridge and on either side grow
small clusters Of palm trees, set out
perhaps by some good soul for the
benefit of mankind, or perhaps who
can tell by the hands OF the Most
High Himself. Follow the curve
further along and note the cabins of
the natives that dot the beach, some
of them almost hidden by the alge-
roba ahd-palm tFees.-~Women who
doubt the pleasures of domestic life
and sheer at wife and mother joys,
should visit these simple homes and
note the Joy of the mother as she
holds her little one up TO be photo
graphed, and then when the ordeal
is over watch how she folds it to her
bosom and covers it with tender
kisses.
One of my chief joys was the long
line of sand which seemed to lie like
sentinel to prevent the sea from
committing outrages. / loved to
wander bare-footed along its damp
edges and would often visit and re-
visit it a dozen times a day, and
stand in deep contemplation over it
in a love that none shared or I'M
derstood. 1t was one of the most
interesting sights in the world to
observe it covered with crabs, great
and small, and watch them at their
work and, it seemed to me, they
might be good example for many
of the genus bimana. 1t was
deep satisfaction to me, too, to find
new joy in this beautiful world to
compensate for the trials that the
mass of humanity are always COM
planning of.
With the sea, the beach, the
bathers and the sand to interest
and amuse me, despaired of getting
acquainted with the lanai itself I'M
til halliday of rain kept me in
doors. The hau arbor had caught a
whole bucketful of water which 1t
was waiting to deluge upon some
unsuspecting head. The usually
sparkling sea was dull, aud the lap,
lap of its water now seemed almost
uncomfortable. Inside ! lay IN the
hammock and breathed in the sweet
fresh air and thought of my childish
days when every summer wind
brought long draughts of the breath
of new mown hay from the meadows
that lay just beyond our little city.
Near by stood the piano, and in the
opposite corner was a great sofa
with downy cushions. In the centre
of the room was large table strewn
with books and papers, while the
ceiling was hung with japanese
lanterns, making ones life seem "a
continual gala day. / had never
noticed its beauty before. but it came
to me in strange way then. As l
lay there wrapt in the semi-gloom, I
seemed to see ghosts of departed
guests as they came to and fro. Now
and then I could hear the sweep Of
skirts; the rustic of paper; the
scratch of pen, Or a low sigh drawn
at long intervals. There fingers with
me yet reverence for that strange
room-half outdoors, half house
that / cannot explain to others. ]
somehow imagine that this strange
room may have at one time held
congenial spirits which returned to
bear me company.
How quickly the months flee! ]
had scarcely got settled in my new
home when here and there came
little prophecies of autumn. Even
during the long, hot days there was
a faint PERCEPTION of the years decay
But one thought comforted me dur
ing it all, that in the tropics Nature
never quite denudes her children, or
covers them with a cold blanket
What she does at most is to give
them bath after bath of cool, fresh
rain until they SILVER with cold. |
think the falling leaf is sadder
token of autumn than any other; il
seems to say in its one action what q
whole column of English would fail
to express. It's fall usually escapes
notice, inasmuch as the action is
classed among the accompanying
characteristics of the season. l like
to have them cleared away in the
morning before l rise, that / may
not see how swiftly the year is dying
1t was August, and the hills were
as green, the flowers as bright
the sea as sparkling as ever
and yet in every gust of wind
[ seemed to hear chanted fare
wells and low breathed requiems
All this strange sadness was welded
to my Joy till 1 cannot tell now which
feeling had the supremacy. A dozen
times a day I would walk under the
wide spreading algeroba and exclain
from the depths of my heart, :" o
benefcient God! 0, fair Oahu! o
beautiful worldI' These days seemed
a golden promise of heavenly para
disc. / have often stood at daylight
and watched the sun as it rose over
Diamond Head, half expecting to see
the open gates of Heaven, and catch
a glimpse of eternal day. As [ would
stand there the music of nature came
10 me, for the universe of sounds is
greater than any ear hath ever heard
Perhaps the very song of the angels
are shut ont from rs simply by the
duIlness of our own ears. Somehow
my inner eye was opened, and
could look through all physical OBJ
jects and perceive the spirit that was
working within. Nature became
| 4..n.A..~.x Il lonl-nI fhrc,ncrh Onto,