The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1891-08-04
LUNALIL0 HOME.
The Retreat for Aged Hawaiians
Wonderful Growth of Luna
IiIo'S Estate.

OF the higher mountains berond. stands
romantic, ivy-wreathed Lunalilo Home
Tor INDECENT Hawaiians. 8 substantial
evidence OF Kings love ior his subjects.
Lunaiiio, the founder OF the home
died III February, 1874, but it was not
known until 4 month later when his will
was probateG what his intentions we're
rs 10 the disposition CT th- meals he had
acquired during his lie. ltwas Gn open
secret that the supreme regard in which
he was held by his subjects would IN
some way be recognized, but the magni-
tude OF the provision was not once sus-
pecled- Nor Is 1t believed that the gen
eTous King ever cherished the thought
that the Home which he would found
would some day be pointed out 10 stran-
gers rs one OF the finest architectural
structures in Hawaii Nei.
Lunal.o's idea 0! his estate must have
been limited, for, in his VIII, after pro-
vidlng fOr life interest for his father
and the appointment OF Trustees. he di-
rected that they " shall dispose OF his
real estate at public or private sale until
the sum, with donations or contributions
IRON other sources, amount TO twenty
five thousand dollars and TO expend tee
erection OF building for the use and &C
cOmmod2tion OF poor, destitute and IL
firm people OF Hawaiian (aboriginal
blood or extraction, giving preference to
old people Donations or contributions
were not needed, for, through excellent
management, the home was built from
the proceeds OF the sale OF only q portion
OF the estate, and money derived through
increased values and sales Of other pOr-
tons OF the lands has been SO judiciously
invested that the Managers now have
invested IN dividend paving securities
the sum OF Sl79 ,099, portion OF which
income Is used IN the maintenance OF the
home.
The original Trustees appointed under
the viii by the Supreme Court were
Messrs. Z. Q. Hall, J. Mott-Smith and
=. 3. Dole, th7 latter being the Manag-
ing Trustee .ad upon him deyo.ved the
responsible OF erecting buildings aud
laying out the grounds which to-day are
among the things the people OF the
kingdom point TO with pride.
The location of the buildings, short
distace back OF the city, Is an excellent
one, for, unlike many similar institu-
tons in the United States, Il Is sufiici
emily Tar away IRON the noise and con-
fusion inciden: TO city life, that the IN
mates are assured perfect rest, yet il
gives them an uninterrupted view of
almost every building in the city as well
as the harbor. This in itself IS boon
20 the old ioiks who sit together in
groups for hours at : time watching the
vessels arriving and departing, the fish
ermen going out with their nets, and re-
lating to each other incidents in their
lives which the scenes before them
recall 10 memory.
The cornerstone Of the building was
laid in 1881, and in April, 1888, the first
inmate was admitted. but the house was
10y no means filed during the first few
wears, and Ii has been only during the
past three years that the average has
reached forty, the total number admitted
since the Home was opened being one
hundred and thirty-fve. OF these eighty
two were men and fiity-three women.
The Youngest person admitted was %
years old and the oldest III, the average
age at admission being g. years. The
Young person mentioned above was adj
mitted at so young an age on account OF
blindness.
The fact OF their being so many cen
tenarians among the Hawaiians is not
remarkable when It IS considered that
their early life was spent IN the open
air and before commerce had made
such inroads and brought with it toll
and worry, to which the Hawaiians Of
old DAYS were unaccuStomed.
The main building OF the Home con- /
tains, as inmates apartments ten me- |
dium-sized sleeping rooms and two large |
dormitories, large dining room, ofhce /
and dispensary; substantial outbuild- |
ings are used as kitchens, pantries, |
lighthouses, etc. Mrs. VI. .. Forbes, |
the lady manager, attends personally TO |
the wants of the inmates and directs the 4
care Of the apartments. AS assistants
she is provided with corps Of cooks,
stewards, yardmen, etc. In an article
OF this character II is customary to state 4
that the floors were SO clean that one
could eat off them without danger OF
having the food spoiled. and such state
ments are generally taken cum granum
Salus, but in this instance We can say IN
all truthfulness that in no public lnstltu-
ton We have ever visited, have the
rooms presented a more inviting appear
ance than at Lunalilo Home
There are no fixed rules as TO the
hours for rising or getting up, and the
DAYS are spent in sweet idlcness, except
Tor such selt-imposed tasks rs the in
mates take upon themselves; one or two
Of the men cutting wood and some OF the
women weaving mats, for which they
derive some remuneration Their work,
however. is entirely voluntary, as II is
the desire and intention OF the manage
ment TO make the lives OF the inmates as
free from toll or trouble as possible.
Young Cupid sometimes flies through
the portals and creates havoc IN the
hearts OF the young, old and middle
aged. Nor are MS visits without results,
for only a few days ago ksailsuole, q
buxom, but blind, widow, who had
passed through forty-nine tropical win
tiers, yielded to the tender words Of Wa
hahu, also blind, and aged forty-five and
they are now enjoying their honeymoon.
As we passed along the veranda we saw
the husband sitting in front OF their
room door while the bride sat in the
room weaving q native mat. As she
heard our voices she called out pleas
ant 4" Aloha" her face beaming with
smiles. There are other married couples
among The thirty-seven inmates, In some /
instances the wife being first to become
an inmate only TO be followed BY the
husband when time had wrought such
changes upon him that he was too feeble
10 continue as q breadwlnner. Some OF
the ROOMS are especially lifted up ior use
Of married couples, and their lives, IN
many respects, are made more comiori-