The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-01

palace OF many women. VI tho uumpoE OI tn0
Kings wives have no guess. and but loose
idea Of their function. He himself displayed
embarrassment when they were referred to a.
his wives. called them himself my family"
and explained they were his "outohsons"
tcousinsl We distinguished four Of tho crowd.
the Kings mother; his sister. grave. trench-
ant woman. with much Of her brothers In
telligence: the Queen proper. to whom. and to
whom alone. my wife was formally presented.
and the favorite OF the hour. pretty. graceful
girl. who sat with the King daily. and onoe.
when he shed tenrs. consoled him with caresses.
I am assured that even with her his
relations are platonio. In the background
figured multitude Of ladies-the lean. the
plump. and tho elephantine. some In saeoue
frocks, some In the hairbreadth ridi; high born
and low. slave and mistress: from the Queen to
the sculion. from the fe vorits to the scrasgy
sentrles at tho palsade. Not all Of these Of
course are Of my PANTY" many are nero
attendants: yet surprising number shared
the responsibility Of tho Kings trust These
were ey-bearers, treasursrs. wardens OF the
armory. the napsry and the stores. Each knew
and did her part to admiration. Should any
thing DO rcauired-s particular gun perhaps or
0 particular bolt Of stuf-the right Queen was
summoned: she camo bringing tho right chest
opened It in the Kings presence. aud displayed
her charge in perfect preservation. the gun
cleaned and oiled. the goods duly fold
Cd. Without delay or haste and with
the minimum Of spesch. the whole great
establishments turned on wheels Ike ma
chine Nowhere have I seen order more COM
plete and pervasive. And yet was always re-
minded OF Morse tales Of trolls and ogres who
kept their hearts buried In the ground for the
moro safety. and must connde the secret to
their wlves- For those weapons are the life Of
Tembinok'. He does not aim at popularity.
but drlves and braves his subjects with sim.
plicity Of domination which Il IL impossible
not to admire. hard not to sympathze with
Should ono out OF so many prove f0ithless.
should tho armory be secrectly unlocked.
should the crones have dozed by the palisade
and the weapons find their way unseen into
the village. revolution would be nearly certain.
death the most probable result, and tho spirit
Of tho tyrant OF Apemama fit to rejoin his
predecessors OF Markell and Tapituea. Yet
those whom he so trusts are all women. and oil
rivals.
There Is indeed ministry and staff Of mslos:
cook. steward. carpenter. and supercargoes;
the hierarchy OF q schooner. The spies. his
Najesty's daily papers," as We called them.
como every morning to report and 60 again.
Tho cook and steward ore concerned with tho
table only. The supercargoes. whose business
Il r. to keep tally OF the coprs at IS month
and Q percentage. are rarely in tho palace: and
two q least are In the other islands. The CAR
ponter indeed. shrewd and jolly old Rubnm-
lusry. ubenf-promoted on my last visit to
The srsassr dignity Of Governor. is daily pres
suk Altsring. extending. ESTABLISHING. pursu-
inS eAe endless SerIes Of tho Kings inventions;
end his GAjesty will sometimes pass On after.
noon. Watching and talking with Rubam at his
Aoue seems to be armed. mono Is intrusted
with key: by dusk they arc all usually de-
Parted from tho palace: and tho weight OF the
monarchy and Of the monarch's LIE reposss
unshared on the women
Here 10 household unlike indeed to ono OF
ours: more unlike still to the Oriental harem-
that OF an elderly. childless man. his days
menaoed. dwelling alone amid bevy OF wo-
men Of oil ages. ranks. and relationships. the
mother. the sister. the cousin. the legitimate
vito, the oonoubine. tho favorite OF tho hour.
aud she Of yesterday: he. In their midst. tho
only lover. the only male. the sole dispenser OF
honors. clothes, and luxurles. the sole mark OF
multitudinous ambitions and desires. doubt
n you could ind man In Europe
% bold ss to attempt this piece Of
tact and government And seemingly
Temhlnok' himself had trouble In tho
beginning. ] hear OF him shooting
ct wife for some levity on board schooner.
Another on some moro serious ofence no slew
outright: he exposed her body In an open boz.
and Ito mako the warning moro memorablo)
suffered II to putreiy before the palace cato.
Doubtless his growing years havo como to his
assistance. for upon 30 large scale It Is oasier
to play the father than the husband. And to-
day. at least to tho oys OF stranger. oil scoms
70 90 smoothly. and the wivos to BIO proud OF
their trust. proud OF their rank. and proud Of
their cunning lord. conceived they made
rather hero OF the man. A popular master
In girls school might perhaps offer figure
OF his preponderating station. But tho mas
tor docs not cat sloep. live. and wash his dirty
linen In tho midst Of his admirers. The mas
tor escapes lie has room OF his own. he leads
private life: II no has nothing else no has
tho holidays. aud tho moro unhappy Tcmbl-
nok' Is aiw lys on the stage and on tho strotch.
In ull my coming and going nevar heard
him speak harshly OF express tho least dis
pleasure. An extreme. rathor heavy benignity
tho bonignity OF one sure TO be obeyed--
marked his demeanor; 30 that was at times
reminded of Samuel Richardson In his circle