Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-23

sorts. such as a natural
list seeks to gather but the people themselves are
the most interesting savages have ever met
The men and children 60 about entirely naked,
while the women wear only short grass petit
coats. employed Young black fellow named
Roboor to help me IN my work. His hair was q
bush Of kinky fuzZ and stood up on his head in
mass as big as half-bushel measure. found
out that he WAS in love. but he admitted with a
sigh that no was too roor to marry the girl Of
his choice.
You are young and strong said 1. why
do you not go to work and earn enough to sup
port yourself and your sweetheart
=" Nou do not understand he replied. 4
have good garden that would supply what
food We wanted; besides, can throw the spear
farther and truer to the mark than any other
man in this district SO that can get plenty of
kangaroos and pigs But they will not buy the
girl. Her mother wants an ak for her,
and that l cannot grow in my garden or hunt
In the forest with my spear
Tho poor fellow 2roaned made several de-
spalrinS remarks on his prospective mother-In-
law and finally said that If he did not love the
young woman so dearly he would go away and
never come back again.
:" But my boy. You need not despair said I.
III the possession of an AK will secure Your
happiness i will give you one. want many
paradise birds. for in my country people think
more of them than of axes. If you will help me
get as many birds with the long plumes as you
have fingers on both hands You shall have the
AK on the day we get the last one'
HE accepted the proposition delightedly.
At length, with his assistance the ten good
birds were procured and the AK earned. i was
present when Roboor bought his wife with it.
They were married the following morning. the
ceremony being concluded with a wild dance
and singing by "A chorus of girls.
PAPUAS GIRLS.
"Papuan girls are sometimes very pretty
Once, when out shooting, met strikingly
handsome young woman. She was frightened
at first and turned 10 run away. but l quieted
her fears with a small Offering of beads. 1
should judge that she was sixteen or seventeen
years old, rather tall, of fine figure and as sup
pie and graceful as swan. She was very light
and the warm blood glowed through the brown
color of her skin. Her hair was brown and
curly and clustered about her face in the most
attractive manner Her eyes were dark with
mischievous twinkle; her nose was straight,
and her mouth. handsome enough for Venus,
had dimple at each corner when she laughed.
Altogether, she WAS q beauty.
CHANCE TO SELECT A WIFE.
Zone day, after we had been in the country
a good while and were able to talk pretty well
in the Papuan language, friendly native
named Lohier came to us with something inn
portant to say. After receiving assurance from
us that we liked tie people and the region,
considering the latter as beautiful and as fer
tile as any We had ever seen, he asked:
DO you possess wives in American
"'No. We replied.
"'Have you sweetheartsY
No; we have had, but they are all married.
CHOW do you like the Papuan girls?'
Some OF them are very handsome and
pleasing
Would you like to get married in New
Guinea?'
That depends on circumstances
"'How much do you pay for wife in Amer
leap
Some are very expensive and others very
cheap. Usually the expense comes after they
are married. The parents of some girls are so
anxious to dispose Of their daughters that thew e
buy husbands for them
Would you marry any you have seen
here?'
Hardly. You see. Lohier we came long.
long distance to get to New Guinea, and, as We
are rich and very good looking, we ought to
have the best your country affords
AT that Lohier started up with whoop and
a yell and was off. We went on with our work.
thinking no more about the matter.
'As we were preparing our dinner one after
noon litter and giggle were waited to our
ears. Looking around we beheld Lohier in the
midst OF group of fifteen or twenty girls,
many OF them of superior beauty. who were
laughing and peering at us over each others
shoulders. They all wore flowers in their hair
and bands of green leaves adorned their arms
and ankles. Each maiden had on her best
striped petticoat and some wore necklaces of
dogs teeth.
AT length Lohier. stepping forward, said
That ne had been long way, had visited the
biggest towns OF his country, and had brought
back with him the most beautiful women of
his nation. He hoped we would each select
one that would please us. marry her. and settle
down in New Guinea. The parents of some of
the girls had come also and were standing in
the background. Our friend explained to us
hiul
finest girls in the land. He arranged them all
in a giggling line, that they might be seen to
the best advantage. Beginning with the first
he told their names and gave their different
accomplishments.
THEIR MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
"'This young lady's name is Mime. She can
sing, dance. work in the garden, cook kangaroo
and is good tempered. The price for her is a
herp
"'What about the nextS we asked.
"'Ihis ones name is Bimena. She is hand
some. very shapely and has nice hair and ewes.
Her father Is rich and she can make earthen
pots and fish nets. Her father is the chief
man In his village. He wants two axes for his
daughter, but ii you will live in his town he
will give you part Of his big house and
garden.
Tell us about the next we said
Here Is nice little girl. Her name is
aged mother, knows how to make brooms can
cook pig without burning it and is economi-
cal. Her garden has no weeds in it and she
raises excellent bananas. She wants to get
married and her mother will let her 60 for a
piece Of calico large enough to make q petit
coat
Il noticed the beautiful girl whom had met
while out shooting among the number Of the
maidens and was anxious to hear what Lohier
would say Of her. She still wore the string of
beads l had given her and looked AS pretty and
modest as violet When he came to her he
said:
"'This is Lucena Is she not lovely? Her
arms are round as bamboo; her form is supple
as the climbing vine; her skin is smooth as q
young banana leaf; her hair is soft as spiders
webs; her eyes are bright as dew in the morn
ing She can sing like bird and run fast as a
kangaroo; she is a good housekeeper, affec-
tlonate daughter, and comes from q good fam
lily. for her father is u great warrior
THE value set upon the beauty was an AZ, q
knife, piece Of calico and q string Of beads.
We stood admiring her, and Lohier thought he
had made a bargain. We realized that the
affair might turn out seriously perhaps but we
turned the matter off by declaring that We were
unable to make q choice among so many lovely
creatures and proceeding to distribute presents
literally. To most of the girls we gave gay
colored handkerchiefs with brass ring and q
brass button in each. To Lucena we offered q
looking glass. and the young women danced for
our Amusement while we ate our dinner, and
vb,.I Shx.xr fhary