The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-03-16


! character and are free from set figures
or forms. The national one is called
the hula" which, in its primitive
form, casts the French "cancan" into
the blaciest of shadows. This, how
! ever, is Strenuously hunted down by
the authorities and is almost extermin-
| ated. As the ordinary hula" is danced
in good society it is, of course, free
from all of the vulgaritios, while en-
bodying all of the graces.
The homes of the natives are so plain
as to be in many instances comfortless,
| large numbers of persons often hcrding
together In spaces wholly inadequate
| for so many. The houses are white
washed outside and present tidy ex-
terror. Some few natives in the rural
districts stin live in grass houses. But
that primitive style of structure is rap
idly going out of date.
The famous staple food of the is
lands, poi" still holds it's supremacy
over all other ediblos. It's origin is SO
ancient that it is forgotten. 10 is the
product of species of the cauadium
lily, called taro, and is grown, like
rice, in the mud. When mature the
root gets to be enormously large, and
when broken apart in its raw state il
presents a notified appearance, purple
and white, and is very toothsome in
deed. The leaf, too, is utilized and
makes excellent green's for the table.
The root is usually first cooked and
the skin clipped off. After the inner
portion is broken Tito fragments il is
known TO local commerce as ''pai-ai."
The celebrated leper colony on the
island of Molokai is located on the
north side of the Island and consists of
strip Of land running out into the
ocean - a miniature peninsula - Eve
miles long and about two wide. Back
of it are high, preGipitous bluffs that
shut it off from the remainder of the
island, and which, being guarded be-
sides, bar escape. The location is all
that could be desired, the climate salu-
brious and hcalthful, and here more
than LOO victims of the most loath-
some disease known to man live and
await death. The average life of a
leper after contracting the disease is
five years. Ten per cent of all the
revenues Of the kingdom is annually
devoted to the amelioration of their
unhappy state. They are provided
with churches, hospitals, and neat
homes, and many horses are provided
for their pleasure. Misguided SYM
pathy permits one concession to crime,
in that the sexes intermix and children
are occasionally born who are obliged
to remain with their parents.
Let us be modest for our own coun-
try and claim only the virtues that are
credited to our people by travellers and
students from other lands. The Hawai-
ians are honest and no one fears pilfer- |
ing. They are tender-hearted, kind |
and credulous, The sufferings Of the |
unfortunate find warm sympathy in
their bosoms. They will not desert a
friend; and they trust implicitly TO the
word and advice of whoever has their |
confidence. And perhaps the most
prominent trait Of their character is
their generosity. They never turn
away the needy unaided, if they them
selves possess the means of relieving
him, and they will share the last crust !
with friend
And now, as the American press is |
teaching the American people better
acquaintance with the Hawaiins. now |
that the people Of the United States |
are learning more what beauties of |
character our people possess, and what
glorieS OF scenery and natural products |
our land has to show, are we not to be |
welcomed into the commonwealth Is |
IL not possible that returning steamers |
may bear to us the news that the Gov
ernment at Washington has granted |
our desire, and that the next message |
we send eastward may be to brotheHs
instead of strangers2
."our great love to you! Aloha-pui.0
CHARLES HULAKoA.