The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-09-02
LOVE LIFE In A LANAI.
THE CHARMS OF HAWAIIAN
EXISTENCE.
One Of Charles Warren Stoddard's
Island Classics-A Luau on a
Silver Beach


and we sat at dinner, with fearful eyes,
over the Commodore's curry. You see,
the Commodore prided himself on the
strength of this identical dish, and
kept a mahogany. tinted East Indian
steward for the sole sake Of his skill in
connecting the same.
We dined, as usual, in the Commo-
dore's unrvaled lanai-the very
thought of which is kind of spiritual
feast to this hour. And now for
word to the unintiated concerning the
lanai in question. of there in the
Pacific, under the vertical sun, ali
shadow is held at premium. There
are stationary caravans Of cocoa trees
that seem to be looking for their desc TT
home weird, slender trees, with tat
tered plumes, and hopeless air about
them, as though they were born to sor-
row, but mean to make the best of it.
Still, these fne old palms cast thin
shadow, about the size and shape of a
colossal spider, and there is no comfort
in trying to sit in it. OF course, there
are other trees with more foliage, and
vines that run riot and blossom them.
selves to death; but somehow the sharp
arrows of sunshine dart in and sting
fellow in an unpleasant fashion, and
nothing short of good thatch is to be
relied upon. So out from the low caves
of the Commodore's cottage, on the
seward side, there was dense roof of
leaves and grass that ran to the edge of
the sea and looked as though it wanted
to go further, but the Commodore
knew it was useless to attempt to roof
over that institution. There was a
leafy tapestry hanging two feet below
the roof on three sides thereof, and
from the floor of the Enclosure rose a
sort of trellis of woven rushes that
hedged us in to the waist. There was
a wicker gate and an open space be-
tween the leafy stalactite and stagla-
mite barricade for ventilation and view,
and everywhere there was kind OF
semi-twIight that seemed cram full OF
dreams and delicious indolence-and
this the Hawaiian lanai.
Just as the mahogany steward-he
always looked to me like a snake
charmer-was entering with something
that seemed to have come to an un.
timely end in wine sauce-at this stage
the Commodore turned to us as though
he we're about to give some order that
we might disregard at the peril of oul
lives-these sea dogs never quite out
grow that sort of thing. Gentlemen,
said he, casting watchtul and sus
"there is to be luau-a native feas
in the adjoining premises Will yor
do me the honor to accompany me
thither after we have lighted oul
cigars?"
Hawaiian feast days are not set dowr
in the calendars. Somebody's chile
has birthday, or there is a new house
that needs christening, or perhaps ;
church is in want and the feast can ne
a hundred or two for it, since all thu
eatabes in such cases are donated anC
the eaters enter to the feast with tn,
payment of 81 per head. Our feas
was not sanctlhed. A chief of the bes
blood was in the humor to entertain hi
friends, Countrymen and lovers. w
belonged to the first order, or rather
the Commodore was his friend, and w
speedily became as friendly as possible
AS we entered the premises it appeared
that half of the islands was under cover
for limitiess anas seem to run on t
the end of time in bewltching vstas
Numberess lanterns swung softly il
the evening gale. A multitude O
white-robed native girls passed to ant
fro with that inimitable grace which
had always supposed Eve copied fror
the serpent and impaired to her daugh
tiers, who still affect the modern Eden
of the earth. Young Hawaiian blood
clad in snowwhite trousers and bale
shirts, with wreaths of Male aroun
their necks and ginger-flowers in the
Hdi, SIOupSu tllCilioCiNSo diobS III
evergreen corridors, and looked unutte
able things without any noticeabl
effort on their part.
Through the central corridor, unds
long line of lanterns, was spread tn
corporeal feast and on either side {
it, in two ravenous lines, sat, tailo
fashion, the hungry and the thirsty.
is useless to attempt an ldeallzation {
the Hawaiian eater He simply d,
YOURS whatever suits his palate, {
though he were packing case thi
needed filling, and the sooner filled tt
more creditabe the performance. BIZ
the amount of filling he is equal to
the marvel ; and the patient perseve
ance of the man so long as there is
crumb left is something that l despa
of reconciling with any known syste
of physiology. The mastication bega
early in the afternoon, 1t was P.
when we looked in upon the orgy an
the bones were not all picked, thong
they seemed likely to be before mi
night.
"Will you eat1" said the host
was not etiquette to decline, and ,
sat at the end of the lanai with nam
less dishes strewn about US in hopele
confusion. We dipped finger in pin