The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-05-13

vestbulc 1t occupies the center of the
house, and is what we would perhaps
term the office From it the master
commands a general view Of the home,
as it is separated from the atrium, on
the one side by drawn curtains, and
upon the other opens direct into the
perlstyle. 1t is in a sense the archives
of the house. Here the money and
documents are kept, the money chest
being one OF its principal pieces Of
furniture. Here, too, stands the SoiiHR,
the honored seat of the bdtey fdmiiidS
ian equivalent for the grandiathers
chair of the New England chimney
corner. 1t is of rare wood, richly
carved, high backed and with two solid
elbows. There are other graceful com
Portable chairs, their frames elegantly
wrought with white round backs, made
easily with loosely stuffed cushions.
But the lord of the domain now comes
forward to greet us. His morning nap
was unusually prolonged, as he fingered
long at the imperial banquet last eve.
Refreshed however, and having par
taken of his light morning repast, con
sisting usually of bread dipped in wine,
or taken with some slight relish, such
as honey, dates, olives, or cheese he
now, with his presence, throws into our
gathering the charm which a truly ac-
complished host naturally does. We
admire his majestic bearing and lofty
carriage his noble expressive face we
note the exquisite arrangement of his
dress, every fold in the VIII te toga so
carefully adjusted. This garment is
thrown over the left shoulder, first
falling a little below the knee, and GOV
ering the left arm to the hand, then
passed across the back, and under the
right arm forward in front; its ample
folds then arranged obliquely across the
chest, aad the remaining portion, thrown
over the left shoulder again, falling
down over the back in a mass of broad
and regular folds. Meath this garment,
and visible upon the right shoulder,
unenCumbered as it is from the tOga,
is the tunic. 1t is also white, but with
broad purple strip running down the
front, His feet are enCased in tall
shoes, latched with four-fold thongs,
and ornamented with a silver crescent
on the instep.
With keen perception he discernr
our eagerness to gather all we can OF
this old Roman life, and he conducts
us to the part of the mansion which is
his especial pride and pleasure the
library--here he regards his treasures
In presses of cedar wood placed around
the walls are many rolls; some of parch-
ment some of the finest Egyptian
papyrus Upon each is label which
shows in brightly colored letters the
name of the author and title of the
book. Among the articles Of furniture
of the room is study table and near it
a neat couch inlaid with tortoise shell
and hung with Babylonian tapestry.
Here this gentleman of culture retires
to find relief from political cares and
anxieties. He expresses himself thus
in regard to it: 81 find my JOY and my
solace in literature. There is no glad
ness that it cannot increase, no sorrow
that it cannot lessen. Especially do
find pleasure in the practice of trans
lating either Greek into Latin, or Latin
into Greek; for by this, one acquires an
abundant choice of the beauties of style,
power in description, and in the imita-
ton of the best models a facility for
creating such models for ones-self
What you escape when you read can
,tba vel re-
In addition to the literary acCumula,
tons of this room there are curious OBJ,
jeCts Of hOary classical antiquity. We
are shown a string from the Tyre OF
Orpheus a cup, the gift of Dido to
Aeneas, and a piece of wood from the
keel of the old ship Argo Of Golden
Fleece memory But now slave
enters and informes the Senator that
a message from a friend has been re-
Ceived desiring his presence in the
Senate. chamber. On retiring oul
host gives us full privilege Of
the library, and we turn our attention
TO the slaves so busily occupied in this
apartment, ali quietly busy; some in
transCribing from the works of ancient
authors, others in smoothing the rolls
with pumice- stone, blackening the
edges, SO giving them the most agree
able exterior, while others still wrap
them, as they are finished, upon round
pieces of wood, which are tipped or
either end with ivory knobs. We
notice a difference in the cast Of
features and physiogomy of the slaves
engaged in the department from that
observed in others we have seen, and
we see they are all Greeks, and we
well understand their evident enjoy
ment in the tasks assigned them
Having fingered here some time, we
are about to return to the atrlum, but
are met by the Roman matron, who
invites US to the peristyle. Upon our
first entrance into this home, our atten,
ton and also our admiration was at.
tracted by the lengths Of view, and, at
the same time, the beauty OF it in being
able to look directly through to the
peristylum; but we should not have
felt warranted i'm epteTinu This WithOut