The herald., 1893-07-02

y
come higher by this time. and there
traverse. Mina-Mina, with the long
black hair knotted on her head still full
Of soaked hibiscus flowers, was swim
ming bravely, keeping the boys tiny
hands upon her shoulders, and tho sea
was still and the current safely passed
when her ears missed the regular beat of
Manae's arms behind her. She turned
her head over her shoulder and saw that
he was treading the water in the manner
of strong swimmer exhausted. his chin
thrown back, his mouth open.
my king! he alu moe," she cried,
come on. Yet o little more, and we
shall touch the coral lodges with our
toes"
"Oluar' he answered, 'go forward, you
two. | must diel The fever has taken
all the manhood from my muscles. Mai
hull oe Do not turn round again. Good
byl mustgo down into the night Of the
sea-"
"Nol father ofmy son, no" Nina Nina
passionately exclaimed. "The land is
SO close can see the doors of their huts.
waving on the outside shelves Of the
reef. Oh, little farther, and we shall
all be saved!'
The poor fellow struck out courageous
ly again, but as she watched-herself
gallantly breasting the sea, which broke
gently on either side of her bosom as
from the PROV of some dark ship-she
saw his hands fall down and the sea wa
ter spill from the top of wavelet into
his mouth. Her Manae was spent. He
could never traverse by his own strength
the distance still to be dealt with. These
island women are placid and slow on
shore, but in moments Of crisis quick to
act as a seabird is to decide on it's course
of fight.
Fall on your back, friend! Fall, Maka-
makar' she said. II will give you some
rest" and then she executed wonder
full piece of water learning, tanning the
sea beside him SO that in each stroke her
returning arm gave him sufficient sup
port, while she kept herself and the baby
still steadily moving in the right direc-
ton. But she was too much accus-
| toned to the water not to know that her
man was beyond hope if he should be
left to himself. Hastily her fond heart
made up it's purpose. She could not keep
them both above the waves. The effort
she was making must soon come to an
end. She must accordingly choose be-
tween the life of the father of her child
and the life Of the son of her husband.
A Hawaiian woman of her character
would never hesitate. Mina-Mina did
not hesitate.
'Swim now by yourself for little,
Manael' she moaned, with water in her
black eyes which wss not from the sea.
II can help one Of the two to land, but
/ cannot help both. My son--Kahaha!
Thou must die for him that gave thee
beginning"
"Ah, wife! wifeI nol'' cries the Ha-
waiian, striking out anew. "Let ne
kama live-let him come to be man
and keep you when you are old. must
60. 1t is will die. cannot swim one
canoes length farther"
At this moment the baby, from it's
mothers back, chuckled out, from fun
or habit, the word of the little Sandwich
Island children when they go to their
mats for sleep at night.
Listen" said Mina-Mina, she knows
It is all right. He says farewell to you.
Oh, my manu-, my bird, you will take 90
long to drown; You are SO hearty. You
will struggle and cry for me and call
the sharks to you before you are dead.
And there is no time left. Goodby. Rub
my nose hard with your little nose. Kuh
honigala alohal Oh, my last sweet, low
ing kiss to you! Goodby!"
With that she buried the knife blade
in her boys heart and let him slide dead
into the sea. Two thin lines of blood
from his little sinking body trailed back
ward to the spot where Manae was just
sinking, and large blot of bright Grim
son darkened the green winter where he
sank. The father saw, comprehended,
but was too far spent to speak.
Almost gone herself with grief and
physical strain, she drew his hands over
her shoulders, and setting her chin hard
for the shore flung out her strong, shape
ly arms in splendid strokes, supporting
her hap2ess lord, and gradually neared
the coral reef. Where it opened into the
| lagoon a couple Of fishermen were draw
ing their nets inside. They heard in the
evening stiffness the beat of her hands,
started up and saw Mina-Mina on the
point of giving up within a stones throw
of the ledge, quite exhausted. The two
Hawaiians dashed into the sea and
dragged the pair safely toland, where
both lay for time speechless. When
they recovered power to speak and move.
the fishermen were astonished to see the
husband kiss the wet feet of his wife and
say very softly, For my life am your
debtor and my sons"
Afterward, when all understood well
what had happened in the water, they
called her Mina-Mina and praised Der
exceedingly, and she has-as you saw
by this time another little baby boy.
But there is never out of her look visit
fulness, such as you may have noticed
in passing her. am she will go down of
evenings to the sea edge at Koko point
or Waikiki and say things to herself.
We think she perhaps says: Darling he
hiwa-hiwa, oh, my little black pig that
had to cast awayl If only could have
died For thee!"-Sir Edwin Arnold in
London Telegraph
Reduced Immigration.