The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-09-19
MRS. KATE L. Y0UMANS.

IuioI udlIOu was ftcelFeu uy tue
last steamer that Mrs. Kate L. You
mans recently died IN New York
City.
The older residents Of the islands re-
call her a. the wife Of Judge William
L. Lee, who served the King and
people of this country 50 well for
many years. She arrived at this port
about the year 1917 on a sunday
morning, in the charge Of General ).
+. b. Marshall, after a voyage around
Cape Horn. As she desired TO De mar
ried on shipbOard, Rev. Mr.. Damon
was called upon To perform the ser
vice at 10 o'clock, the usual hour Tor
the Bethel service, which was attend
Ell by nearly all Of the white people.
The congregation met a usual, and,
after waiting IN silence for some time,
a messenger arrived and informed the
Rev. Mr.. Dole that Mr.. Damon was
detained. Mr.. Dole then read a ser
vice and dismissed the congregation.
Judge and Mrs. Lee lived for many
years in Washington place, with the
elder Mrs. DOminis. After Judge
Lees death, Mrs. Lee resided in New
York City. She had considerable
property, some of which was in the
Lihue plantations, on Kauai. Her
house IN New York was u favOrite
meeting place of literary people.
About the year 1865, she married
Professor Edward L. Youmans, who
was then in the early days Of his re-
markable career as a writer on scien-
has been most admirably prepared,
by Professor Fiske, OF Harvard Uni
versity, and was recently published.
Mrs. IOumans aided her husband,
both with her money and her fine
critical power III literature, and her
work has had much TO do with that
most valuable of all periodical liters-
ture, the Popular Science Monthly"
which is gradually working its way
into all educated families, and
Is doing more, perhaps, 10 set
people TO sound thinking than any
publication of the times. The writer
of this notice could only regard Prof.
YOumans with admiration; man,
who, blinded by disease for many
years, still boldly, persistently anu
with an energy beyond the average
energy of the best men OF his race,
pushed his way in scientific research
for the good OF mankind.
When the negotiations for a reclp-
rOcity treaty between the United
States and Hawaii began, Mrs. You
mans gave the most valuable assist
ance in informing the public mind re-
garding the merits of the proposed
treaty. Her intimate acquaintance
with Mr.. Dana, of the New York sun,
with Mr.. w. c. Bryant, the poet, and
| editor of the New York Evening Post,
with the editors of the Tribune and
| Times, enabled her to command the
| influence of those journals, in the IN
| terests of the treaty. Some OF the best
writing on the subject was done by
| her. Mr.. Carter, our late Minister TO
| Washington, found her, in the various
| perplexing questions, which surround
! ed the negotiations, Ia most valuable
| aIly. If only Scanty justice was done,
| the Republic would erect monument
| TO her memory by reason or the ala she
| gave in bringing great wealth to these
| islands. She was regarded by her
! friends as an example OF woman,
| who knew how to reach and control
| public men, without destroying their
! peace of mind.
She kept about her the noted lite
rary people of New York City, ami
drew them TO her by her great magnet
ism. She vas not acOnversatlOnailsG,
but " brilliant listener and had the
rare power of showing people how to
make the best of themselves. she de-
voted much time to charitable work,
and gratuitOus literary criticism on
behalf of young and ambitious writers.
On the arrival of Herbert Spencer,
in the states, she entertained him for
some time. Mr.. Spencer informed
the writer Of this notice, that she
would rate as rare woman, IN any
country. and that he felt that she was
one of the few women, who lad taken
the trouble to carefully study his
works.
During her long residence away
from Hawaii, she never lost her in
terest in the islands, or the people,
although she felt that her adherence
to Mr.. Spencer's philosophy would
cause her cold welcome from the
conservative element here. Her
house in New York was filed with
furniture of rare value, which she had
gathered in foreign lands. She left
no children. Mr.. e. r. Bishop, who
emigrated from tie states, with Mr..
Lee. was her life long friend. Both
of them came, We believe, from sara
| +oga Comfy. New York.