West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1896-03-05
HAWAII, TIE "PEARL OF
THE PACIFIC"
PRESIDENT D0LE'S GOVERNMENT
BECOMING STRONG AND
POPULAR.
Social Features or Life On the
Island.
Hawaiian Holidays aud How They
Are Observed.
Copyright, 1926, by FUsK & wAssALrs Con-
FANNY New York;
Copyright, 1895, by FUsx & wAssALls Con-
FANNY New York;

in number. aud are strange min
Cling OF American. European and
Asi .tic civil aud religious observ-
auces. January lst is holiday,
being New Years day; January
18th is ~ holiday, in celebration Of
the downfall of monarchy; Feb
ruary 18th is Chinese New Year;
March 18th, Kamehameha HIS
birthday; Good Friday, May Gath,
birthday Of Queen Victoria; May
both, Decoration Day; June 18th,
Kamehameha Day; July 4th, Birth
day of the Republic and American
Independence; November 2Sth.
Recognition of Hawaiian Indepen-
6ence; Thanksgiving Day and
Christmas. If all holidays are
kept as Christmas, the Hawaiians
will not soon forget the several
events they celebrate.
left Klilana on December %,
1895, on the Inter Island Steamer
w. G.. Hall, for Honolulu, and
was surprised to find the steamer
crowded with people of all possible
shades Of complexion and stations
IN life, all bound for Honolulu to
spend the holidays. The school
teacher from Hawaii, the clerk and
plantation manager from Maui, all
boarded the Hall for the capital
city. Quite a gay party of fair and
dark ladies and gentlemen were as
sembled on the deck of the steamer
as she piled the waters, and guitars
and banjos were brought out, sing
ing and Instrumental music being
the order until late hour.
BY daylight on the 2tth we were
at the dock in Honolulu. The day
was as warm as one in July. Men
went about III white duck suits and
straw hats, many of the natives
were bare footed, and, so far as the
weather was concerned, there was
no indication whatever of Christ
mas. But the shops displayed the
usual amount of Christmas toys,
the churches were decorated with
Christmas trees, and it only lacked
cold weather and winter garb to
make one sure 1t was Christmas
indeed.
When evening came on l walked
out on the street aud found them
brilliantly lighted up, and the shop
men doing thriving business. Fort
street and Hotel street, aud other
principal streets, were thronged
with men, women and children so
that one could scarcely squeeze his
way through. 1t almost reminded
Que Of Fourteenth and Twenty
third streets, New York, during
the holiday trade.
Shop windows were filed with
toys, trinkets and holiday presents,
some displayed with most excellent
taste. Articles of bright colors
seemed to attract the natives most.
The Hawaiian loves the beautiful,
the gaudy, the brilliant. lie does
not always display the most ap-
proved OF tastes in the selection Of
colors, for blue aud pink, red and
yellow are liable TO be mingled pro-
rnIscuously in the make up Of his
or her dress.
IN incident attracted my atten-
ton which will illustrate what it IS
10 DO in q tropical country during
SIie Christmas holidays. ] saw a
great throng Of natives gathered in
front Of a confectionery shop on
Fort street, who seemed to be
greatly excited and talking rapidly
IA their native language, tho object
which was attracting their attention
belug evidently on the sidewalk
One put bis finger forward as If to
touch some object and suddenly
jorked it away again as il the Great
ure was alive and bad bitten him.
, pressed forward to get a glimpse
q the wonder, and it proved 10 be
"a large square cake Of ice. That
leo attracted more attention than
anything on exhibition that even.
ing. In The center Of it was frozen
some California fruit, aud the ma
t.ves stood around it, occasionally
touching It with their fingers, until
1t melted entirely away, which was
late in the night.
Christmas was celebrated here
l.