The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-12-26
tiAWAlrs LAST MONARCH.
Sketch of the Ex-oueen Lilliuokalani Now


Boston, December 24.-The following
| sketch of the late queen of the Hawaiian
Island was written in 1891, by Hon. Cor
ham D. Gilman, Newton, Mass, former
| ~ of Honolulu, now Hawaiian consul in
| Boston:
"By the death of King KaIakaua, his
sister, Lila Kamakaehe Liliuokalani be-
came the sovereign of the Hawaiian
Islands in 1890. 1t was on the sunny
slope of one of these islands, Punawaina,
looking out on the blue sea, that the new
sovereign was born On the second of Sep
scendent5 of the old chiefs who
came in with the Kamehameha re-
gime and were of the mobiles of the
kingdom. A peculiar custom used to
prevail among the high chiefs which
amounted almost to sacred obligation.
Prior to the birth of child of high
rank, some other person of equal position
could claim the expected babe, and tho
| report, would not be denied. Thus, most
of the children born to chiefs were not
brought up Dy, or considered as the chill
dren of their natural parents. Liliuoka-
iani was no exception to this strange ex-
change. for within q few hours of her
birth she was taken to the home Ct Paki
and Konia. and adopted by them aud
reared as their own daughter. Her foster
parents were Of the noblest blood of the
ancient kings, and the little one was
known only as their child. Most fortu-
| nate for her, also, was the fact that by
this adoption she came to be foster sis
ter to the Hon. Lady Bernioe Pauahi
Bishop, the child Of Paki and Konia,
one of the best and purest, most intelli-
gent and accomplished of ell the Ha-
wa ilans.
In 1912, when but four years of age, she
entered what was then known as the
young chiefs school, at about the same
time Queen Emma joined it. This insti-
tuition was started under the auspices of
| charge of MIR. and Mrs. Cooke. The spec
ial object of this select and home school
was to prepare the young chiefs, by care
full training and watchful oversight in
| morals, character and religion, for the
high positions they were, in all probable
ity, to occupy as the future rulers of the
country.
The government soon saw the great
benefit to be derived from this work, and
| assumed the entire expense of carrying
it on, and with increased efficiency. Out
of the fourteen in the school in 1912, the
eX-queen is the only one now living.
There have been four kings and two
queens from among the scholars. 1t was
at this school that her eX-MajeSty met
10 VIZ rryI,f dn mi
Of about the same age as the other schol-
ars, and who in later years became her
husband. Her marriage took place Sep
tember 16, 1862, when she was united to
John OWN Dominis, who, having en-
joyed the companionship and friendship
of his royal schoolmatss, was later called
by them, as they severally came into
power, to important positions in the state
and council of the island kingdom. Lii
iuokalina was the elder of the two sisters
of the late king, anu is now the Only one
living. She has evidenced q disposition
to command aud capability for assum-
ing the high positions which have fallen
to her, and when the king, her brother,
nInde the tour of tho world several years
since, she was proclaimed Regent, and
showed very plainly that she could hold
the reins OF power and guide the affairs
of state. When King Kalakaua left the
islands on his late and last visit to Call
fornia, where he died In February, 1891,
she Yves again proclaimed Regent and
came to the duties and responsibilities
with an apparent ability to act the SOW
eign. Not unacquainted with the obliga-
tons of the posili ion, with command
ing presence and grace of manner, her ex-
Majesty possesses the amiable traits of
her race and characteristics Of heripeoplc
ana at the same time retains the dignity
of her hereditary lineage She has ready
command of the English language and is
| interesting and Intelligent in CONVERSE
| ton. She is fond Of nj usic and has COM
posed several popular airs, the music to
| the national hymu, and has done much
| for the musical education of her young
country women. In 1887 the ex-queen,
with her sister-in-law, the wife of the
| late king, visited Boston on their way
| to attend the celebration of the jubilee of
Queen Victoria and the pleasant i'm
preston she made is we'll remembered.
| She evinced an intelligent interest in So
cial and educational matters. She at
| tended the Park street church, where the
| first church for the Hawaiian Islands
was organized, ami she received most
gractously visit from a delegation
| from the prudential committee of the
American Board. The royal visitors re-
cognized the work that had been done by
| that board at the islands in former years,
and expressed their appreciation of its
great value. While she was princess, Lii
| iuokalini was quite closely identified
with the old mission church of Kawaiaha
at Honolulu, the state church If such
| there were, where royal marriages and
| funeral services have taken place. Aside