The Arizona sentinel., 1896-03-07
HAWAII, THE PEARL
 OF THE PACIFlC."
I'ke sth of a Series of Letters
 by .BOEan EE. Nzusick.
Author of 'sThe Columbian Histdr. ical NOyels," ''BrOther Against
 Brother" etc., etc.
Copyright, 1S9i by FUNK Gs wAaxALLs COMPANY,
 New York.)

New 1ork.
 Hawaiin Holidays and How They arr
 Observed.
 The Hawaiian holidays are twelve in number, and are strange minglin} of American, European, and Asiatit civil and religious observations. Jan uary 1st is holiday, being New Year day; January 17th is holiday, il celebration of the down fall of mon- archy; February 18th is Chinese New Year; March 17th, Kamhameha II[' birthday; Good Friday; May 24th birthday of Queen Victoria; May 30th Decoration Day; June 11th, Kame- hameha Day; July 4th, Birthday O the Republic and American Indepen- dence; November 18th, Recognition o Hawaiian Independence; Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. If all holidays are kept as Christmas, the Hawaiians will not soon forget the several events they celebrate.
 left Kailaua on December 23, 1895 on the 1nter-Island Steamer w. G. Hall, for Honolulu, and was surprised to find the steamer crowded with peo- pie of all possible shades of plexion and stations in life, all bound for Honolulu to spend the holidays. The school teacher from Hawaiia the clerk and plantation manager from Maui, all boarded the Hall for the capital city. Quite 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, singing and instrumental music being the order until late hour.
 By daylight on the 24th we were at the dock in Honolulu. The day was as warm as one in July. Men went about in 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 ot Christmas. 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 Christ mas indeed.
 When evening came on l walked out on the streets and found them all brilliantly lighted up, and the shop men doing a thriving busness. Fort street and Hotel street, and other principal streets, were thronged with men, women, and children so that one could scarcely squeeze his way through It almost reminded one of Fourteenth and Twen y-third streets, New York during the holiday trade.
 Shop windows were filed with toys trinkets, and holiday presents, some displayed with the most excellent taste. Articles of bright colors seem ed to attract the natives most. The Hawaiian loves the beautiful, the gaudy, the brilliant. He does not always display the most approved oI tastes in the selection of colors, fol blue and pink, red and yellow are liable to be mingled prOmiscuously in the makeup of his CT her dress.
 An incident attracted my attention which will illustrate what 1t Is to be in tropical country during the Christmas holidays. 1 saw a great throng of natives gathered in front ol a confectionery shop on Fort street who seemed to be greatly excited and talking rapidly in their native lang uage, the object which was attracting their attention being evidently on the sidewalk. One put his finger forward as if to touch some object and sudden ly jerked it away again as if the creature was alive and had bitten him. I pressed forward to get 8 glimpse of the wonder and 1t proved to be-a large square cake of ice That ice attracted more attention than anything on exhibition that evening. In the center of 1t was frozen some California fruit, and the natives stood around it, occasionally 1 touching 1t with their fingers, until it melted entirely away, which Was late in the night.
 Christmas was celebrated here more as Fourth Of July than Christmas. The Kanaka boy does not know how to celebrate if he cannot make a noise, and fire-crackers are his hearts de- light. He dischargss thom bv the bunch in imitation of the Chinese, and not singly as tha American boy does. All night loHg an gnr' tmas Eve the ire-cracko were popping