The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-01-19

she has not Understood. she snail murry
Taliau. l. her father, command it
The people stood bark, expecting 20 see
immediate obedience, but Scfalina only
said, "Lcai, will not marry 1nliau.
Such impotence had never been heard
Of in all Samoa. To disohoy the command
Of "a father given in the presence Of all
these people was sacrilo9e. Then Aoli
spoke, "lIear ye, good people of Apolina
and Manono. My daughter has been Wild
and unruly and has defied me- her father
her lawful guardian, innsmuch as she has
declined to marry Taliau high chief Of
Npolima, a most worthy and virtuous
trince. And |, Aeli, do hereby declare
that my daughter Sefalina shall be Joined
to Tnlau in marriage tomorrow as the
sun goes behind Upolu. And If this devil
departs not from her soul and she still de
clines to marry him, l hereby place n great
taboo upon her, oven though she be my
| daughter No one shall speak to her, no
one shall shelter her, no ono shall give her
OF the kaVa or cocoanut to drink, nor Of
the breadfruit nor the palusami to eat.
| She shall be cast out from the tribe Of
Manono forever. |, Aeli, have spoken it, ~
| The great taboo had been pronounced, and
| no ono would dare disobey. Besides, the
women all disikod Sefalna and whispered
with each other that it served her right,
the impudent thing, with her proud ways.
| She must either marry Taiiau or starve to
! DEATH
Her mother came and wept with hcr
and begged her not to disgrace the family,
but Sefalna only shook her head and re-
peated, 81 cannot marry Taliau." At
night she lay down upon her mats-coaTsC
ones, for she would not touch those of soi,
texture which Taliau had sent her. But
she coud not sleep She crept out on The
| beach and sat down under the waving
palms. All was still around her, save the
gentle tapping of the waves as they CaresSCd
her bare feet. The white line of the beach
separated the feathery foliage of the vine
clad trees, which shaded the peaceful hut
from the vast ocean. 1t divided the world
of Sefalina from the great world beyond
Inside that lire she knew every shrub and
veery insect but beyond all was darkness.
Once she had seen the missionaries who
had come over from A pia on visit. They
had been kind to her and had given her
q delicious piece of food called lollie, which
did not grow in Samoa. If she could only
90 to those missionaries now, perhaps
they would help her. They were so good,
and they would not be obliged to mind the
great taboo because they were of foreign
race.
She could not, she would not, marry
Taliau. Before she had simply disliked
him, but now she hated him. What right
had he to cause her all this trouble when
she had been so happy She laid her head
on the sand and wept the first bitter tears
she had ever shed.
With each sob her hatred for Taliau in
creased. Better anything than to marrs
him. She would sooner plunge into tine
prIn hon nip hon, II .,
and carry her to Apia.
She heard a rustic in the bushes Some
one was coming. She must not be found
here. And quicker than Thought She
jumped into the dark ocean.
Like all of her race, she could swim .
easily as she could walk, and she was soon
far out on the reef, the deep water gradU
ally lengthCning the distance between bCr
and her native isle by and by she lay on
her back and rested. She did not much
care what happened to her now. 1t was
pleasant to lie there peacefully in this cool
cradle and see the rising sun gradually
reddening tie sky.
What would her father say when he
found she was gone? He would search ioJ
u her in tho mountains and would finally
> conclude that she had drowned herself.
y But suppose no guessed where she was 60
thought alarmed her 1t would never do
for her 10 float in this peaceful fashion,
= She must hasten.
y, So again she began to swim. But LEI
: arms ached, and hGr back grew tired, and
=. tho burning sun, which was now shining
. with all its tropical force, made the heat
oppressive and blistered her bare shoulders
;. Her own island We almost out of sight
' and she could see the mountains of Upolr
y appearing in the distance. She must--sht
. would reach them But her weary arm.
Y moved more and more slowly, and she 10
y came faint for lack of food.
y She had gone ten miles already, anC
Is there were foufmore ahead of her. Su,
, grew dizzy She would rest just littlt
u whilo-only little while. Where was sh'
anyway!
Late that evening two plump little Sa
'e moan boys were wading out on the reef Il
" pick up shells.
q "Papalagi taelir-white man swim
= ming-said one, laughing, as he pointct
!. to a figure in the water painfully padding
: and keeping aloat with great difficulty
: Up they swan to have n little fun will
the unfortunate foreigner and to show
u him their own skill. But they stoppe,
~ aghast as they saw that it was u girl, an,
~ IA Samoan, too, who was swimming in tina
undigniaed way
re Soon company of natives was standing
1t around the PROSTATE figure of little Sefa
II lima. Poor thingl" they murmured. On
u old dame soothed her blistered shoulder
10 with cocoanut OIL one rubbed warmtl
III into her cold body, while another went I
~ the gi-iaissionaries-f some
u thing with which to revive her.
'' Little by little strength returned to Sefa
lima, and she told her story to the kim
=, faced missionary who bent over her
II 'Leai, l will not go back!" she cried. 9"
D. will stay here always. will work, but
l. will not marry Italian. Don't make N
III go! Don't make me go!'
/ For two years Sefalina staid in Apia an
r lived in the family of the Rev. Mr.. White