The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1897-02-15
TIE SANDWICH ISLANDS.
MelSapala-by-th e-sea The Chinese
New Year.
BY ANNIE NJ. PRESCOTT.

lage OF North Kohala, belonging to
the Anglican Mission, st. PauPs
Church, always keep high holiday
by first going to church. God is
first in all their thoughts, then, and
they, truly, so far as man can judge,
live their religion, "By their fruit
shall ye know them"
Monday, the first day Of February
is, this year, their New Years Day;
but their house cleaning is already
done, Swept and garnished" and
ready for guests For days before,
one hears, from time to time, the
explosion OF few fre-crackers; and
one can detect in the glad faces of
the children, and in the responsive
chances OF their elders that their
one "great day" is drawing nigh.
Cake and CONNECTIONS are made in
the poorest dwellings and sent out
to their friends; and the wonderful
Chinese lily, that blossoms at this
time only, is being in every house
hold carefully guarded and tended.
Do you say the Chinese Empire has
no pretty in its soull Humphl Much
you know. We learn by travel and
observation.
But, listen That is the ceaseless
chatter and merry laughter of
Johnny and Philip, and Mary and
Hannah; they are climbing one
after the other through the wire
fence aud trudging across the pas
ture to bring to me loaf of frosted
sponge cake from the mother. They
inform me, mot cold, my mother
she just bake for you;" and then
they all laugh in their delight and
watch with their little keen eyes, as
expressive as an Eastern fakir's, to
see what l will do and say. They
follow me, tandem fashion, into the
kitchen, and when they see it safely
landed on a shelf in the safe, they
draw breath and are quite content
-"Oh-h!' Then they scamper out
into the sunshine. But, the father
follows on after them with the ex-
quisitely- carved sandel-wood jewel
casket or money box. Gracious!
that is "bringing Goals to Newcastle"
for l have now so many OF them,
and so many rare gems, and so much
money in them all, that | have
thought must ask the Republic Of
Hawaii to cover them with its pro-
tecting wings. But what has he
besides that we prize more than all
gold, or gems? He has the beautiful
lily which must not be intrusled to
the little ones hands, for it is the
precious, sacred flower of China OF
all China, the rich and the poor, the
highest and the meanest. Yes, he
has brought to me Of his best the
sandal wood and the flower.
The superstition which obtains
throughout China is OF very remote
antiquity, with regard to this flower
1t seems like lesson sent to them
from God, whom they know not, to
teach them charity.
The bulb must be put into dish
of water with pebbles to keep it in
position about month before New
Years. II they are fortunate in
their bulb it will be in full flower on
that eventful day. The water must
be changed every morning. The
old bulbs are used for medicine.
The lily resembles very strongly
our narcissus but it is smaller.
doubt if our flower would blossom
in the water. In San Francisco
have seen them double, but tria'
smaller than the single ones. Thu
fragrance is very delightful. If tn,
+, bulb is not thrifty and full OF bios
SONS, then they believe that advers
ity and trouble will overtake then
that year.
A brother was left big famil.
estate, but had younger brothe
with large family, who was YER
poor, but to whom he would Civ
him nothing. At last he told hir