The San Francisco call., 1897-09-26
DUSKY BEAUTY OF A TROPIC ISLE.

lava on these occasions it is apt to vary.
One day l rubbed my eyes, deserving
favoriJe tablecloth with colored embroid-
cry, which was gracing not the clothes
line but our beautiful taupo's limbs. Had
she washed 1t? What did she want to DO
with it? A minute later | was informed
Mademoiselle was drying my tablecloth
her own fashion, but, a woollen shawl
having caught her fancy, she had, with
sudden switch and twirl, Instituted the
sha wl and hung the cloth on the line. To
a priestess ali vagaries are permissible.
She is always ready with radiant
smile or helpful word when | run across
10 her in some trade-and- barter difficulty,
but language impediments prevent me
from holding the key to her thoughts as
she plies her busy hands. When the heat
or noontide becomes overpowering she
pushes her worK aside, stretches her
straight limbs on the mat, places her
shapely head on a hard bamboo pillow
and sleeps through the blaze of the after
noon. If the family oven has been lighted
or an influx of visitors causes extra feast
ing, she is sent across to US with a dainty
offering-roast fish, taro, smoking bread
fruit or some delicate cocoanut prepara-
tion, all temptingy laid on fresh banana
leaf over a mat tray; or she comes, a
dusky Hebe, the kava-tiled cocoanut
bowl dettly poised in her raised hand, to
offer us the national drink.
For the Samoans are nothing If not
hospiiable, and we are family guests de-
spite the fact that We pay rent. Guests
under the chiefs patriarchal care and ac-
cepted as such by his numerous retinre,
who are quite willing TO cheat any one
outside the family, but who guard US and
our possessions with affectionate solici-
tude.
When the shadows fail can see Hebe
stand UP, classic figure in the smolder-
ing, central freight, to light the lamp
hanging from the oval-domed roof. Then
the entire household squat in circle
round the hut and chant the evening
hymn, the mems rich bass blending with
the women's shrill trebles. Later on, In
the moonlight, when there is no fear OF
disturbing our evening meal, the taupo
will glide N noiselessly and shyly for her
daily visit; unattended despite the male
element in our home, for is she not as sa-
cred to US, admitted into the family, as 10
her own people? She will rest IN an easy
chair az naturally as if she had been born |
TO drawing room, accept a cigarette and
give US lessons in the pure pronunciation |
of her musical language. There are class
distinctions of speech in Samoa as else.
where, and the taupo's liquid accent and
cadenced intonation differ as much from |
the noisy gutturals Of the Apla hawker as
my Iady's utterance differs from that OF
Jane of Billingsgate.
Or perchance we may bring out pic |
ture- book which our visitor will turn over |
with curious finger, and then il is that the |
eternal feminine" peeps out, for she j
passes over landscapes as uninteresting
and love scenes as perplexing; but fash |
ion-plate attracts her al once and an his |
torical parsonage, stiffiy draped in regal |
robes, eicits a cry of delight. As for the |
nude, that shocks her past words. She is
too polite 10 put her feelings strongly, but |
how any one can dispense with a lava
lava and not win condemnation is a deep |
problem 10 this maiden, whose attire |
would seandalize severe white matrons, |
Then she will leave US, with her soft ~
go now" and her simple day is ended-a |
model copy book sort of day which would |
drive an American belle to despair.
But when the silva comes eff then the |
priestess reaps the reward of her discre-
ton. Then it is that hours are spent in
arraying her for the festival till she !
emerges from cunning hands. a marvel |
Gus editice of black siapo and colored fiber |
ribbons, of berry and leaf and flower, OF |
necklet and armlet, the whole surmounted |
by a colossal, mirror -decked wig. Thus |
arrayed she stands forth from ali the COM
moner ranks, a taupo among taupos, pre-
pared to exercise that grace of limb for
which she is renowned.
Another festival will dawn for her some
day, the last in which she will take prom
inent part. And after that she will step
down from her pedestal and JOIN the
troop of nobly born matrons. For the
taupo, like the canoness, is not bound to
perpetual celibacy, and ii that exceedingly
astute dignitary, her father finds a suitor
with the sufficient number OF dollars or
pigs, wedding festivities on an extensive
scale may be expected.
And alas on the day when the chiefs
daughter is no longer taupo, her poetry
will be gone with her priesthood. True, if
she marry a white man, her innate refine
ment coupled with his training may teach
her adapta bility. She may learn to clothe
herself more or less grac fully in civilized
garments. she may graft civilized ele-
gance on her native dignity. Whether
she thereby add to her happiness is
doubtful question.
But if she marry one of her own race
and rank, the chances are that she will
lose her own busy, graceful, household
ways, adopt the shapeless dress and the
g&udy hat, lie about, wax fat, unwieldy
and careless Of appearances.
For it is against Samoan etiquette to
follow the advice of the old French
woman: "You dressed to win your hus-
band, dress to keep him."
A. r. RosE-SoLEY.