The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1898-09-13
-rxs cool as a eacumber.
,. 81 s,kE


New England (the Bethlehem of Am
erica), the precise little cool spot
Gin DecemberD where the Great Re-
public was born. Yes, they can
turn out textbooks there to supply
the world. Talk about the great
powers, Russia and the restl Why,
II they gave the little town OF Lynn
ouly few days notice she could
shoe them all and half-sole and heel
their old ones. Humphl But we
don't stop to parler. Speaking of
keeping cool in order to keep con-
troll, or to control, in times of per-
sonal danger or disaster of any kind,
we saw good illustration on one
occasion in country town.
A man was giving an entertain
ment one Saturday night in a hall
opposite where we were living. 1t
was about nine o'clock, fortunately,
and it was his rule to give no en-
cores. There came quite a shock and
said, ooh, | wonder if that man
felt it? II there should come a
heavier one it might cause panic
in that crowded hall - and that
flight of narrow, steep stairsl" The
windows were all down at the top
and l looked across the street
anxiously. He coolly noticed moth
ing, but went quickly on with the
next number, and at the end he told
the audience he had decided to put
out lights earlier on Saturday nights,
and most politely thanked and dis
missed them. When we heard the
children clamping over the stairs
and all out in the street, how glad
we were. 1t is the fashion there to
wait until an audience is all out and
then go off together, laughing and
chatting. 1t began in "early tines
protecting one another after dark,
and the need of companionship in
lonely, isolated places.
A few months before there had
been an earthquake back OF Sacra.
mento q forget the place. and con-
siderable damage in that locality.
This mans entertainments were
purely of a farcial character and
caused great deal of merriment-
roars of laughter resounded from
that little hall every night and two
afternoons Of the week. There was
not an offensive word, an objection
able feature from 7 to 10 of the
evening The hall was let to him
cheap and he put his admission fee
very low. Whole families would
stream in there at nightfall, indeed
the town turned out en- maSse. 1t
was very hard winter, cold with a
great deal of rain and hail; l never
saw such hail nor SO much of it in
given time. To me it was wonder
full those bullets of ice, and l never
enjoyed anything more. There was,
too, snow for few hours now and
then for some months. And this
man was really comfort to that
dreary town for six weeks. We de-
clared he was a public benefactor in
his line. He made people happier
and brighter and he did not leave
them worse than he found them.
He gave many small prizes and in
that way won local help. "In help
ing Others we help ourselves" Prize,
one day, for the handsomest baby,
for the prettiest girl, for the LATEST
man, for the woman who could saw
a stick OF wood in two the quickest;
and it was th-provoking to see
the saws going up those stairs, for
it is pre- eminently wooded coun-
try all about, and a good saw is
priced as much as sewing machine.
Indeed women there can make shin
giles and bundle them; and l am
sure some of them are clever enough
to fell tree, make a canoe and
paddle it. All learning, all skill,
does not lie in swallowing books
by the shelf-ful. There's a heap