The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-03
WO0lNG OF WIDOW WELLS.
n SAMOAN INCIDENT SHOWING THAT
ALL rs NOT WAR THERE

1t Is an entirely mistaken idea about the
Samoan metropolis to suppose that 1t IL given
over entirely to rebclions against consttut oil
authority and the interference Of the Three
Powers. One may be pardoned for holding
such an opinion. nasmuch as Apa Is never
mentioned except in some such connection.
None the less tho opinion Is false. 1t Is only
during the midsummer rains that there Is ever
amy talk OF native rebellion. Tho rebellions
themselves occur no moro frequently than
once every throe years. and the Three Powers
never interpose except at ten-year intervals.
For the rest OF tho time Apia lives after the
manner OF small white settlements set among
the savages. even III not practising all or any
considera bic part OF the Christian virtues, yet
none the less enjoying itself after its own
South Sea fashion
Before this last revolution. now settled ac-
cording to the decennal schedule by the inter-
position Of tho broadsdcs of the Three Powers
which the Samoans call go mao kckee. Apia
was stirred to n more vivacious condition than
its usual state Of apathy by the rare chance to
watch the progress OF romance. Owing to
various circumstances matrimony seems so
unnecessary in Apia that real marriage. a
marriage by one Of the consus. Is so rare that
anything leading in that direction becomes Of
necessity n romance. No romance In q book
can begin to compare in interest with a ro-
nance OF live people. particularly when you
can cit on Capt Sanng's veranda in tho shade
and see II develop while you drink Hollands
and cocoanut water. which is the accepted
tppe Of tho Apia beach.
Tho masks are only three OF this pathetic
comedy. or OF this droll tragedy. Just as one
may choose to take it. and they give but another
proof of the necessity for tho tr!partite con-
dominium for was British. one was Cor
man. and the character Of the least Importance
but having tho largest share in the settlement
was an American. These are the speaking char
acters: the mutos. soldiers and citizens. are the
Interested dwcllers in Apia in various stages OF
intoxication. with Snmoans and other South
Sea islanders in a state of strict sobriety.
through the action of a law severely Furnishing
those who give Polynesians grog.
The Widow Wells. British had long been q
feature OF ApIa life. Once there had been
husband but he had gone. and the mourning
relict had rented II grave in the cemetery for
three consecutive terms Of ten years each
which was agreed upon up and down the
beach to show in IA very graceful manner
the inconsolable nature Of her grief. He had
come out to be schoolmaSter for tho London
mission. but his wife had had difference Of
opinion with tho local administration OF the
mission and they had resigned and had con-
Quoted an independent school. Tho doctor
said that he died from dSuse Of the lungs and
vocal cords. II was Il notorious fact that she
talked all the time. As dissemination of in
formation. tho editor Of the Samoa Weekly
Herald found her competition damaging
that he had to assist his income by running
grocery store Ivy acting as clerk. marshal and
regst or Of tho supreme Court OF the kingdom
and by making shoes
The hero OF the romance was Capt. Fischer,
master Of the cutter Waratah. German. Names
amount to litt" in Samoa. Somany travel undel
Appellations which it has suited their convo-
nience to assume tina common appreciation Of
the frequency Of that occurrence has given to
mere names u cheapness and liGhtness as
compared with more descriptive terms. This
master mariner was universally known in
Samoa as the Captain Of the cutter To be
sure. there was another cutter in those waters
but her skipper was Manoel, half brood Por-
tuGec. and 1t is too much TO ask OF white
beachcombcrs that they shall call such a half
breed by my such title as Captain. There was
but one Captain Of tho cutter" and his title
was undisruted. He WIS regular trader and
made his voyages very nearly on schedule time
1t took just SO long in Apia to get his cutter
empty and himself full. by which time he was
ready to start. From Apia it was Il steady beat to
windward TO his first port call in Tutuila. BY
the time he got to Leone Bay he would be re-
duced to n dcplorable state OF sobriety and this
possible speed. for at Icons Bay the Meredith
boys could assunge his thirst with that sou-
ton OF files in vitriol which is put up in SQUARE
bottles to do its murdCrous work ali up and
down the South Seas as trade gin. From
Tutuila it was another beat to Manua his out
side destination Once safely anchored under
the lee Of Tau there was no mariner in tho
Archipelago who could get the trade out OF his
hold and the copra in so quickly for the ma
tives OF Manua being ahead OF other Samoars
have passed n law Of thcr own that no more
religions and no moro Grog shall ever he
brought into their islands. Taking into con
alteration his thirst and the fair wind the Cap
tain OF the cutter always made the swiftcst
sort Of trips hack to Apia.
The American member OF the romance was
George Scanlon. the fat haf-caSte policemnn
for which employment he was consecratcJ by
his name. What he did will appear in its pro-
per place.
Matrimony seemed the last thing that the
captain OF the tershould interest himself in
lie had his cutter and his voyaging: tho inter-
walls Of time were fllod in to his pleasure with
scientific contests with old Square -face:
women not even the native article. had never
diverted his attention from his main
pursuits. He might have gone on forever
thus callous to womans charms had it
not been for the infclicitics of Johnny
Miloo After Johnny Miloo had secured the
dissolution OF his marriage to Ami" Pike. who
eloped from tho wedding sunpcr by yumpinc
out OF the back window and radlliuG out to the
schooner Of Cart Brand also "A Tutuila trader
he had wooel and won Annie N"ung's father
In Apia. but had said never word to Annie ut
hcr home in Manua Arthur Young wrote a
letter to Annie to come down to Ap'aand marry
hiIoo and sent II up on the next tripo the cut
ter, Annie ohcycd oHy in part she came down
In the cutter only rs far as Tut lila. whore she
married one OF the Meredith boys in Leone
Pay.
MiIoo undertook to hold the Captain OF the
cutter respoL slbc for this misa,,venturr in his
second InN" ntlRlr. and the way he chose was To |
board the cutter rs IN" Law at anchor in the |
harhor His armament cons stCd OF a revolver |
dozen bottles ~ trpi,l beer and "A bottle of |
nrahoy While waiting To do murder Mioo |
Eot drunk aud was arrested for delivery to his |
ohsuI. VINO promptly gave consent to having |
nun sent TO Jall fISthrr'S life wa, saved bv |
the Tact that. he was drunk already and was |
siecpinE II oI ashore during an the period OF |
Miloo wait Tor him, The moral lessor, in mi. |
may seem ur,eEdch. hut then all morals in Apia |
are up-endsd, =" that Il is all II ON" uierr |
=, Nhrh the CAPTAIN Of the cutter learned Of !