The times., 1899-05-21

and declaring in what succession the win,
is to be offered
A half cocoanut shell. polished BY tim.
and usage to the point of reflection. form!
the only drinking cup. 1t is filed first fo
the King. who after deliberately spillins
some of the contents on the ground. nero
iy touches with his lips the remainder
which is then emptied back into the bowl
Then the admiral drinks, carefully goin.
through the form of calling a blessing OF
the house by allowing a little to fall on tn,
floor. After the representatives of tn,
powers have in turn been designated by
| the master of the ceremonies the sever
| head chiefs are served. Then young Ar.
| cady gets the first draught TO convey tC
the group on the grass. whereon the eager
| eyed gentleman in the tartan necktie per-
ceiying that IL is destined for another thar
! himself. bursts into torrent of indignant
Samoan at this slight. The man for whom
| the honor was intended replies suitably
Young Already stands between the two
| claimants irresolute. The wordy conflict
RACES. and appears likely to rage 'indeh
nitely, when suddenly a new actor comes
| on the scene. Tamasese, the Vice King
from his seat beside the monarch, has
caught an inkling OF the wordy battle, and
| rising from his chair OF honor. leaps forth
His fine eyes flash, there is an infnity of
scorn in his expression. A few iacisive
words serve to quell the storm. The dis
puted dTaught Is emptied on the ground.
The comnatants, humb,ed by the rebuke.
are duun and peace reigns.
Peace Follows Contention.
Hand-olapping, begins inside the royal
chamber. and Captain White announces to
the assemblage the accession of Malietoa
Tanu. whereon the Samoan flag is hoisted.
and British. American. and native cheers
resound, the Samoan version of Hip, hip,
hooray, divergins into strange and mu-
sical chant. The band plays the Samoan
national anthem, followed closely by
Hail. Columbia and God Save the
Queen and the warships fire royal sa-
Lutte, the German Fake remaining silent.
Speeches follow. The Chief Justice, his
words closely interpreted into Samoan by
Mr.. Gurr, makes eloquent reference to the
desires of tile powers. Outside all is quiet:
one or two women smoke, and an officer
snatches time for filtration with pretty
half-caste. Specehmaking ever, two dark
maidens with flowing. hair and green and
yellow muslin robes, who are the Chief
Justices native servants. enter the palace
bearing young eocoanuts, and the royal
party drinks again. Then in turn the dig
nitaries shake hands and congratulate the
ming, the ora cnlefS kneeling and kissing
his hand, the younger and the native pas
tors following in succession. We also en-
ter and make obeisance, and Tamasese
gracefully presents me with one of the
royal bouquets.
Half an hour later all Is over The dig
nitaries have remounted and driven off
The natives are inside their houses feast
ing In his neighboring dwelling Tama-
sese, having by the aid OF violent physical
contortions and his women folk succeeded
in Riding himself of the irksome restraint
of European dress, and once more draped
only by his lava-lava, squats on the floor
and is happy.
In the deserted throne room among the
already wthering decorations the youth
full King sits. his feet in the uneasy new
shoes stretched before him; his beautiful
eyes seeking wistfully TO pierce the mean
ing of the coming years. What, he Won
ders, is the future OF Samoa?