The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1899-05-24

am 1ncnned TO rn1nK THIS a 1alry tale.
Mosquitoes do not sprout out Of polar
seas and icebergs.
The tourist will miss roses from
among the flowers here There is scarce
" rose on the Hawaiian Islands
They tell US again this was not so for
merly; that once the queen of flowers
fourished in glorious luxuriance. One
i'll starred day, however. there came q
blighting beetle from Japan and de-
voured them all Itappeared in swarms
like an army Of locusts, and from that
day to this there are no roses in Ha-
vail Carnations thrive magnifcently,
however Native flowers are found in
crimson, white and yellow varieties
these the natives thread together into
a string called ''lei'' and offer it for
sale on the streets The word 'lei' is
pronounced lay" The natives are ex.
travagantly fond Of putting leis around
their hats and necks when they go to
church or on any other grand occasion
Borrowing the custom from natives.
white people adorn friends with leis
on the occurrence of special events, par.
ticu1arly when the friends leave the is
lands Departing passengers are some
times loaded down with leis till you
can hardly tell what they are made Of
The more popular the individual the
more leis. He is very poor sort Of fell
low and friendlees who cannot scare up
at least two or three of these stringlets
ABOUND hat and neck
How would the average American
like to hive in q country where not an
apple, plum. cherry OF real pear will
growl Such country is Hawaii A
few peaches are coaxed into fruittng,
but they are small and extremely tart.
as If protesting against being made to
stay IN climate that does not agree
with them.
Temperate zone fruits are easily
brought from San Francisco and Seat
tie. however. In true tropical abundance
flourish here guavas, manages, figs, ba-
nanas, breadfruit. cocoanuts. pineapples
and alligator pears-which are not real
~ pears at all But to one who has
eaten luscious plum or cherry on its
native heath, say Washington state,
for instance, there will always be
void these heather products cannot fill.
Another fruit here is the papaia. which
grows upon large tree. It has taste
something between muskmelon and
squash together with pleasant flavor
all its own Queer country this. where
melons grow on trees!
Then there is the, taro plant. which
philosophers blame with being at the
bottom Of all the native laziness of the
Hawaiian race, because it furnishes him
abundant food with the least amount
Of labor. They are wrong. The Eskimo
Indian, inside the arctic circle. Is quite
as INDECENT as the Kanaka, though he
has hard work getting food The north
ern native is too lazy even to sit down
like q respectable man He simply
squats on his hams and feet. with his
hands clasped around his knees. and
meditates Hour after hour he remains
thus. motionless as q dead limb His
friends and aoquaintanc@ Of both sexes
squat around to keep him company.
We used TO wonder what they were
thinking about, OF If they thought at
all. Lazin.sis inherent in the heather.
You see in the picture the taro plant,
from which is made the staple food Of
the native Hawaiian. poi" Is Is not q
bit like ME, however. A distinct occu-