The morning news., 1899-01-04

South sea hospitality.
From the New York Times.
The earth is Gods footstooI-so wise men
wrote. If il is, then the little Island of Ia
hiti is the golden tassel on the footstooI.
On this favored paradise in the far Pacific.
landscape and life merge into a delicious
dream, and both are impressionist. Neither
will submit to photography or the pen.
Years Of study cannot itemize the picture.
To those who have visited this coral-reefed
spot there fingers forever in the memory
soft, sweet haze Of shifting light and
shade-a wilderness of happy silence aud
everlasting ease.
Think Of a generous reef-bound expanse
of clear, transparent water, in whose lin
pid depths swim myriads of flnny dwarfs
dazzling the changing colors Of the dying
dolphin. Below them a garden of coral
| the roses of the sea-blossoming in a thou
sand tints. A long, low stretch of beach.
| bordered by tan cocoanut trees, palms and
| ever-blooming bushes. Long rows of cheer.
| full cottages, almost hidden by the spread
| ing branches of the breadfrut trees. Tall
mountain peaks rising until they are lost
darting here and there in fruit-laden ca
noes, and bevies of dark-eyed girls stroll
| ling idly along the sWard That is Tahiti
| as seen from the side of the incoming ship
! the most exquisite, fascinating and gor-
| geous spot on the face of the earth.
| No one ever went to Tahiti withou,
| leaving with pang of regret and 1 can
| join in the score Of writer's from Charles
| Warren Stoddard to Robert Louis Steven
| VVhG have vic Oh
that few months spent in its sunshine
| and in the hospitality of its people can
| never, never be forgotten
Tahiti lies somewhere i'm that mysterious
| part of the South Pacific where two days
are rolled into one in order to set Alright
! the conventional calendar where to-mor-
row becomes to-day with a subtle charm
! that is almost overwhelming. You 20
| there by a little white brig from San
| Francisco. which Skins over the waters
of the West. taking up the best part OF
month before landing you in this world
of idleness and peace
| Life in Tahiti is the nearest approach
10 the ideal in all the world Outside Of
! its principal city. Papeete, which is the
| commercial center of all the islands in che
| Society group of which Tahiti is one he
native pass their days in a .istless dreamt-
! ness at peace with themselves and an
! the world Fancy being in a land where
! money is spurned l once had the audac-
! ity to offer Tahitian dozen dollars
! for staying az his home. eating his food
| and talking him nearly 20 death. reveal
! ing to his untutored mind the wonders of
! the United States. and 10 my surprise he
| threw il to the ground, having been great
| ly insulted. II those we board with over
| here would only get insulted as easily as
that! The ou.y payment that a Tahitiao
! wants for his hospitality is for the per-
son to whom il is offered to accept il.
Much moro than has been written has
been heard about the lovely Tahiti cir,
Tah, languor0us with the modestv of a
Castillian; walking like a queen in her
Mother Hubbard gown and her flower
wreathed hat with these two articles The
attire of the Tahiti girl ends. with her
long black hair. glistening with cocoan,I,
oil, hanging to her waist she is one oc
the most attractive of her sex. Besides
many personal charms that might ti,rp
the head of an anchorite, she possesses tho
most attractive gifts. Her eyes are black
| her countenance is expressive. and thoupb
the warm sun has tinged her cheeks win
hue of brown her complexion is as
clear as the Sky above her. Bost Of an
she owns her own little home. where roses
always bloom and the breadfruit tree ana
taro plant grow in profusion A certain
acreage Of land surrounding it is hers also
end she is absolutely Independent and can
do exactly as she iikes-and She do.s
Every night in Papeete scores of girls an,
men come down the by-ways leading 10
the market place. where they congrega.e
TO sell their strings of flowers and shells
and 10 join in the daily festivities Efn.
ished with their evening meal. they come
to gossip, dance and make merry. Aroma
the great fountain, throwing its silver bub
ples TO the big red stars, tney chant ttetr
soulful music to the wailing strains OF
an accordion. Bursts Of bibulous hllarity
come from the Spanish-like edfces taat
surround the market place. Shy damse,s
promenade with the visiting Europeans
the officers of the French men-of-wa
the array OF municipal officials and their
own brawuy lovers, exchanging the same
Old secrets that have been handed down
through the mystery of ages
So the evening passes in melody. drink
and love. Then the curfew on the little
white Catholic Church tells that the hour
Of ~ has come, and the great mass OF