The Springfield herald., 1899-04-28
SHE WEARS A STAR.
a NEW WOMAN IN PACIFIC
ISLANDS,.
She Is One of Hnwairs Finost-Helon
Wilder Wears the Star of the Hawaii
Ian Police Force and Wears 1t Very
Crcditably.
(SDecial letter.

Helen Wilder wears the star OF the
Hawaiian police on her breast. She
is probably the only woman police Of
icer I'm the world. She is wealthy,
too, at that, the heiress of vast Ha-
waiian estate, and prominent IN Ia
waiian society. She Is simply piaih
woman with plain ideas, no fuss OF NJ
zle, believing herself on an equality
with man, neither asking nor giving
favors. Helen Wilder calls a spade
spade. She chooses to be called po-
liceman, disclaiming her right TO the
title of Especial officer" She does not
even object to the sobriquet OF cop.
But then the things that Helen Wilder
does object to are the very ones that
are most dear to the heart feminine.
She wouldn't give lei of sweet scent
ed maili for all the gowns that worth
ever made She doesn't care Zig for
dances, teas or the dilly dallying OF
society. She snaps her fingers in the
face of conventionality without SO
much as beg pardon" She dons
short skirt, a shirt waist, military
kat and rides her horse with the dar-
ing of II vaquero, or she handles the
reins with the deXterity of pioneer
stage driver; in rowboat she can pad
die as swiftly and as easily as n Kan
aka fisherman. Wherever she is, what
ever she may be doing, she carries n
pair OF handouts to snap on the wrists
Of the tormentor of children and AMI
mails. Above all, she is always Helen
Wilder. Like no one else in dress
manner or speech. she can always be
depended on to do the unexpected.
Honolulu did elevate its eyebrows
though when her engagement was an
nounced to Frank Unger. twas
strange, indeed that she should choose
this bon vivant, this light-hearted Bo-
hemian, prince of good fellows. A
beautiful cottage was built for them at
the beach of the Waikiki.
But the house at the beach has never
been occupied. Helen Wilder broke
the engagement when the wedding
day was Almost at hand Honolulu
sighed in relief. THAT was Just like
Helen Wilder"
Then there came a dashng young
officer who laid siege to her heart ac-
cording to naval tactics. And when
he sailed away on the seven seas from
each port came letter for Helen Will
| der. But alas! the same mail would
| also bring missive for one of the
! many Along girls. And gossip said
that the officer had plighted his troth
| n deuX. And under its breath it whis-
pered that he was addicted to French
perfumes. So the second time Helen
| Wilder took the circlet of gold from
| her finger. Helen Wilder is not the
| girl to droop and pine and wear her
heart on her sleeve. Instead she wears
| a five-pointed bit of silver on her hat
and breast, and she is proud of this
| policeman's star for it gives her the
| power to stop abuses. The native po-
licemen are very fond of this member
of their force. On Christmas day she
gave them dinner in the police sta
ton. Only those on the force" sat
down to the feast, and many were the
grateful thanks which the policemen
heaped upon their sister member. The
soldier lads who landed at Honolulu
have likewise reason to be grateful to
Helen Wilder, for right royalty did she
treat them. Her mother. Aunt Liz
zie," as she is called. was not less hos
pitable. A funny story went the
rounds, and none laughed heartier or
tod it more gleefully than Helen WEI
der herself. Aunt Lizzie invited a
number of the boys in blue to dine.
Helen happened to be away. They
~