The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-27
Continued from Page S.

she went to church regularly was nat
ural. as she came from the convent, and
that she liked to talk with the father
was likewise in order for the same rea-
son. But Notwithstanding, aided perhaps
by a tinge of natural jealousy q wasn't
married them, / saw, or seemed to see,
a bit more interest in Pua's manner than
could be ascribed to clerical matters
alone. / had it on the tip of my tongue
several times to warn Father Francis,
but people who live in glass houses etc,
besides ! was convinced he could take
care of himself. One is apt to forget the
warm, living flesh and blood under the
black robe. Francis was a singular man
in his way, he was splenddly gifted
both physically and intellectually, and
besides the highly developed ethical side
of his character, he was also quite a bit
of an aesthetic which explains what 1
am going to tell, that when Pua found
that he was fond of music and flowers,
she began singing and playing to him
and making leis for him.
Now, my dear Dawson, allow me to be
didactic. lei is a dangerous thing. If
an old bag gives you an elaborate gar
denia lei, you chuck it any old place
but If young and pretty girl gives You
any kind of a lei you wear it on your
hat until it is awfully faded and then
you probably hang it your mirror.
Why this difference? Simply because of
the associations connected with these
same leiS. That is why a lei is danger
ous-it makes you think of the fair giver
every time you wear it, which is not
good for your peace of mind. Q. Z. D.
In the beginning l noticed that this fair
teacher of Father Francis kept in the
background. The leis she left on his
lanai in the early mornings, he told me-
and L saw that he always hung them on
his crucifix, which treasured me; he
would not do that If not perfectly in
tactus. But after little while he began
wearing them himself, and the first time
1 actually saw Pualeilani tie one around
his neck 1 whistled to myself and felt
invidious apprehension (and maybe lit
tie envy). for then / saw she loved him,
and when pretty woman loves a spien-
did man with all her heart and life and
soul, then something is going to happen.
Ana the trouble was that n this case
nothing must happen. After that Pua
was generally around when 1 came
sweet. modest and sedate as ever, al
ways doing something or other for the
comfort of the priest-and woman can
always find plenty of that kind to do for
a bachelor man, even If he is a padre
Possibly Father Francis saw an extra
inch in the length of my face occasion
ally during this time. for he took pains
to tell me several times at length what
a splendid girl this Pualeilani was SO
good, so modest. SO intelligent, how her
character had become a world to him.
so full of human interest" which is a
rather hackneyed phrase. But say what
he would, / knew what he dared not be-
lieve himself, and my diagnosis was
dementia amoris." Now. my boy, don't
you run away with the idea that Father
Francis was a hypocrite. nothing was
further from him. We two were
the only decent white men here
then, pardon me for including myself
but We knew each other as well as two
men do when they are absolutely alone.
He thought that he was stronger than
ne was. strong enough to fight the battle
and win, but he lost-for 1t is necessary
In natures housekeeping that love SHOULD
conquer mans will. So the crash came.
One eyening<I rode up to his house
Francis was sitting on the porch with
his head In his hands. He never noticed
me till / put my hand on his shoulder.
Then he looked up-and you may pray to
God never to see human agony stamped
on face es that. / have seen men torn
and mangled as you know, and in the
intensest physical pain, but nothing like
this. for 1t was mans soul cursing his
bodily weakness
Philip he said. "you never said any
thing. but knew what you thought and
you were right. 1, who should lead 9TH
ers-a fine leader I have been-a wolf in .
sleeps clothing, i was. Pua would never
have sinned but for me. She is blame
less. She did not know what a wrong
she was doing. 1t will all come on my
shoulders, and / deserve it. have =
written to Honolulu and there viii be a
lost everything my life has been 20 me
till now,-but-I VIII try to live as man.
where / failed as priest, and-I have
Pua"
And I went down. united my horse and
rode away, for had nothing to say.
Then after this of course there was
great change. A new priest arrived
Father Francis was pau, and blossomed
out again Frank" luna on the new
plantation. After that he never alluded
TO his former state and nobody else did
but that 1t was rough on him there was
no doubt. He plunged into work, ana
the plantation never had better luna.
ne way he handled the men was splen-
Ild, never kick or even rough word.
GU know some iunas kick their gangs
up and down and sidewise, and some
break them decently Some get work out
9i the heathens In one way, and some IN
another. according to the principles of (
each luna, but it seemed as If the orr
entails actually loved Frank. He could &
get more work out of them than any,
body else. so his salary and responsible
lty advanced rapidly. He was liked by {
the haoles. too, but he did not have {
would go right home to his wife and the
baby, and every cent he got he saved
Then after little while he bought a bit
Of kuleana up mauka, put a nice little
cottage on it and moved up there
Sometimes when I had heen on the
during the day I would ride
home With him and have supper up there !
with frank. Pua and the baby. At that
time his place was the prettiest home
YOU could see, with a garden fun of fOw-
ers. The house was a snug little nest.
'ua was the incest, sweetest wife you
could imagine, and the baby was n dear
fttle tot. Then after supper. when we !
would sit on the lanai and smoke, Frank !
used to tell me that now he was happy I
absolutely happy. And all was well.
a.