The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-03-11
MANY VIEWS
Of HAWAII
Mrs. Coleman
Talks History
and Society.

The Wisconsin OF Feb. IA contains
the following:
Mrs H. E. Coleman. state Secretary
of the Young Women's Christian Asso-
citation, gave a very interesting talk on
Honolulu before the members of the
| Green Room Club in the Association
building on Jackson street Wednesday
evening. Mrs. Coleman spent four years
on the Hawaiian Islands. her husband
being secretary of the Y. NJ. c. A. there,
and during the last year of her stay
she acted as general secretary of the
Young Women's Christian Association.
which was formed at that time. AS the
Association work there has largely to
do with the social life. an excellent op-
portunity was afforded for becoming
familiar with every phase of life. Mrs.
Coleman is a delightful talker. and, in
an informal way. entertained with de-
scription of places, people and things,
and with anecdotes and incidents of
the life on the Islands.
Mrs. Coleman spoke briefly on the
early missionary work there and of its
far-reaching effect. The primitive in
dustries, the making of calabashes or
wooden bowls used for dishes; the hol-
lowing out of surfboats from large logs
OF very lightweight wood; the weaving
| OF mats for beds and flood coverings;
the constructing of grass houses; the
making of tapa, the native cloth, form
ed from the fiber of the mulberry tree
bark. and used for bed coverings and
clothing-all were described and Illus
trated by articles collected in Hawaii.
There were also numerous photographs
which were handed about during the
talk Some of these set forth, in a
measure. the beauty of the natural
scenery, which is made most pictur-
esque, the speaker said, by the ragged.
Jagged lava formations. overgrown
with verdure in every shade of green.
The cloud effects, too, were described
as most beautiful. II never have seen
elsewhere such great masses OF clouds
OF such grotesque FORMS" said Mrs.
Coleman. land yet these clouds did not
seem necessary for a shower, as many
times the rain would come pouring
down while one could see the stars
shining brightly
In speaking OF the white population
Of Honolulu. Mrs. Coleman referred TO
it's number as the brain of the island.
the larger number of whom being col
lege men, the preference seemingly
having been given to Yale in the edu-
cation OF the sons of the wealthy. The
palatial homes with their elegant fur
nishings are looked upon with surprise
by the tourist, who does not realize the
large number of millionaires who help
TO compose the white population of IIo-
nolulu.
1.-THE natives have three virtues
which are carried to such excess as 10
almost cease to be virtues" said Mrs.
Coleman: their dignifed bearing
q hnCnn1as ln1icrOnS
their hospitality causes them to impov
erish themselves and their never-ceas-
ing amiebility sometimes does not re-
suit in the best good for them
IN THE LEPERS' DISTRICT.
In the district given over to lepers, in
one corner of the island. there is a Y.
VI. c. A. building, which was erected
for the purpose. The work is In charge
OF a young native. who was greatly in
terested in the Association work of Ho-
nolulu. but who became afflicted with
leprousy and was taken to the leprous
district, there to continue his work du-
ring life.
There are $50 members in the Young
Women's Christian Association, this |
number including stenographers. teach |
ers. head clerks, milliners and others. |
Their study classes are similar to those |
put upon the social life, which Is very
delightful.
In the course OF her talk Mrs. Cole |
man told of a hedge OF night-blooming |
cereus, the longest in the world which |
covers an old stone wall, one mile in \
length. erected by the missionaries |
years ago. AS the hedge covers this |
wall for 1000 feet there is n mass of |
solid bloom. The beauty of 1t all was |
partly set forth by the recital of some
lines written by Mrs. w. F. Frear,
Wellesley graduate, and the wife OF
Chief Justice Frear of the Islands The
lines recited by Mrs. Coleman were:
The night is fair. too fair for us to stay
Close-curtained from the soft and ra-
diant light.
We wander forth to breathe the fresh
sea breeze
Where. on the road, the shadows OF
the palms
Make soundless music. as we slowly
pass. by softly swaying.
10! What is this? Is this n banquet
for the gods outspread?
Upon a lichen-covered wall there lies.
4 knotted. creeping cactus, loosely
flung upon the lava stones
Upon 1t stands a thousand glistening
goblets.
Flared Of brim and upturned toward
the moon.
Their cups OF white are set on scaly
necks of greenish gray,
And. trembling in their cleaning lip
curved bowls
1s-scented gold? Nay. Amber wine?
No, no.
Tis rather moonlight trapped. or doors
seen.
All, goblets rare, I know that when the
light shall come at morn,
Ye shall be overturned and drained OF
all the glory of tonight