The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-01-27
XII DIANA LEAGUE HEARS SUCCESSFUL
CONTRIBUTIONS IN LITERARY CONTEST

hole of the earth. Now, this padre was
quite. a different kind of a man from
what I had expected. Instead of being
a long-bearded old customer, here was a
vigorous young chap. He had on his
black skirts, of course, but one could see
just the same that he had physique like
a bull, and his face-maybe it seemed a
bit ascetic. but then, you know, we al
ways look for that, when a young man
is a priest-but he had a splendid fore
head. clear and penetrating eyes in
snort, strong and intellectual face. We
became quite friendly during the trip;
he was a bright, well informed fellow,
and he did not talk shop. / was not a
bit more religious then than / am now,
rather less, but then 1 always respect a
mans religious ideas, long as he
doesn't infiict them others. So, as 1
said, We became quite chummy, and aft
er that 1 came to see him very often.
He was the only man of any education
here, and / fancy that brought us close
to each other so quickly, too. When he
started he was not on a bed of roses by
any means. but he bucl>led down to his
work like a man. He was always around
among the natives, talking to them at
times, about his religious business, but
on the other hand, if it came to giving
a hand in a practical manner. he would
do that quick as a shot, also. Whenever
there was any piiikia, he was there and
helped them out. 1t was not long before
the natives saw he was the right sort,
and quite a number became his devoted
followers. So little by little many re-
formed and became actually decent, and
the 'riotous living in the place abated
to some extent. Now, of course, you
can see such a thing couldn't happen
without raising howl, and old man
Peters famed the fire. He was a
jolly old scoundrel and it didn't
suit his taste to see a girl refusing to
hula or a native to drink, so he kept
telling his people-all his cowboys and
the whole ranch gang-that of course he
wouldn't blame people if they took the
word of a man against his own for what
was right and what was wrong, but If
anyone would take the word of such
bloomin' woman-man in skirts, that per-
son must be fool etc. OF course old
Peters was a kamaaina, he knew the ma
tiVeS and how to talk to them-and then,
of course, he had half of them under
his thumb in a business way, SO he had
big faction and Father Francis had a
smaller one and the old man was only
looking for chance to humiiate the
priest. Some time after this the padre
found out that he needed a horse. The
district was a big one and he was not
going to confine his energies to the place
right around the church, so he sent word
to Peters. If he had any horses for sale
the ranch. Now, this was meat for
Peters. He had a god-forsaken buckine
brute of a stallion running on the land,
because 1t was so wild that even the
most daredevil Kanaka was afraid of
riding him. so what does he do but send
word to the priest that he had just one
horse he could sell, but he was afraid
he would prove just little too much of
a horse for a priest. The old man was so
tickIed with this sarcastic little reply Of
his that he got the whole gang together
az was his habit when he felt happy
and they had a most sinful luau up
there. About noon who should arrive
but Father Francis. Most of the COM
AsxvI,@ al
had a drop too much himself, but he
got up and shook the fathers hand most
cordially. "My dear Father Francis"
says he, II never expected that you
would honor my humble little luau, but
welcome you are to be sure. Sit down
and have a SMILE only remember you
cannot drink for the whole congrega
TONI
Francis never needed the insult. "Mr.
Peters," said he 81 came here on BUSH
ness. You have a horse you can sell me,
L understand. Can 1 see 1t and try it?''
The idea of having the padre try what
no cowboy of his dared tickled the old
man Immensely. Here was some genuine
fun he sent couple of comparatively
sober boys for the horse, and they got
him. They had to throw him to saddle
him, but at last the brute was ready The
padre borrowed a pair of spurs and went
up to him, while the crowd stood in sus-
pense-a big crowd it was, too for the
know these things do, and every man,
woman and child that could creep or
crawl was there Old man PeterS-I must
say that for him-warned Francis. when
he saw things coming to a head.
Look a-here, Father Francis" said he,
eff you ride that horse you can have him
for nothing; but all my boys are afraid
of him, and you had better not try
Francis did not say a word. He was
standing close to the beast, watching his
chance, then suddenly, before anybody
knew it he had tucked up his skirts and
was in the saddle. The brute himself did
not know what had struck him. He stood
stock still for n few seconds, and then
he started. He reared and he bucked
and he plunged. Then he would jump
high in the air and come down on all
fours-stiff This lasted only a few mo-
ments, however, and then, before the
crowd realized it, Father Francis had the
spurs in him, and off he went over the
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