Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-03-29

W
very dear to us all.
If he will take the hand Of the
Princess Fungasa In marriage we will
give him fifty fine mats. kill six hun
dred pigs, have ten days feasting and
make him prince of the royal house.
I have spoken"
The delegation then retired, and
Governor Tilly, calling Mr.. Cole, made
known to him officially the message
that had been brought and the pro-
posal for his hand that he had just
received. Having ascertained that
there was no reason other than a wo-
mans fancy for the proposal. he sent
the young man out to the delegation.
which had drawn up a few yards
distant, telling him to accept or to
decline the offer which had been made
him.
Mr.. Cole chose to decline the offer.
but he did so In the language Of the
country, which he had by this time
learned to speak fluently.
Well. 'queerly enough. neither the
king nor the princess were offended
and when Steward Cole had conclud-
ed he was told that for the love that
was borne him by the princess and
indeed by all the people. 1t had been
decided to make him. the young Amer
lean sailor, prince Of the royal
house Of Samoa, and to thus confer
on him all the tribal privileges that
such persons have by right Of birth.
The ceremony was gone through with
at the appointed time and at Its con-
clusion a great feast was held. At
ter this event not only did Steward
Cole have the communal rights that
belong to all Of the royal family In
samao, but in addition. as prince,
he was entitled to live in the palace,
to command the people, to be support
ed by the state and to enjoy all the
royal prerogatives, even as to the
manor born.
Two years later. after having re-
years, the Aberanda was recalled.
Speaking Of the farewell festivities,
which were held just before the ship
weighed anchor. Mr.. Cole said that he
had taken down the words Of the old
orator who had made the farewell
speech, and he kindly furnished
copy of this for publication. No trans
lation, he said. could do justice to the
speech, which in the native language
was practically beautiful. When the
time of departure had almost arrived,
this last and most famous orator OF
the Samoan people arose and said:
"The Great White Father may send
many ships and many officers to US.
but the Aberanda was the first to
come, bringing us happiness and CIV
ilization, and the Aberanda and her
men was our first love. They ever will
be dearer to us than any others can
be-"
It is like a pretty tale told among
the Samoans for many generations:
A lovely maiden lived in a bush and
one day a lusty. handsome youth,
hunting, passed the bush and the
maiden saw him. and seeing. loved
him. The youth loved also the maiden
and they were wed. But after time
the youth realized that he must re-
turn out into the world and do great
deeds, such as his fathers before him
had done, which was right. and ne
said farewell to his bride and went
away. She remained there In her bush
and was heavy Of heart and sad. ror
life held no Joy with her husband, her
first love- her lord. gone away.
And so 1t is with US. oh men OF
the Aberanda! We, the Samoan peo-
pie, are the maiden in the bush and
thou art the youth who came this
way and taught US to love thee we'll
Now you are going away and leave US
sad. Oh, friends, may your lives De
sweetness, but in the happy hours to
come in other lands forget not the
maiden far away in the bush-the peo-
pie Of Samoa!"
Beneath the photograph of the
princess, which Steward Cole had with
him, was written, ITO la mi Fiji F1ci'
which, he said, when translated. read'
Greetings to the Prince!"
1.-THE Samoans are most hospita-
BILE people," said the Steward Prince
while here. strangers are entertain
ed in any part Of the island In which
they happen to be for any length OF
time, free Of charge. There Is no
money in the country, straw mats
being used as legal tender for trade
among all the islands"
Mr.. Cole, though young man, has
seen a great deal of life. Soon after
he enlisted in Washington, u. Co.
though a native of Chicago, he was
assigned to the Texas and served with
that .essel during the Spanish-Ameri-
can war. After this he was sent to
Samoa, his trip there resulting III
making him a prince. He then served
on the Newark during the Boxer out
break in China, and was at PeKih
when that city was relieved by the
McCalla expedition. Afterwards ne
was placed with the recruiting squad
no doubt for the reason that he Is
handsome, genial and pleasant young
man-one who has no trouble In max
ing friends.-Charleston News ana
Courier.
3Sr For the purpose or stuoyihs
Biblical history and geography twenty
one divinity students of the UniVer-
~ chiaana ara going for q four