The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-11-06

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good and kind and just, and that the
woman who after being kindly treated,
disobeyed, was sinful and wrong, and
deserved her punishment. But my son
says that is all wrong. He says that
the chief who gave the command was
a wicked chief, that the poor woman
did only a small wrong, and that the
punishment was cruel and wicked.
"Ah!" thought the missionary. Now
is my opportunity and stepping for
ward he opened the gate, smiled, and
invited the chief to enter. Leaving
his spear outside, the chief entered,
and sat upon the edge of the ve:randa
where Mrs, Draggs. in a rocking-chair
of native manufacture, was busy over
her mending-basket.
ST could not make it clear to myself
about the story" the chief said. AL
bola spoke of a great garden; the boy
of a great house Albola told of a
Great Spirit; the boy of a great lord.
Then they made other mistakes. One
spoke of a tree with delicious man
goes: the other of a room with lock-
ed door. and both were forbidden. And
in both the wife, led by wicked coun-
so kind, and had given all that heart
could desire; she opened the locked door
and she ate of the fruit that was with
in And then, for her ingratitude to
one that had asked of her but ona lit
tie bit of obedience in return for COM
p1ete freedom and kindness in all else,
the woman and her husoant. were pun
ished. So much is all clear and right.
? c-f.,o II.
not quite agree. yet the idea is much
the same"
Mr.. and Mrs. Draggs listened in
breathless amazement. They longed to
interrupt, but the CHIEF gave them no
opportunity as yet.
but only so far do they agree. and
so I, have come to hear the truth from
my white friends. Now here is where
they take different roads. Albola my
wife says that the great lord who gave
the command and the punishment was
good and kind and just, and that the
woman who, after being kindly treat
ed, disobeyed, was sinful and wrong.
and deserved her punishment. But my
son says that is all wrong. He says
that the chief who gave the command
was wicked chief, that the poor wonn-
an did only a small wrong, and that
the punishment was cruel and wicked
The chief paused and glanced at the
missionary, and then at Mrs. Draggs.
Great drops of sweat were on the mis-
sionary's brow
you see said the chief. 'ft is impos-
sible that they can have remembered
right. Now which is right?''
An answer became necessary, for he
waited. You see." said Mr.. Draggs,
there We're two stories. I told one, and
my wife the other
"Ah." said the chief; but in a mo-
nent his brow clouded again. .fThey
are varying forms of the same tale. no
doubt. We have such-tales of the ami
mails. of the gods, of the w1nds--dif-
ferent in many small ways, but the
same in teaching"
But these said Mr.. Draggs, sfare
entirely different. One is a made-up
story: the other is truth from our good
book
And which is the TRUTH"
Mr.. Draggs gave a hastily corrected
version of the Garden of Eden episode.
The chief lent his respectful atten-
ton, and then turned expectantIy TO
Mrs. Draggs. With a sinking at her
DTdSSS gave Tic S@ltlCiiL
facts of the B1uebeard scandal.
Now" said the chief, Il understand
all clearly, and I see how easily the
two stories went into one. as I heard
them in my two ears. But yet can
not see why you, my white brother.
make the lord of the garden a good,
just, and kind chief; and why you, my
white sister. declare the lord of the
castle a wicked, bloodthirsty wretch
Both gave happy home; both gave
all freedom except in one little com
mand; both were disobeyed; both in
fcted punishment. Your Bluebeard
tried only to chop off the woman's
head; but the Great Spirit punished
not only the man and the woman. but |
laid curse upon their children for
ever. And you tell me one is all good, |
the other all bad. 1 am afraid that L
shall not remember which is which.
For their lives. neither the mission
airy nor his wife could formulate an
immediate reply.
FAREWELL said the chief, and he
was gone.
After the retiring form of the stall
vart chieftain had disappeared from
rev, there was a long silence upon the
Teranda of the missionary's hut.