The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-05-15
OF RATS
FOLLOWED FIRE


y
of rats Is the only form of uosuIcnce
that has followed the great fire As
strong an agent to drive them as the
flute of the Pied Piper was to lead. the
fire, sent the rats scrambling from the
burned two-thirds of the city I'm which
they were thickest all of them that
could escape with their lives rushed,
as did the people, into the one-third
that the flames left Leaving their
habitatons and stores to the flames
the rodents scurried from warehouse
and granary bohemian restaurant. eel
lar and sewer and worked their way
into the residence districts left stand
ing.
These rats have found rations very
scarce in the field they have invaded.
The plenty ON which they thrived in
the spots they had populated the most
thiclily is not to be found i'm the cleaner
! portions OF the town The brown mon
ster that attained his size on the offal
! i'm the dark passageways of Chinatown
| or filled himself to bursting among the
grain bags of the soawau grows morose
| over the few remnants left on the
| tables of the Western Addition and Pa
| cific Avenue since the earthquake. The
garbage cans contain few treasures
The rats are becoming gaunt and hun
cry.
In some houses the rodents have
gnawed in a night under pantry doors
holes big enough for the passage OF
their bodies. Everywhere they can be
heard gnawing, gnawing in the night
time and sometimes i'm the day trying
to reach u morsel of food or even a
grease spot they may have scented.
Housewives are daily being scared
into fits by the flash of a long, gaunt
body with cleaning eyes. They have
to hide all food well. The pampered
tabby cat that used to swell in tri-
umphant pride when her claws sank
into timid mouse or the refined house
rat covers i'm fear at the ruffian in
vaders from the lower districts that
seem to fear no feline foe
But there will be an end to the rats
They'll eat arsenic in their hunger just
as quickly as cheese, and the house
wives will not need to use club or
broom. They are planting destruction
before which rats, big and small mus;
go down.
If theyn only choose the right
places in which to die the ladies will
be happy.
tropical vegetation as to make the as
cent matter of extreme difficulty. is
or was an added disappointment.
DR.. Schultz expressed regret at this
J state of things, stating at the same
time that he had not been to the grave
for some considerable time and was un
aware of the neglect He then gener
ously offered to have the pathway NJ
Vaea and the grave and it's immediate
surroundings attended to- The worl
was put I'm hand at once; the little pla-
teau where the rough tomb lies was
carefully weeded and cleaned and the
long zig-zag path up tHe hill was re
made, the forest being cleared for some
distance on either side.
AS the correspondence which we give
below shows. DR.. Schultz has promised
to have the road kept i'm a permanent
good condition. We hope that lovers OF
stevenson i'm Britain and America will
show their appreciation of this action
by raising a fund for the erection of a
suitable memorial on the summit OF
the mountain.
The letter written by the Acting Gov
ernor to Mr. Whyte was as follows: &c.
Apia, Goth March, 1906.
Dear Sr:-In reference to our con-
versation, take great pleasure in for
warding to you some statistics which
you may use as you see fit.
I regret very much the bad condition
In which you found the road leading Ia
the burial ground of Mr.. Stevenson
knowing well the great esteem people
OF all natiOnalities acquainted with the
authors life and literary work main
tain towards the deceased. I was not
aware of this neglect. and had the
necessary repairs Immediately attend
ed to-
I will take measures that the road
is kept i'm a permanent good condition.
i ] am, Sir, yours very truly.
/(Signed) SCHULTZ.
Mr. Whyte wrote in reply:
Apia April ., 1906.
Your Excellency:-I have to apologize
for the delay IN answering your kind
communication of the 29th ult.: It was,
however, unavoidable
III I'lSIeH'' ~ ti' I'aH l'hul'S up
Mount Vaea to Mr.. r. L. Stevenson's
grave, I may state that, i'm company
with the British Vice Consul, Mr..
Trood, | paid another visit to the spot
on Friday last, and 1 was delighted
with the manner in which your in
structions had been carried out. It is
hardly necessary for me to say that
this action on your part will be keenly
appreciated by all lovers of Stevenson
the world over. Literature forms a
common bond between the nations; a
man OF letters is a citizen of the world
at large. Goethe and Schiller wrote
not for Germans only and Shakes
peare is honored as much by Germans
as by the English-speaking people.
Stevenson's grave at the top of Vaea