The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-09-15
.ROPERS' RETURN
IS CELEBRATED
tFrom Sundays Advertiser)


Eben Low called few OF his person
al friends around him last night to
celebrate the return Of the victorious
steer-ropers from Cheyenne. Jack Low,
incorrectly stated to have arrived here,
is in Oregon paying visit to friends,
so naturally was not present. But Ikua
Purdy and Archie Kaaua were there
with bells and leis and the latter g
handsome face never looked more smil.
ing nor Purdy's more modest than last
night.
A long table was spread on the lanai
on the Waikiki side of the house and
thereon was luau of the royal variety.
At one end sat Paul Isenberg and fac
ing him in the other seat of honor was
Prince Kuhio. Mr.. Isenberg was named
as toastmaster and he performed his
Office nobly.
There were a number of speeches
and the opening ones were devoted to
salutations to the genial host, his wife
and family. Then Mr.. Isenberg dis
CLOSED the fact that there was quite
a large Wyoming delegation present
and called on Mr.. Breckons for a
speech. Mr.. Breckons, who comes from
the prairie state, made short speech
in which he acknowledged his identity
and called the attention of those pres
ent to the fact that Wyoming had
treated the Hawaiians we'll and given
them reception that always comes
from one sportsman to another.
! Ikua Purdy was then called upon
and rose readily enough to make very
clever speech in Hawaiian in which he
u called attention to the fact that Eten
Low was responsible for having the
Hawaiian contestants sent to Cheyenne
and that he thought that the entire is
lands should thank Mr.. Low for his
work.
E. M. Towse made a very clever talk
in which he referred to his past ex.
perience in the frontier state and spoke
feelingly and to the point of the work
done by our Hawaiian cowboys. He
told one or two stories of life in Wyo.
ming that, were equally humorous and
touching and everybody was sorry
when he sat down.
Eben Low announced that he was no
speech-maker and proceeded to disprove
his assertion by making wonderful
verbal exposition of the work and
methods of Purdy and Kaaua at Chey.
enne. He detailed the experiences that
Hawaiian cowboy goes through be.
fore he is considered proficient and
went on to show how perfectly eff.
Gent the boys must have been before
they were selected to represent the
Territory in Cheyenne.
81 was asked,' said Mr.. Low. "to
state why I selected these two bows
to go to the Frontier Day celebration
by the toastmaster. ] will tell Won
why. | knew that they were good
ropers, had watched them and train.
, ed them myself and knew that thew
would never get ratified in tight
pinch. l have watched them rope wild
bulls on the mountainsdes under con.
ditions and difficulties that the plains
men never saw, and I knew that thew
would stand the test. Beyond and
| above all the work that I have seen
, them do and watched them learning
how to do, / knew that they were re-
liable. 1 felt assured in my own mind
! that they would keep themselves in the
best of condition and would be an
i honor to the Hawaiian Islands in every
way. That, gentlemen, is why 1 Sc
lected them, and just how right nv
choice was you know now and all tn,
world knows. They can not beat tn,
lIawaiians at roping. We are used t,
, harder conditions than they are, and
with all respect to the Wyoming dele
CATION here, ! want to say that 1 viii
back this man Purdy and Archie Ka
aua to rope with any man in tn,
: world, especially with a long rope. ,
n MIR. Low brought out many fin,
!. points in the technique of roping. H.
explained how the Hawaiians can rop,
Q as easily with an eight fathom laria
s as with one only five fathoms long
q and how the difficult country owe
which they work has made them tn,
: superior of mere plainsman.
1t was great talk and was eagerl,
!. listened to by those who were presen
a at Mr.. Lows hospitable board 1t wa
an enlightening appreciation of wha-
2 the boys have done and everybody VIII,
t heard it realized that both Archie ant
0 l'lkua are of that sturdy material am
, steady caliber of which real champion
: are made.