The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-02-13


calculable distance, as the snow flies,
from Chicago to Honolulu. The mer-
curry stands today at 20. On the plain,
next to the sea, the city is buried in an
avalanche of sunshine, while back
/ against the mountains to the north.
! but within the city, too, gray black
/ showers are racing from valley to val
| ley chased by packs of rainbows.
/ Through the passes and over the tops
of the low hills the trade wind rollicks
like a virtuoso rushing on the stage
with flying hair and draws it's mighty
! bow across the cello strings of the
palm trees; and out along the harbor
front the white hands of the surf are
playing hymn to the nativity upon
the coral keyboard of the barrier reef.
And all the many moods of the land
scape are reflected in the manners of
the people. The fish market is the CEN
ter of the city life on any weekday.
The banks and Office buildings over to
the east and the south have the air of
saying: All, well. we have the peo-
pie But they have been misinform-
ed. The people are at the fish market:
people that bankers and brokers do
not have; people that cannot be had:
people that must have what the banks
cannot supply-fish and poi and taro
But not alone these staples of the
native commissary draw the crowd to
the fish market. Beside the strapping,
mahogany Hawaiian woman
with flowing holoku and wreaths of
flowers on her head and shoulders. a
dainty little daughter of Japan in her
kimono that has not varied in the pat
tern for 1900 years. and without al
flower or a jewel. slips along in her
straw sandals, or if the day be wet !
clicks by upon her wooden gaia, cast
ing her mite of noise into the general |
clatter of the danceless and utilitarian |
castanetina. With these. a Chinese |
matron, in square-cut blouse and ugly .
green jade jewelry galore, pursued her
way
Everywhere conveys of Portuguese
housewives, erect, lean, swarthy
gaudy. chattering like sparrows. and
even when silent voluble with the elo-
quence of flashing eyes and counten-
ances that fairly ripple with express
sion, as the shallow water of the bay
publishes the underlying coral tints,
the high passing clouds the coming
equal, the invisible dawn the first
faint prophecy of sunset
The same contrasts are present ev-
erywhere in the masculine gender, men
of the east and west and the South
sea, of the old world and the new,
mingle intent, crowded, but without a
jar The white turban of India is
raked fore and aft by the broad-brim
med fiber headgear of Polynesia, but
each wearer keeps right on without
or complaining, and a fight
is as rare as a fire. The license COM
missioners have made the market re-
gion prohibition territory, not to pre-
vent disorder, but simply to save the
money of the too freehanded Kanaka.
The Japanese are not bar drinkers,
save in the saloon kept by their own
and there in moderation
as a rule. Their tipple is sake or rice
wine and it appertains mainly to hos
Ditality or festivities, taken warm,
slowly, from pretty little cups holding,
say, half an ounce, and replenished at
intervals from little jugs that. empty,
sell as vases in America.
The Chinese are not drinkers. They
90 their patient way unstimulated, I'M
varying, doing their work. keeping
heir word setting the best of exam
Pies and getting despised for it, The
Portuguese are thrifty and given to
with a stick in it" of red
vine supplied by the "blind-pig'
which is the sacred beast of Hawaiian
Portugal
very kind of man or beast can be sup
,lied at the fish market. Near by
where squid and shark and goldfish
empt the native palate, tall, distin-
;uished-looking turkeys in bamboo
ages, improvise on Christmas themes
nd gobble unbeknown of Thanatopsis
The streets that bound this vital spot
ire one continuous crush of carriages,
With not few automobiles. Rich and t
,oor. gentle and simple go to market I
md go alike in carriages, Many a ma
i've with a dollar to spend buys
wreath for his hat for % cents, invests :
mother quarter in fish and half a dol h
ar in carriage hire to roll home in q
,roke but happy state.
AT shutdown Christmas eve the cen L
raj streets begin to fiji with jovial S
natives with tin horns and all the c
,nown machinery of noisy JOY and by {
there is barely standing
DOM at any price. 1t IS the gentlest y
weetest-tempered riot ever known. g
III shades of thoughtlessness are rep /,
esented. Every hue and tint of happy Il