The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-05-24
LOCAL COLOR

CONTINUED from Page Eleven.)
side a girl, facing the camera. She
was pretty much surprised when 1
stepped up alongside, and when she
got nerve enough to look up and see
who it was, L saw she was as lovely a
young girl as ever I laid my eyes on.
"'Look here 1 says to Mr.. Jap. No
go. This lady's white. Stop the car
and let me off,
'Hapa -haole,' says he, sticking his
head under the black cloth.
'Half-whiter thinks 1. Lemme
take another look BY Jove, she was
half-blood. But it was only in her
eyes and cheek that she showed it.
She looked up at me again, and saw
she was horribly fustered. Now I've
gone and got her insulted,' l said to
myself. She's paying for the picture
and I guess I can stand it if she can.
So I leaned over and told her it was
all right. If my mugs worth four
bits to you,' I said, you're welcome to
it. But I want one of the pictures,
you bet!
THAT last fetched her. You want
one of the pictures for yourself?' she
whispered"
Private Hopkins stopped at this point
and thought a while. BY Jove, she
was pretty" he calculated. "a chin
like Venus of Milo, and a figure to
make any goddess green with envy.
A thought struck me. Well improve
your Dress says I. With that I pulled
off my belt and put it round her waist
twice. 1t made her old Mother Hub
bard holoku set her off like a silk party
away
He snapped his shutter, took out
the plateholder, and had his hand out
for the money before 1 really got my
breath. She dug up four-bits out of a
glove.
-Four bits more says the artist.
"She looked as though she was going
to faint. What for?' she managed to
say.
For the soldiers says he. You
picture alone, four-bits. With one
soldier sweetheart, one dollar
do you know what that little hapa-
haole did?" Hopkins demanded of me.
''She looked me square in the eye and
then put her face in her hands and be-
gan to cry. I put my arm around her
to sort of soothe her and she struck
me, right in the mouth.
well. that took me unawares, I tell
you. 1 don't know why I did it, but
l dug up four-bits myself. Here, Mr..
Jap says, I'll consider that you've
paid me my four-bits. and here's an
other for a copy of the picture Then,
went out.
This morning I went down to get
my picture. The Jap wanted to sell
me both of them. That gell,' says he
wrinkling up his little face. mo come
back for hers. She don't want it.
You take both. one dollar
"'You got paid for both already" I
protested.
lone dollar the BOTH he repeats.
So I scrapped while, and then came
away with only one of them. Now why
do you suppose that girl didn't get her
picture?" Private Hopkins demanded,
anxiously.
I thought a while. That's the local
color in it?'' 1 suggested.
He hesitated. Il guess that's it, You
see, the whole thing was perfectly sim
pie. A mere business transaction. And
that girl suddenly cries, and when 1
nay for the whole business, she does
MT come back at all. Now, what's
back of it? If / knew, you see. I'd have
some material to work on And isn't
that a notion? half-breed girl get
ting her picture taken with a soldier
she never saw? That's good local ma
terial." Hopkins sighed
I observed something, and asked him
if she had returned his belt
He groaned. No. I ran away with .
out thinking about it. / got all sorts !
Of a call-down from the first sergeant
Now what do you suppose she didn't
return the belt for?'' He ran his hand
THROUGH his hair. by Jove, I'd like to j
know"
You haven't shown me the picture /
reminded him.
He pulled it out of his blouse and
handed it to me. Funny picture, isn't !
t?" he muttered.
1 looked at it carefully. Private Hop |
Sins stood there. his chest thrown out,
his hat rakishly on one side of his
head, his left hand jauntily on his hip.
1t was disgracefully like him. And
beside him, in the shadow of this mill
-ary glory. was a girl with her holoku
oelted in about her waist, her full hair
lowing over one shoulder and one hand
ouching with slender finger the cuff of
Private Hopkins's blouse Her face
vas turned up to him-a lovely ana
appealing face, the face of Sister Har-
ISIS daughter grown a woman / did
lot speak.
''She looks white, doesn't she?" said
Hopkins. As did not answer, he went
m. ENORMOUSLY: And why does she
ook like that? BY Jove, Logan. it's
| mystery!''
DO you want the picture?' I asked.
He held out his hand for it. "Of
curse"
l gave it back to him. 1t was his
He departed with perplexity
leep on his face.