The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-03-29
A Missionary to Kings
By John Fleming Wilson
In The Pacific Monthly
In The Pacific Monthly.

to relate faithfully his manner of ac
ton and his customary conversation
/ have tor admit that I found both un
speakably dull for many weeks until
arrived at the heart of the man
Fancy a host-a solitary host with g
single guest-who grudged a glass OF
his beer in the hot twilight of the
guests first day. The sun had sud.
denly expired. very gloriously, and the
yellow slope of SisaI burned like the
violet flames of sulphur, giving up its
heat into the vault of heaven The
Trades ceased to rush by us and the
very leaves about Spriggs's porch
steamed into the unbreathable air. We
had come out of the open dining-room
and seated ourselves companiona bly,.
The house servant-angularly efficient
slipped out after US with a bottle of
beer wrapped in a wet cloth. Nothing
ever looked more delicious. 'sGood." 1
exclaimed.
ST drink a bottle every night, /"
Spriggs said hesitatfngly. do you
drink beer?''
Nothing could be BETTER I respond
ed heartily.
''We will divide the BOTTLE my host
went on. You see get just enough
each time to last me, one bottle a
night, till the next call of the MANU-
kona.' 1 didn't know you drank beer
| If I had been sure, I would have or
deTed four casks. But how could I
| know? And I hate to lose anything
F., that way 1t wouldn't keep, you see,
and if YOU hadn't drunk beer, I'd have
had two casks on my hands and been
out that much. You don't misunder-
stand me, do your
And that man carefully divided that
Flittle bottle of beer, an even division,
I'll swear, to a drop. 1 refused to drink
| it, with exaggerated expressions of
politeness.f He urged me once and then
slipped both glasses himself without
more ado.
That was a sample of his conduct.
We would spend the whole day grilling
on his vile islet without doing a thing
worth while and then, when patience
was gone, he would be guilty of some
stupidity that transcribed words or
resentment. And the worst of it was
that he never came down to the bust
ness that I was on. persisted in call
ing his attention to the fact that I had
been sent to Sisal in response to his
own request. You're wasting the time
VI DOlH OE us, WOulu say.
One day he would put me off by as
sorting that he was not ready to dis
cuss the matter. The next day he
would beat about the bush, throw out
hints of extraordinary schemes only to
relapse into his continual excuse, ST
don't want you to misunderstood me,
You know"
At last, in anger, cried out at him:
h
you arei Either get to business or let
me alone. Who are you to have me
down on your desert island, anyway?
I don't think you have any business
nor need of any adviser except guard
ian"
He took it tremendously to heart and
stirred himself about his forsaken
like man possessed of a |
devil. T let him strictly alone and |
fumed on the porch behind the trees
through which I saw the CLEAN of the
Pacific till I was sleepy. Then, at two !
o'clock in the morning, he Weakened |
me by standing by my bed and holding |
a candle over my face. opened my |
eyes and stared at him, at his un-
combed head, his foolish face, his huge i
fist dropped with hot tallow. What !
the deuce!" I calculated.
IT wanted to talk a scheme over |
with you he stammered. But if you
think it inconvenient, let it go till to- i
It's tomorrow now" grumb1ed,
looking at my watch. Better get it |
off your chest while you can" I rose
and pulled on my clothes.
Once out on the porch Spriggs SEEM
ed stricken dumb again and absolutely
refused to say word. This was too |
much and I insulted him as grossly as
I knew how. He did not respond and
1 threw a last jibe at him and strolled
ouc of the house and down on the
beach, flooded with moonlight.
In a quarter of an hour I saw Spriggs
toiling down the slope, bareheaded and
shoeless. He painted along till he got
within ten feet and then he stopped,
Il hope you won't continue to misun-
1erstand me-" he said hoarsely. But
1t is very delicate matter"
81 want to hear no more about it,
[ retorted
But I've hired you to hear about it,
ne said simply.
I was on the very point of knocking
lim down when it struck me how com
pletely he had stated the truth. I had
ompanionableness, hospital
ty, even friendliness, when I had been
hired for a specific purpose that very
likely had nothing to do with our social
citations. ''By Jove, Spriggs," I said,
you're quite right. But did it ever
occur to you that might throw up the
OBJ"
''The 'Mahukona' wont be here for h
hree months yet" he said briskly.
There you've got me again. I as
ented. 'Well, you're the judge of {
what you want for your money"
That's it." he fastened to say. ST ]
lon't want to be misunderstood. I'm I
lot popular. I know. But have my
rood qualities" {
"As I take it, you don't want to be ]
in this transaction by
Iaving to consider entertaining me-" {
eplied. IF You could meet me in an I
fffce and not have to dine with me I
it would be all right. That {
to" II
His relief was ludicrous. He fairly c
lowed in the moonlight, rubbing his
ands and stepping from one foot to i
he other. Precisely he said. Pre- y
iSalv -