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

case. The picture was not there. Ev-
ery two or three days I took occasion
to look in the fly-specked case. But
the picture / sought was not displayed.
So 1 gave it up, supposing that the
girl, after all, had come for it.
Then Hopkins abandoned me weeks
at a time. When I questioned his
friendship. he stated that he did not
often get leave. I'm studying hard,
too" he said. He did not refer to the
photograph again, and my mention of
'1ocal color seemed to waken little
nounced, with a wink, means kapio-
whole month, and 1 sought him in
camp.
A .gray-mustachSd sergeant told me
Private Hopkins was on leave for the
day. 'And leave with him. he an
nounced, with wink, means Kapfo-
1ani Park. All the young fellows spend
their time walking UP and down the
paths with a girl on either arm and
lei round their necks."
I left and went to the Aquarium. 1t
is a great relief to go to the Aquarium.
It is cool, silent and filled with sea-
mysteries-alI beautiful. In the even
| ing I walked back to the Moana. On
the way 1 saw Private Hopkins ahead
of me with a girl. They turned into
-, path and stopped, and the girl held
out her hand. She turned away before
could see her face. Hopkins watched
her go, then took the lei from his neck
and tucked it in his blouse.
| Why should a private in the United
States Army tuck faded wreath in
| his blouse? I asked myself. The an
swer was not in terms of Art.
A few days later Hopkins turned up
at the office. He was thin. "A little
tagged" he explained to my questions
about HIS health. "Im tired of this
country My times expired, and I'm
going back to the Coast on the Sher
man next week"
Quitting the Army?" I asked.
| He nodded, abstractedly. Yes, I'm
tired of it. 1t was all right when we
were volunteers. It was a lark, while
| it lasted. But I'm going to take up my
profession. I'm going to be an artist.
can't afford to give up my ambitions
any longer for anything"
"I suppose you've picked up a lot of
material here" I unused, aloud.
mot so much as I expected he said,
shortly. He was communicative and
soon left, refusing even a glass of beer
at Cunha's.
and in due time sailed for San Fran
cisco with Private Hopkins. L went
down to see him off. He was glad to
go. he said. I noticed he had no lei
round his hat. Nobody to give you
one?" 1 joked.
He growled and went aboard.
A couple of days later the Reverend
Peter Faxon swung open the screen
door in the Advertiser office, sat down
in front of my desk and wiped his
brow. His remark was that it was a
warm day. This original comment on
the invariable weather elected some
thing equally striking from me. Then
he leaned over and said, heavily.
Have you got time for trip to
Palolo Valley?"
"I can make time" I said. "Any-
thing very Important
There has been a mistake some
where" he said, wiping his forehead
again. ''I am in doubt as to my proper
course of action. 1 should be glad Of
your advice
I covered up my pastepot and put on
my jacket.
at have an umbrella" said the
preacher, with an extraordinary at
tempt at conversation, of which
cOurteOuSIy TOOK no nOIlce.
We got on car bound for the beach |
and transferred in due time to the car |
that runs up to Kaimuki. We got off |
this conveyance half-mile before we /
should have, much to the preachers |
embarrassment, and plodded off UP Pa
1oIos
1t was very warm indeed that after t
noon. The stream winding down from |
the height flowed silently between the |
little patches of cultivated ground and |
the ducks in the pools drowsed among |
the reeds. only the Industrious and |
sun-proof Chinese presumed to follow !
his wallowing OK through the ooze.
We wound up and up. NV COM
panion, Steaming generously, refused to
take off his black coat but went
seriously on, as if in pursuance of some
arduouS and ritual pilgrimage.
At last we arrived l knew that it
was hither we had been bound. Sister
Harris sat on the ground, amid her
duck pools and POI calabashes, facing
the sea that gimmered far below. We |
crossed a ditch on a crazy plank, pick
ed our muddy feet out of the mire, and
stood before her. The Reverend Peter
Faxon was a step ahead of me- L
went for Mr.. Logan, Sister Harris" he
said. ponderously.
Sister Harris turned her pale eyes
and withered face to me. My GodI" I
she said, with unspeakabie intensity, II
Il prayedt"
The preacher turned towards me, his
nat in his hand. There has been some ;
mistake. Brother Logan he said, with j
dignity. {
Now you understand that not a word {
sad been said as to our errand, not an
ntimation of what the mistake was I
No matter what my surmises were.
spoke out. What mistaken"
Sister Harris seemed not to hear |
The Reverend Peter took me by the