The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-04-17

ny Fanny nooes. Oahu Collcrc IT,
bon The Oahuan. tor March.
~ Fanny Hooes. 49,
ilo sat ON tho stump of mllen
tfoelcru. Die hands clnspod about his
knees. and hls dark brown eyes rnf
inr ON thc beautiful little spot which
was I'M tine midst of the large fern
forest. through which he had just
been plodding his way. His face was
flushed from his long tramp, and he
was breathing hard The large tree
ferns lowered high above him, and M
watched their lacy leaves, as they
waved TO and fro In the breeze, with
the dark blue tropical sky as a back
ground. Large lehua trees were
scattered here and there. and acted
as foundation upon which the ferns
grew. There we're ferns of all kinds
and colors of green; some dark green
that looked almost black against the
lighter shades. There were leaves IN
fun growth and others just beginning
TO uncuYl from their reddish-brown
stalks. There were tiny drops of dew
scattered bounteously over all, as the
sun had not travelled far enough up
into the heavens to drive them away
Several little birds few about him.
| cbirping. others sat on the fern
leaves. and swung back and forth
on them. He smiled at their antics,
! they seemed so tame and curious.
He sat admiring it all, and wonder
ing over natures wonderful powers
of creating such beautiful things. He
began wishing that he had brought his
paints along, he was so in love
with the little nook. He also
wondered how how fortune was 60
ing to treat him on the island OF
Hawaii. He had been on the island
Of Oahu for about nine months, but
had had no luck in the line he most
desired And this was that he and
his friend Stephen Rogers, were cur
10 hunters, and they had not been
able to find many of the valuable
| Hawaiian curios. On the other hand
he had painted a good many pic
lures, and had learned the native
language well. AS he sat thus alb
sorbed in thought, he was suddenly
startled by hearing a beautiful song,
| like that of a bird. He looked up
into the heavens, expecting to see
skylark floating over him in the
breeze. No, he could see nothing
against the sky. He then looked
| quickly from side to side, but could
not discover where the singing was
coming from. The voice came near
or and nearer, and he wondered
what it could be. At last he saw a
Hawaiian maiden coming forward in
amongst the ferns, followed by an
other maiden.
She was tall, and slender, and her
long hair, almost black in color, fell
like a yeit about her. She wore sew
eral deep yellow lima leis or
wreaths about her neck, and kupee
! or bracelets of beautiful shells about
her pretty arms. A paula or wrap
per was wrapped about her waist,
and extended just below her knees,
She held her long beautifully shap.
60 arms extended outward, and as
she came nearer he could see that
several little birds were perching on
her hands and shoulders, and others
few about her. They were all chirp-
ing and singing with her. He had
never heard or seen anything like
this, had never seen a Hawaiian girl
that was beautiful before, and he
had seen a great many. Her cheeks
were flushed, and her whole being
was grace itself. She did not see hin
until she was a few yards from the
nook, and she was SO startled that
she uttered little cry of terror.
He saw how surprised she was
and said pleasantly to her, in her owl
language, Hello! little girl"
She stood as though she were pet
rified to the spot. for several mo
ments, but during that time she eyeC
him curiously. She had never seer
man like him before. Yes, he
must be one Of the white people
! whom she had heard her people talk
ing about. What queer clothes h
had on, she thought. The red hand
kerchief tied carelessly around hi
neck, especially took her fancy
What a wonderful face he had, no
like any she had ever seen. He wa
too much for her, and she fell pros
trate on the ground before him; sh