The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1913-11-06
PRINCIPAL ST. HONOLULU, Ill.,

ties occasionally and much more amusing moon
light surfing and swimming parties. There Is no
particular social season in Honolulu. More peo
pie are out of town in summer, but on the otner
hand that is the time when boys are at home
with their friends from American colleges, and
they must be entertained day and night This
therefore, is the time to see more Of the distnc'
lively Hawaiian forms of amusement
The ancient dances, or "huasS' are not often
seen, both because the art of dancing Is being
lost and because many Of the dances, in the
notions which make them up and in the words
which accompany them, are, from civilized
point of view indecent. Some Of them are occa'
sonally given in eXpurgated form at the
vaudeville theaters or certain selected dances, as
entertainment after private ''luaus." and no op
portunity to see them should be neglected. They
are often marvelously graceful-more so than
are the Arab dances-Jand with the monotonous
beat of their musical accompaniment are very
poetical and quite in class by themselves.
OF good theaters the islands destitute. Ar
occasional series Of mediocre performances al
the Opera house in Honolulu brings out the
whole population. OF interest to tourists who
have never been in the Orient. however, there
are the Chinese and Japanese theaters with their
interminably long plays often gorgeously cos
tuned and probably we'll acted. Nor is there
naturally much opportunity to hear good profes
sional musicians.
For the women of the place housekeeping is
none of the easiest, Servants are all Orientals
admirable far they go, but with inevitable
limitations. The Chinese are faithful, good
cooks, and Immediately clean In their work
They are in general preferred to the Japanese
though during the Chinese New Year. fol
three days in January February they all de
part on their annual holiday. During these days
no bribe could make them work They also al
that time have the habit OF giving to the fami
lies for whom they work expensive and usually
hideous presents, which must be prominently dis
played for months after An amusing part OF the
Chinese New Year is the necessity for men o
calling on all the Chinese merchants of theil
acquaintance-ceremonial calls where they are
regaled with queer cloying sweetmeats and cham
payne. The Japanese are filing the ranks now
as house servants, since under the United States
immigration laws the Chinese population is grad
ually dwindling They far less reliable, but
are often excellent cooks, and Japanese maids
In their bright kimonos are picturesque about
the house. They can be taught almost anything
and once taught never forget, but unfortunately
the knowledge acquired is often of the parrot
variety. For example, lady gave luncheon
and before the guests arrived showed her new
Japanese maid exactly how to serve each course
and what plates to use. The following week
she gave another luncheon exactly like the first
but emitting one course. Her Japanese maid
arrived for the course which was left out she
brought in all the plates and then carefully re
moved them empty.
Because of the lack of literature there is nc
way to get any permanent impression o: the
charm Of Hawaii except by visit Its history
one can read and can appreciate If one Is able tc
adopt in the reading sympathetic point of view
The fact that thoroughly American ideals per
wade all phases of island industry, of modes OF
living and of social intercourse may be accepted
and theoretically believed. But the Hawaiian
flavor, with which these ideals are subtly i'm
pregnated and that nsensibly affects all who
have lived there, Is something indescrbable
something which seems to emanate from the
misty hills, the whispering waters, the exquisite
vegetation, the low voices of the people All this
may be grasped only through the senses The
eyes must see from the shores at Waikiki the
bright carpet of water beyond which Diamond
Head SO proudly stands at the gateway of the
world beyond. The ears must catch the melody
OF Hawaiian song and the swish of the wind in
the palms. The scent of stephanotis and plu
maria and ginger must strike one as It steals
through the hibiscus hedges around secluded gar
dens. The whole body must respond to the ten !
der caress Of trade winds that have blown across
a thousand miles of warm ocean. Only this is
full knowledge-and the sense of this no words
can convey.
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