El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-06-16
THIRTYTHIRD
The Heroism Of TO-Hai-KOh

Il in the shade of three large
( palms surrounded by magnificent
/ tropical flowers, among when Saily
l cOlOred butterflies were army udll
/ Three beautiful brown women VS.
I cheeks were painted red ana EeIItm
{ and whose black hair was adorntd
I with red and white flowers, were sl--
I ting close by looking anNlOusly at
I their lord and master. In the as
! lance the volcano Rel-Pu, with us
/ column of smoke lowering over Lhe
I top of its cone, was d1mly visible B4-
! TO-Hai-kOh saw nothing or all Jh-s'
J for he was sick. very sick and knew
I that he was close to the gates on
/ eternal darkness The great IQ-dal-
! kOh. the mighUest chiettaln OF FarroL
{ island, the WlsesU cOunclllor OF 50
| tribes. had covered his face with MS
hands and was herOlcally SuIIeflIlS
/ the most dreadful pain The medicine
] and tried to drive out the demons OF
/ sickness, but to no avail
I Suddenly TO-Hai-kOh raised ms
mead and his eyes spanked under lns
I dark lashes. He pressed MS 1lps
! tightly together. He was a hero and
wanted to die like a hero. He would
/ DO what no chieftaln had ever done
before, he would witness ms own
death festival listen to the plalnLlFe
I cries Of the women In honor OF the
I great chief whom even the white men
had hOnOred and respected
[ IO-Hal-kOh gave sign 20 Ine llLee
Drown women. who rushed up 70 MN
/ and embraced his knees He told them
I to call the medicine man and they
ran away like gazelles, their dark
I hair Tutoring behind like veil, and
the flowers fell to the ground IKE
q wounded birds.
The old medicine man came, an old
man of 90 years, and To-Hai-KOh
whispered into his ear Prepare the
festival of my death Call the men,
the women and the chiefs Of all the
IrlDes together Make believe tnal To-
Hat-koh is dead i want to see the
festival of my death"
The medicine man was shocked lie
3 begged and implOred. but TO-Hai-k9h
was inexorable. He stood tall and
] straight staring at the column Of
smoke coming from the volcano
The great day came In the open
square of the village stood the men
and women Of the island crowded
close together. The hair of the WOm-
en- was dyed red and the yellow paint
on their cheeks was brighter than
ever.
on heavy mats in the center Of the
square sat the SIX chiefs of the island,
and murnlurlng uninIelllgloIe words
of prayer. TO-Hai-KOh, the dying
chleftaln, was seated in high cam-
boo chair His pains were more dread
ful than ever, but his face, which had
been rubbed with oil like that of a
dead body. was cold and expression
less. From his shoulder gay blankets
were hanging, and across his knees
hands and feet were painted in all
the cOlors Of the rainbow
His six wives were lying in a circle
around him, naked and brown, without
any ornament. without any touch of
color They mOaned softly. mourning
the loss of their master who was not
dead yet but who had wanted 20 see
the festival Of his death.
The white haired father of the dying
man stepped forward in front Of the
six chiefs Children and women car
n rnH
square Six beautiful, glittering
spears. 20 heavy bracelets, many yes
sells Of solid copper, multlcOlOred cloth
and pointed QasSersf pipes and big
packages OF tobacco and fishing nets.
According TO the custom of the island
half Of the fortune Of the dead chief
tain must be divided among the other
enleIS- MOuonIesss like statue To-
Hal-kOh saw how his old father save
away. MS precious treasures TO the SIX
chiefs. who were barely able to con
ceal their JOY
He ground his lips with fury when
he saw his enemy the sly TO-Pa-Tu.
VINO had once cheated him of the most
beautiful maiden in the island and
sold her 70 the white men for two
red handkerchlefs, receive two big
packages Of his finest tobacco
But when everything had been given Z
away and the means and WaillnE OF
the whole people filled his ears he
knew that his death was a great event Z
and he felt sensation which he had .
"a AAAAeIH % ArAIAG EALEAL MAc4 eat
ing fat freshly roasted young pig.
Just then the great white man en- (
tered the circle of the mOurners. The I
white man who had bought a great :
part of the island and who was a
friend Of the dying chief
He went up close to the sick mans /
chair and asked him about his pains 4
and the symptoms of his sickness.
why didn't YOU send for me right ?
away, TO-Hai-kOh,' he asked. You D
know that know. many diseases and I
also that ] know how to cure them" /
And IO-Ha1-kOh whispered back /
when the old medicine man of my I
tribe says to TO-Hai-kOh that he I
must die. not even the great white /
man can help him."
Then he groaned and began to rub I
his stomach.
The white man laughed. for he knew :
what was the matter with the chief
He took bottle from his pocket con-
tanning thick yelOWish oil, and be- 3
lore the chief knew what had hap
pened ne had swallowed the whole /
contents of the bottle.
The great white man went away
SmlllnS- The plaIntiVe voices of the Z
mourners sounded ever louder, and as I
he turned around he saw the chief sit
TINS sIralgnI and stltt on his chair
Then suddenly TO-Hai-KOh became I
restless and the singing ceased.
Two hours later To-Hai-hOh was as /
well as ever The cramps and pains I
were gOne-but so was half of his
fortune.
To-Hai-Eoh was furious and swore I
at the six chiefs and the medicine man.
whom he threatened TO cut into little I
pieces and throw to the sharks. But I
ne was almost as mad at the great I
white man who had poured the abom-
Unable oil into his mouth. though when /
his SIX wives came up to him and
caresSed him and told him of their
love. and when he felt how pleasant
1t was TO live again without pain,
he grew calm
Then he held a council and decreed
that the next festival OF his death must |
not take place until he had swallowed [
three whole bottles of his great white
friends wonderful oil without getting I
any relief
ually in anti disease crusades. the I
bun of roads and bridges and cont 1
mercial enterprise. The barrio or viz
lage school house today is the social
center for miles around