Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1913-11-07
PRINCIPAL 81 HONOLULU, III.

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 other
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 distinc
lively Hawaiian forms of amusement.
The ancient Dances or "hulas," 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 aud in the words
which accompany them, are, from a civilized
point of view, indecent Some of them are occa-
sionally given in an expurgated form at the
vaudeville heaters or certain selected dances, as
entertainment after private "luaus," and no OPP
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 are destitute. An
occasional series of mediocre performances at
the Opera house in Honolulu brings out the
whole population. OF interest to tourists VINO
have never been in the Orient, however there,
are the Chinese and Japanese theaters with their
unfortunately long plays often gorgeously cos
tuned and probably well acted. Nor is there
naturally much opportunity to hear good profess
sional musicians.
For the women of the place housekeeping is
admirable as far as 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,
even though during the Chinese New Year. for
three days in January February, they all de-
part on their annual holiday. During these days
no bIibe could make them work. They also at
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 of
calling on all the Chinese merchants of their
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES calls where they are
regaled with queer cloying sweetmeats and cham
payne The Japanese filling the ranks now
as house servants, since under the United States
immigration laws the Chinese population is grad
ualy dwindling. They far less reliable, but
are often excellent cooks, and Japanese maids
in their bright kimonos picturesque about
the house. They be taught almost anything,
and once taught never forget, but unfortunately
the knowledge acquired is often Of the parrot
variety For example, lady gave a luncheon
and before the guests arrived showed her new
Japanese maid exactly how to serve each course
and what plates to The following week
she gave another luncheon exactly like the first
but emitting one course. Her Japanese maid
served it perfectly, except that when the time
arrived for the which was left out she
brought in all the plates and then carefully re-
Because of the lack of literature there is no
way to get any permanent impression of the
charm of Hawaii except by visit. Its shistory
one can read and can appreciate If one is able to
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 subtIy i'm
pregnated and that insensibly affects all who
have lived there, is something indescribable
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 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 IL 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
Thousand miles of warm ocean Only this
fun knowledge-and the sense of this no word.
can convex