Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-09-04

there is but a lush ferny smell.
There Is one native tree growing in the noun
tains that bears a blossom very unique and deli
cately fragrant, the chua. In its time of full
blossoming the trees often stocky form presents
the appearance Of a huge crimson bouquet. there
are such myriads of silky pompon flowers. Per
feet pompons they are, and very well made, each
silken thread about as hard to pull out as a
thread of manufactured silk from a milliner's
creation. The flowers are woven into beautiful
garlands, or leis. as the natives call them, and
on the streets of Honolulu the stranger always
turns to look again at a wreath Of lehua blossoms,
the deep coloring, the character of the flower,
being SO unusual. And a still more beautiful
mountain bloom, to my mind, is that of the ohia,
cousin to the crimson blossom. This is of the
same shape but smaller in size and its shade is
the richest oldrose. A party descending from a
trip mauka with each member sporting a lei of
lehua or ohia, feel very lucky indeed, proudly
display this trophy of ascent to and dalliance in
a real mountain region.
In Hawaii one need not go to the states to get
the tonic of the cold; one can take to a noun
tain hut and in mountain life arrive at ~invigora-
ton. I write at this moment from a mountain
retreat located at an elevation of 5000 feet. sit
clothed in khaki and sweater, and with a great
downy scarlet blanket cushioning my chair and
enwrapping my feet. Evenings the household IN
dulges in a fire of cracking, and %pungent, eucalyp-
tus logs, and nights l have on my bed from four
to six blankets! This abode and the acres about,
are stolen from a great cattle ranch on the
slopes of the mountain Of Haleakala, and can
not but wonder how our host ever was able to
get any sort of slice from the great landed estate.
Glad indeed / am that he was able, and that /
am allowed to sojourn here in my present lay
ing-off." For the spot is of rare beauty-even
in this land where beauty is such a common
place.
The little retreat lies midway up the mountain,
a seven-mile ride by horse and the summit is
e raaqhQd Rut ono has no coJI fn taLo tho Glow
arduous climb very often. for there is such a raw
ishing view from this viewpoint. Most of the
island lies spread out below, rolling ranch lands
leading down to green cane fields with the sea
beyond, and over all a dome so vast and blue one
thrills at the immensely and beauty. On clear
days three islands float off there in the sea, and
behind us the summit stands out sharp and chal-
longing, a long line with little or no curve or cut.
On our deep. level lawn high clumps of gera-
NUNS and fuchsias glow richly ~colorful in the
mountain air. at the window blue hydrangeas
peer in, down in the little garden a Mareschal
Mel rose blooms riotously, beyond our gates real
dandelions dot the pasture lands and there are
occasional purple thistles. AS I stroll about the
enclosure. or ride without on the ranch, l marvel
that all these honey flowers and weeds, this brac-
ing air, can really be a part of sub-tropical isles.
Ny present comparatively luxurious mountain
life-hair mattresses, French china, Jap servants,
etc. etc.-is very pleasant indeed, but l was
equally at ease the time l spent seven weeks in
a cowboys hut in the Waianae mountains on
Oahu, where I slept on fern beds, drank my coffee
(but good quality from an enamelware mug, sew
eral of US shared the services of one "boy." In
the humber holiday there was the keen, pure
upland air; the beds of dry ferns, piled a foot or
SO high, were very comfortable; one clever China