The Southern herald., 1915-01-22

4
the papers, though. Nobody but our
selves and her family knows what has
become of her In fact, If you we're
to ask any man in Honolulu, he'd tell
YOU ii was his Impression that she was
somewhere in Europe. It was at her
request that we've been SO quiet about
it."
''But who is she?" / asked. Certain
ly, from the way you talk about her
she must be somebody"
did you ever hear of Lucy Moku-
nui?"
Lucy Mokunut?" I repeated haunt
ed by some familiar association. /
shook my head. 1T seems to me I've
heard the name, but I'VE forgotten it"
Never heard of Lucy Mokunui! The
Hawaiian nightingale! beg pardon.
or course you are a malahini new
comer) and could not be expected to,
know. Well, Lucy Mokunul was the
best beloved of Honolulu-of all Ha.
wall, for that natter"
"You say 'was,'" / interrupted
"And I mean 1t. She is finished"
He shrugged his shoulders pityingly'
"A dozen haoles-I beg your pardon,
white men-have lost their hearts to
her at one time or another And I'm
not counting in the ruck. The dozen
l refer to were haoles of position and
prominence.
"She could have married the son Of
the chief justice If she'd wanted to-!
You think she's beautiful, eh? But
you should hear her sing. Finest ma
tive woman singer in Hawaii Nei Her
throat is pure silver and melted sun
shine. We adored her. She toured
America first with the Royal Hawaiian
band After that she made two more
trips on her own ACCOMPLISHMENT
work"
"Oh!" cried. II remember now.
l heard her two years ago at the Bos-
ton Symphony. So that is she. / rec
ogniEe her now"
was oppressed by a heavy sadness.
Life was a futile thing at best. A
short two years and this magnificent
creature at the summit Of her magnifi-
cent success was one Of the leper
squad awaiting deportation to Molokai.
recoiled from my own future. II
this awful fate fell to Lucy Mokunui
what might not my, lot be-or any
body's lot? / was thoroughly aware
that in life we are in the midst Of
death-but to be in the midst Of a
living death, to die and not be dead,
to be one of that draft Of creatures
that once were men, aye, and women,
like Lucy MOkunui, the epitome Of all
Polynesian charms, an artist as well,
and we'll beloved Of mem
/ am afraid must have betrayed
my perturbation, for DR.. Georges has
tened to assure me that they were
very happy down in the settlement.
It was all too, inconceiyably mon
strous. l could not bear to look al
her. A short distance away behind g
stretched rope guarded by police
man, were the lepers' relatives anC
friends. They were, not allowed tt
come near. There were no last em
braces, no kisses of farewell. They
called back and forth to one another
last messages, last words Of love
last reiterated instructions. And those
behind the rope looked with terrible
intensity. It was the last time they
would behold the faces of their lovet
ones, for they were the living dead
being carted away in the funeral shiI
to the graveyard OF MolOkai.
Doctor Georges gave, the command
and the unhappy wretches dragged
: themselves to their feet and undel
their burdens of luggage, began tt
stagger across the lighter and ABOARD
the steamer. 1t was the funeral pro
cession. At once the wailing starte'
from those behind the rope. 1t wal
blood curdling; it was heartrending,
never heard such woe, and l hop,
never to again. Kersdale and, Nc
Weigh we're still at the other end o
the wharf, talking earnestly; politics
of course, for both were head owe
heels in that particular game. Whel
Lucy Mokunui passed me, stole
look at her. She was beautiful. Sh
was beautiful by our standards, a
well-one Of those rare blossoms tina
occur but once In generations. An
she, of all women, was doomed to- Nc
lokai. She walked like queen, aeros
the lighter, straight on boand, and al
on the open deck where the leper
huddled by the rail, wailing, now, t
their dear ones on shore.
The lines were cast of. and tn
Noeau began to move away from tn
wharf. The wafling increased. Sue
grief and despatrl / was just resolN
ing that never again would be
witness to the sailing Of the Noeau
when McVeigh and Kersdale returned
The latter's eyes were sparkling. an
his lips could not quite hide the smil
of delight that was his. Evidently tn
politics they had talked had been sa
lsfactory. The rope had been fun
aside, and the lamenting relatives no'
crossed the stringer piece on eithe
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