The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1915-05-27
By FREDERICK BRIGGS

{ By FREDERICK BRIGGS T
+ Copyright by Frank A Munsey Co.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Some one said that a sailorman was
good for nothing but to chase about the
world and send people presents. Pearl
Smith had known this all her life,
though perhaps she had never resolved
1t into just that expression.
She drew the line at having more
than one man on the same ship. Still.
this was not at all inconvenient, for
there were sometimes no less than four
teen men-of-war, besides score Of
merchant ships, In the crossroads Of
the Pacific at one time,
The girl came by the prosaic name Of
Smith because her fathers name had
been something else in some other
country. He came to Honolulu before
the cable was in good working order
and remained. Marrying a half caste
Kanaka girl, he had kept a sailors
boarding house on Kings road since
Pearl was q baby. The presents had
been coming In since the little girl was
big enough to climb on q sailOrman's
knee, and their volume increased with
her size. She was grown up at four
teen.
To see her then was like being wax
ened from sweet sleep on a balmy
afternoon by having great clusters Of
red, red roses pressed to ones cheeks.
Young men dropping in at the Cross
roads swore that they would never go
to sea again, only to ship with the next
tide for the Indian ocean in search Of a
pearl to match her skin.
She was like Honolulu days. The
shimmering softness Of her skin match
ed the warm afternoon skies. Rich
reds Of the island sunsets burned In
her full, dimpled mouth. Tropic twi-
lights lay behind her inky eyelashes,
deepening to midnight in her long hair.
Men-of-war's men and merchant sail
ors sent different presents. The navy
men leaned toward fancy jewelry and
manicure sets, while the traders stuck
to silk. uncut rubies. loose pearls. ivory
fans and ostrich plumes.
This from the young men. To emu
merate the junk that was dumped at
the feet of this island goddess by silly
old sea captains and others would be
to copy the cargo bills Of an East and
West India tradesman. There would
also be list OF small animals and
birds, with number Of arctic treas
ures appended. Pearl kept what she
fancied. and her father sold the rest
AS for girl accepting presents from
| dozen men at the same time, 1t must
be remembered that. Pearl lived neither
east of Frisco nor west of Suez. which
is only another way of saying that the
girl was bred in a mans country. where
anything a woman gets is SO much for
her gain and no less for her honor.
New admirers invariably meant more
presents. But when a sailorman can
jolly his superior officer and get any
thing he wants just for the asking wo-
men had better beware of him. When
he stands six feet in his socks. laughs
out of big blue eyes and conceals
cello note In drawing voice so much
the worse for the women. Heine-that
was as far as they got with his name
/ aboard ship. and 1t will suffice here
Heine was all of this and more. Ht
/ was an American bluejacket, boat
SWANS mate of the destroyer Shark,
There is one amusement the Ha
waiians have which Americans do no
possess. We are enthusiastic surf bath
ers and are good swimmers. but
sight that Is seen In Hawaiian water'
Is never seen on an American coast
A Hawaiian takes with him to tn
beach a board. usually about twice hi
length. This board he carries out a
far as he can: then, placing himself OF
It. It bears him. forced by the waves
back again to the beach. Those VIII
are not expert at this exercise may IL
fat on the board. but those who ar
trained to it stand erect, balancing
their. bodies as they roll toward Tn
shore.
He met Pearl at Waikiki beach. Sh
was shooting the surf when Heine saw
her first. Standing upright with out
flung arms, she balanced on her polish
cd board of kamani wood as 1t race
ahead of giant breaker. Swift as tn
wave she flashed past the swimming
sailor, but as the waters broke over III
| head he remembered every line OF ne
beautiful body The grace of her att
tude struck him harder than the wave
Turning, he swan strongly toward tn
beach. where the spent roller had land
ed the fairy surf rider.
Half a dozen men were begging Fear
to be allowed to take her board out
the reef again. but she laughed theI
away with flash Of milk white teet
and struggled out alone. Heine me
her a hundred fathoms from the beacl
II where the water came almost to- III