Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-10-03


allowed visitors.
One day. a Maori chIeftaln's wife
from the tribe OF the Waikatos, a peo-
pie who made name for themselves
as warriors against the English In
their heroic struggle for freedom In
lS60-Gl, called with her retinue. This
lady, whose name was kahau. handed
me letter. Ii was written In Maori,
and translated read as follows:
Il come TO you, @ Illustrious chief
tain, aud pass on to you for the future
preservation of an old tradition the
mat OF tie great chief.aln Wal-Tete.'
AS she handed me the letter. she
brought forth from under her dress
mai that she had hidden there while
passing the prison guard.
My surprise was great, and nudged
kircheiss. but he was as mystitied as
L Fortunately. there WAS II German
lady present who had been living In
New Zealand for some time. She IN.
dersioad the customs Of the handsome
aboriglnes who once ruled In New
Zealand, and explained to me that J
was about To receive the highest honor
that the Maors can besiow upon
anyone.
Tile chieftaIn's wife began TO dance
around me with great rupidlty and
wild abandon The name of this
dance was The Haka-Haka, or some
think like that, and al the conclusion
of II SHE presented me with green
stone found only In New Zealand.
Again she spoke.
20 great warrior from across the
seas, we greet you as chieftain OF
the Waikatos. and among my people
you shall he known hencefarth as Al
Tete. meaning Holy Water We be-
Iieve that tile spirit Of our Maori hero
Ai-Tete has returned TO us In you
accepted the stone and pressed
the Maori woman's hand to express
my gratitude. AS she was about TO
take her departure, she requested that
hide the mat and stone and carry
them To Germany With me, which
did. But before conceallng them, |
had my picture taken wearing nothing
but the garb of Maori chieftain, this
simple mat Except for the absence
of full war paint and the usual tat.
toolng, my friends said made per-
feet aborigine. Perhaps SO. Even In
Germany there are those who look
upon me MS more Of an nborigine than
Il civilized being.
When The day on which we were to
sail for home drew near. the president
of the Soldiers Mothers league Wis,
tied me and wished me pleasant trip
on behalf Of tile mothers of $4,000 sul
| diers. She snid she came because New
| Iealand's sons who had been war pris
| oners In Germany had returned nome
| In good health TO their mothers. There
| fore, she considered II her duty to pray
| God thni |. too. might soon be re
stored to my mothers arms
So at last we sailed away from New
| Zealanl, .the land down under.
| where we had had the last OF our ad
| ventures, enjoyed few hardshlps
spent many weary and delightful hours
| and met many hosptable and kindl,
| people. On the whole, have happ,
memories OF the Antipodes.
In July OF 1919, stepped on Ger
L man soil again and hurried home. Jus
1 In time TO pass Il few more weeks VIII
nv father, who died on September !
| The old warrior held steadfasT TO nj
faith In the Faiherland to the last
| Blu. to his dying hour he was iillet
with regret because his government
would MOI lei him take an active par
In the Great war
On January g. 1920, all my men re
| turned--thar Ts,~all save one. Thei
/ clothes were faded from the trnplea
sun and corroded by the sea water. hu
they returned without stain upo
either their honor or their loyalty.
The only gap In our ranks afte
those LONG adventures was the exec
lent Doctor pietsch, our ship surgeon
The news of Gernany's collups
reached the remote part OF ohile Wllei
he was living. When he heard II, h
fell dead of heart failure.
Returned TO my behaved Fatherlanf
| found so many things changed an
i different from what had hoped /
this connection there. Is one memor
always before me- II Is of my mother
| was sitting al her Sick bed Whe
even the doctors had given up hope
Only then did realize how much
loved her but also realized wit
sorrow and regret how much more
should have done for her. Exact
the same feeling have today when
End my country lying low. Never hav
| loved my homeland so much as now
1.-THE END1