Imperial Valley press., 1937-05-10
TROUPER REMEMBERS
PARADISE JOURNEYS
'ELVA HARDER
T RAW vELED IN.
NOTED GROUP.
ELVA LORRAINE HARDER


source of our sketch Aloha, taken
from the Bird of Paradise and pre-
sented at the Woman's Ten Thou
sand Club HijinX, follows:
During the season oI 1917 and
1918 1 joined the Bird of Paradise
in st. Louis. l found a congenial
and happy bunch of troupers. The
show played the principal cities,
usually one week stands, sometimes
two weeks, making the jump from
one city to another over night.
etery
The company had there own see
merry, baggage and Pullman cars
and carried a special crew of car
penterS, electricians and property
men, besides the performers.
In the cast were a group of Ha-
Waiian musicians. The orchestra
composed of steel guitars, ukeleles
and their own peculiarly made
drums and gourds. All were accom-
plished musicians. We always had
music wherever we went, soft,
plaintive Island music 1t helped
us to enjoy our long jumps and
never failed to draw a crowd.
Members of Troupe
Some of the names of the per-
formers 1 can't remember and
others have Slipped my memory
completely. Mr.. and Mrs. Jack
Ellis, recall, played the parts of
the missionaries. John Harrington
that of the heavy lead, the beach,
comber. The name of the woman
who took the star part, that of the
Hawaiian princess, completely es-
capeS me now, but her personality
I'll never forget. Dark and viVaci-
Gus and possessing that inner
something, the spark that all truly
great artists have, she had. An
actress to her fingertips, she lived
the part she played each night and
never failed to sway her audience.
The part of Paul Wilson, that
of the young doctor and the Prin-
cess lover and husband was played
by Stanley Forrest.
Then there were the Kanakas,
about fifteen of them headed by
a dignified commanding Hawaiian.
l will call him Maui, that was
not his real name. Standing well
over six feet, he was handsome in
his own way. His people treated
him with a great respect and
diffidence not accorded any Oh
the others. II was rumored that he
was highly born, a descendant oi
one of the kings. He played the
part of one of the king priests, and
rendered specially on the steel
guitar. He loved to talk OF the
Islands and to few he recounted
some of the old legends, of which
every one is a story in itself. All
I know of the Hula he taught me.
Hula Prayer
One night while playing in Wash
ington, D. c., just before the cur
tain we dancers were giving the
final touch to our make up, the
last look in the long mirrors to
see if our grass skirts were smooth
and our leis straight. We turned
and saw Maui standing tall and
handsome. watching us with a pc
culiar light in MS eyes, mumbling
a chant in his native tongue.
Something like that always pro-
ceeded our hula dance and l often
wondered what it meant, and SO
I asked him to tell us. He said II
was the prayer of the Hula girl,
and translated it for us. Here II
is as near as I can remember. 'Oh
Mother Nature May the purity
of mind and beauty of body be
mine always. Grant Subtleness TO
my feet and hands that l may
rightfully interpret thy beauties:
the graceful flight of the bird,
the slap of the waves, the beat OF
the surf, the patter of rain drops,
and the rush of the waterfalls.
And ever and ever oh Mother Ma
ture! Let me appear fair and de-
sirable in the eyes of my beloved
Great excitement prevailed tnat
night at Washington. The house
was packed when the manager
came back and informed us the
Presidents box would be occupied.
Peeking through the curtains We
saw the guards at their stations
and knew someone of Importance
was expected. They were late and
request was sent that the cur
tain be held. Shortly the Presi-
dent and Mrs. Wilson and party