Show sc ii i F r r r F I Ii I i 1 J J b bi i L I IJ 1 h hw f ti t t f v w ow J I v r o i M I I J I II I 1 1 tE 11 I I fT x t tr r r 1 i y r I c c stood on the lariat lanai in front of oC the hush making me her three little bows SHE S From Front the top coil of her satiny hair to th the thong of her k lacquered l sandals san als she might have hae stepped off ff the Tokyo fan in inI m n my cabinet I There arc Japanese women galore in Hawaii but bul the blight of Western civilization c is upon most mos of them They Thc wear vicar dirty blue b uc cotton Mother Iother Hub Flub Hubbar bards bar s and shapeless straw hats they arc are unclassified and wd hideous But Tia Tin in her kimono with her gold go and blue obi folded about her tiny tin waist aist and IId looped r over oer an absurd little horsehair pillow Behind with her stockings ending at the tite ankle and an hook hooking hookins hooking ing ins up the sides si es with her skin like old ol ivory her hr pouted red lips and eyes Tia was Japan the Orient The flutter of cherry blossoms the breath of almond boughs bought came with her What shall I do I demanded eman ed of the household She has just arrived in the Islands She know a word of English She has never neer seen a I cook cooking cooking cooking ing stove stoe or a knife and fork or a spring bed be Keep her chorused the household with deep bass emphasis from the masculine portion Maso I I called opening the door with trepidation Maso was our Japanese chef and an factotum f a force always to be reckoned with and under uder no IIO circumstances to be disturbed A lean crabbed crabbe bachelor of forty was Maso with superior views of his own importance and md a lofty disdain is ain of petticoats Western estern and presumably Japanese J lie He spoke pole the most precise prec se English wore coats and an a brown Fedora and an was one of the pillars of the local church I held hel my ny breath as he sauntered in ina ina a dish towel flung over oer his lis shoulder er and an gazed beneath his lids li s at the vision under the bush Human nature is the same from the days of Helen One and Maso M so conquered was leading elding her his Japanese amenities mingling with her gurgling laugh It was worth wages just to hear that laugh I From prom the time she pattered in with her gay goa 0 in the morning to the last flung over oer over her shoulders at al night life and work were one long jest hest to her She pervaded the place like a butterfly It was Tia in ill the draw with a feather fe her duster dUSler half as big as herself Tia in the kitchen swinging her heels from a tall lall wooden woo en chair and eating radishes ra and Tia among the ginger blossoms reaching high above aboc her head hea to pluck the creamy stalk talk and Tia at atthe atthe It the gate gale making three bows to the white moon in the thc sky iky It cannot be said that training her hernto into nto a a waitress and an chambermaid did not have ave its drawbacks There were times when the Japanese dictionary Dumb Crambo c and uld com combined combined failed faile to convey the slightest impression I can cannot rot not truthfully tri say we ever understood each other in those first days but we vc often divined each other and Ind whim when Ih n divination failed we sat down and laughed laughe which is sometimes better belter for the soul titan than tI an much compre And to see sec her arranging flowers flow rs with her glossy head II ad like a birds bir s her red re under un er lip sucked an 51 a and her tiny hands han s poising over the thc blossoms till they thc caught that ineffable blend of Art rt and Nature which is the mystery of Japan to sec see her toddling to about the dining table with her funny short steps her herlong herlong herlong long sleeves thrown over oer her shoulder er and md a ginger bloom in in her hair were compensations As to the masculine portion of the household it succumbed to her to a l man and if she triumphed in inthe inthe the parlor she site tyrannized ii ir the kitchen l 1 I Maso the haughty Maso the taciturn who smiled smil pityingly over suggestions of desserts and scorned preferences in potatoes became Maso the suppliant He Ile hung out Tins washing for her Iter he emptied her tubs lubs for her he washed the dinner inner dishes which was wast obviously t her duty uty Her impudent little tittle sandals cluttered up his neat kitchen her combs and hair flins littered his bachelor bedroom for where else could Tia smooth l tier cr satiny locks and an for return re return return turn she laughed laughe at It him anti and teased him nil all 11 day long called calle him old man and ln and treated him generally as the dust beneath h her feet There were also others the painter who teok three days das to do one days work flirting with Tia at it my expense and carpenters and amI butcher boys and itinerant turnip sellers Tia laughed laughe at them all III Then came caine the barber It might be said that was in the air from the beginning but it was some time before he lie materialized If Tia was Japan feminine was as Japan mas masculine culine a strapping lad with square shoulders and ald lean flanks that would woul have done credit cre it to to a West Vest Pointer His I lis hair cropped close dose behind grew longer on top and fell feU picturesquely almost a most to his eye eyebrows eyebrows eyebrows brows and he lie wore always a ite kimono girt girl with a white silk obi He had been a soldier so sotIe he tIe told us and his swagger swagS r was worth crossing half halE the Pacific to sec Maso with his American clothes and stooping shoulders was as undistinguishable from the common herd but l might have hac been beena a J Mikado incognito One always alwan expected exp him to stride into the garden with two twp swords s thrust through his girdle irdle and a retinue of oE princes Twilight T by twilight he came to sit on on his heels under the banana Q nana trees and md tell Tia t of his prowess magnificent tales interspersed with many m ny cigarettes his fingers were colored with nicotine and md acted out with all the lie superb aplomb of o the Oriental Now How No he lie ground lichi Iichi nuts beneath his heel like Chi Chinese Chinese nese skulls now he reconnoitred among the tie trees t re rero now nosy ro he crouch in ambush behind a 1 royal roal palm and an now he charged upon platoons of and swept them from the face of the earth L 1 f Maso took look no part in those He Hc retired to the thc tarn tara patch on the thc other side of the kitchen and m studied his catechism Only once did he condescend con escen to comment when I ventured in an inter interview interview view that was a mighty might warrior Maso pois poising poising ing inS the Worcestershire sauce bottle over the soup kettle lifted his languid eyelids He shave soldier he said and went calmly on stirring the soup But alas for faso Maso I heart like hike that of many another maid was snared snare in the noose of adventure a She took to wearing ering her most sumptuous kimono the theone one with the crepe crepe lining and silken tassels when wh n she waited for under the banana trees add for the thc kitchen there was ws naught but con contumely cont contumely t Cupid or his Japanese prototype was reaching for fora a final shaft when rhen Fate rate in the guise of a Porto P Rican interposed The Porto Ricans Ric ns arc latest ethnological acquisition Before them we had only natives naties Ameri Amen Americans Americans cans English Scotch and Frenchmen Russians Japs Portuguese Germans Germa s and Jews inter interspersed J with a few Malays South Sea Islanders ers American negroes and IU one Greek Greck The Porto Ricans were imported to lo work in in the cane fields when United nit c States laws deprived deprive the planters of their natural re resources resources resources sources the Orient As yet they have eaten a great deal worked a very vcr little J and an shown a tendency picturesque but inconvenient to turn highwaymen There had ha been several severa holdups on the Olaa Olna road but none from rom account comparable to his He lie acted it all III out for Tia in the shadow of the banana trees how he was driving alone up lip the Olaa Olal road roa when from the guava bushes there sprung to his horses head four villains devils they were were with gleaming knives how they had and stolen his steed how ho they thc had forced for ed him to descend and an deliver delier his money the lie money destined for a anew anew anew new obi for Tia how he the hero of f a hundred fights had been powerless because weaponless against their whelming numbers and murderous mur erous blades Maso studying his catechism in m the taro patch muttered one word Bakal Daa I which being interpreted is Fool Tool 1 l but no one heard him save a 1 small green lizard stalking mosquitoes on the kitchen wall walt Tia silting on her little heels with her arms clasped around aroun her knees drank the tale with the indrawn hissing breaths that are arc the Japa Japanese J apa nese expressions of emotion emolion But Bui the next day ar she was pensive and cross signs s gns of perturbation common common to sex se not race The following day my husband who owns a 3 coffee ranch on the Olaa road roa decided eci e to lo go up on his monthly tour of inspection and nn pay pa off his men It Ita was a such a delectable elect opportunity for junketing in our small smal shanty shant among among the that I resolved to lake take the two servants and md make a holiday holi tY camping out sans someone to lo cook and an wash dishes not being what fancy paints it it So one dazzling we started Tia Tin gig giggling giggling giggling gling beside Miso on the back scat making a detour by Bridge to inquire for a patient Along Alon the seafront we went where the Oriental and an Portuguese shops knock kno k elbows and an two Iwo donkeys laden a en with sugarcane fill the lite width wi th of the street over oer the bridge where Japanese fishing boats arc moored moore and an babies of all al races race splash in the stream and an up to the Chinese banana merchants whose little girl irl was ill One of the handsome native policemen always on guard guar on the bridge bri ge lounged over to us just as we started again Going Doctor he h asked There arc are but butt ho two t 0 directions in Hawaii toward the noun moun mountain tain taim and toward the sea Not afraid of o a holdup hol up eh ehNo ehNo clip No more than of an eruption said my husband nodding nod ing toward towar the tranquil slope of Mauna Loa This fear of Porto Ricans is all moonshine shook his handsome head hea thoughtfully They bad lot he said Bad Ba lot trouble at Nine Miles this morning We got gol up with patrol wagon So if you yon get holdup hol up Doctor Voctor actor he called after us as IS we started st well be behind behin you yott We Ve laughed laughe back back at him as we drove droe away a a The breath of the sea was in our nostrils the blue height beyond beckoned and we were in holiday mood moo But Dut alas the best laid ai plans of men and doctors gang aglee At the towns end a galloping gallop n messen messenger messenger messenger ger summoned my husband husban back to a sick woman and after a hasty consultation we decided that I should go on with the servants and he hc would follow later in ih inthe the patrol wagon So I changed to the thc rear scat with Tia and Maso laso climbed in front impressed with the importance of o guarding not nol only us but the canvas bag of coin beneath our feet Tia pointed to his thin arms InnS tittering littering Maso no good she said lo to me mc big man She puffed out like a pouter pigeon Maso man maii She shrunk voice and an body in the corner of the carriage then caught the ends gilds of her long sleeves up to her lips with a burst of laughter Maso f aso gave gac no sign sigh of having hilving heard He did not look ones ideal of a champion with his brown Fedora pushed to the nape of his neck and an his hip hi sloping shoulders ers But if a passing fear of brigands was upon us it vanished with the wind in our faces as we went up upward upward ward war Flocks of tiny rice birds bir s no bigger than ones thumb fluttered from the guava bushes and saucy mynahs mynah mynahs spreading wing and tail until every white feather showed in the brown ran audaciously athwart the horses heels Wood Woo doves oes cooed in the mango trees the cane cane fields fiel s rustled rustle their green grcen ribbons the land began beg n to slope more mor c steeply sleep the shadows by lay l y across the t e road below us the town curved like an In arm about aboul the blue sea sealine sealine line and across the valley valler Mauna Kea hea capped c ppe with snow lifted itself against the sunset All same Fuji I cried Tia clapping her lien hands in delight as we glanced glance backward And at that in instant instant instant stant even een as it had ha happened to four men sprang from the shadows of the roadside and clutched at the reins There was a sharp cry of command from and Tia fell on her knees in the bottom of the carriage dragging me and an the linen carriage robe down with her herI I am not a person of mud muck courage and the little I r rhad had went invent from me as I peered p er through the loose mesh of oC the robe at those ferocious i faces and the gleaming cane knives They were pouring out a tor tar torrent rent of profanity and threats ts from which wh ch caine came only l d 1 r I t I I 1 I r F I IL l 4 t tI L I 1 I T I Im I 1 I I 1 i nl t I m B D 1 w i 1 i a ar v V l y r it I I r r rI I I r rl t t J l ci t ti L 4 p l 1 I if y 1 44 TIiT i iS i ic ir 5 1 5 c r T S H i r I rJ r r i 1 n A V J tr m TiIE TaE INSTANTS S CAPING GArING VANTAGE VANGE THAT TUT WAS 15 HIS nUS MASO ASO WHEELED OK ON ms FOES 2 r u h the thc English Englis I word ord Money foney Money 1 and nt t man who screamed it shook his knife almost m in i Masos eyes Money Maso stared back at him stolidly squaring squa ing his hish should shoulders ld ers to shield the back of the carriage No T got e said sai s dully duny No got He leaned caned le d for forward forwar forward ward war pointing with his whip to the thc two Iwo 1 men nien clumsily unfastening the traces You want horse hors He climbed slowly down clown from the th carriage and my last hope died die within me as I saw sa him tying ting up the reins unbuckling the straps leading Brown Meg leg free of the shafts and md turning her in the road The Porto Ricans stood sto d over him grinning all but butone butone butone one who still glowered and Ind muttered Then suddenly like lightning from a clear cle r sky the lire full uti length of the heavy hea carriage whip backed by Mains Masi s tense sinews descended on o Brown Megs legs flank 1508 Never Neva in all It her lien pampered petted life had hau such indignity indig indignity indignity been heen hers liens She reared with an almost human screech and then again heavily smitten from behind shot off nery n very ery catapult of or wrath and terror down the road to lo Hilo In the instants ging vantage that was wa his Maso wheeled led on his foes Like a scorpions s lash the swing swinging swinging swinging ing whip cord struck and md struck st ruck and struck A whirl whirling whirling ing in dervish Maso spun in iii the dust lust of the road and Iud every cery blow brought blood With screams of rage the themen themen themen men sprang sprang at him striving to close dose upon him lo to t get beneath above around aro nd that t t awful scourge They The could have as well wet withstood the sword play of a Crichton 1 I I Five Fie seconds ten and tle had fled howl howling howling howling ing into irto il to the cane and Maso seated calmly on an a n fern ern stump was as rolling rollin a cigarette ti 3 0 I was as laughing and sobbing both bo h at the absurdity ab absurdity sunlit of it il I and the absolute blind audacious cour courage courage courage age of it And Tia |