Analy High School - Azalea Yearbook (Sebastopol, CA)

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(Eursr of the ilimtlmri By MABELLE NISSON, ’23 (Fourth Award) 7JT HE palm trees were rustling in the evening breeze and the warm sea water was softly lapping the feet of the shore. The sun was going down in all the glory of the purples, crimsons and golds of an Hawaiian sunset. This peaceful, brooding quiet was suddenly broken by an excited voice, followed by a howl of joy. “Come Waumi, come Artu, come! ” it said, “for a story teller has come at last to this for¬ saken village of ours.” And as the speaker called, he and a band of dirty, half naked boys tumbled and crowded pell mell around an equally dirty and ragged old man. The old storyteller was very fierce looking, and his beady eyes held the children charmed into a silence, as a snake charms his prey. But under it all was an air of sorrow, deep and sincere, and his eyes often took on a look of utter despair and doom. He was silent for a time, then he shook his head slowly, as if debating within himself as to whether he should speak or not. Then he began. “Harken,” he said in a voice that awed his beholders into silence, “listen, and I will tell you a story.” “In a distant, fardistant village dwelt long ago, many years ago, an old chief named Maru. He was very old, none of the grand- sires of the village knew whence or when he had come. There was a legend in the village that he had sprung from the depths of the earth, and would return to it. He was cruel to his friends and enemies alike. No one was safe near him. He had a beautiful daugh¬ ter, the princess Liaulani, whom all the village loved for her kindness. She was very kind even to her father, who although he loved her in his inner heart, treated her as badly as the lowest of his slaves. She loved a young man, Ouhti, who returned his love with much fervor. But her father would not consent to their union, for he had picked out one Atu to wed her. Liaulani loved her father and obeyed him, so despaired of ever being united to Ouliti. “One day as Liaulani was preparing for her wedding, two moons distant, rumors came with the messages that Nauna Loa was erupting and the village was in danger of being flooded with lava. Everything was stir and excitement. The people hurried to the Temple to consult the priests. They held consultation with the Fire Goddess, while the people waited in fear outside. They came with the message that all the people must sacrifice their riches to the terrible Fire Goddess. This they did, feverishly and hurriedly, even the old Maru brought out his 17

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followed, “Say listen here, aren’t you even going to tell me your name,” he began, “I don’t want to lose track of you now.” After hesitating a moment she drew a card out of her bag, handed it to him and without another word she turned and ran up the, steps. “Say!” he called after her, “May I call tomorrow at three? She nodded her consent and disappeared with a tantalizing smile on her lips. When he looked at the card Johnny was struck dumb for this was what he read: “Mrs. Amelia Brown, Dean of Women, University of California. Still holding the card in his hand he caught a car back to Berkeley feeling all the way like kicking himself for playing the part of a fool. He decided to forget the incident but somehow he couldn’t and his friends wondered what was wrong with him for he was seen almost every hour between periods hanging around the dean’s office or the ladies’ entrance to the college. When asked what the matter he told them very frankly to “shut up” and walked off in a huff. A week later was the Junior Prom and Johnny was there with banners flying. Just before the dancing began his chum. Bill De Russia, sought him out. “Say Whittier, old top, is your program filled? I’ve got the swellest dame this evening you ever saw. Say, but she is a queen!” “How’s chances to trade dances with you?” asked Johnny, “I’ve got the seventh and second vacant yet. Give me both of them with her, will you?” “Nothing doing, you can have the seventh but no more. I’ll introduce you later.” With these words Bill went off in search of his partner. Johnny was surely anxious when the seventh dance came to know who his partner was to be. Just before the music began he saw his chum coming toward him with a lady on his arm. He was so surprised at what he saw that he felt like rubbing his eyes for it was no other than the girl of his adventure. After introductions were over and they were on the floor Johnny blurted out, “Pardon my impudence, but how does it happen that you, the Dean of Women, are attending a college dance?” “Oh! laughted the girl, that’s one on you. I’m not a member of the board of trustees but one of the students here, I had seen you about the college and then when I saw you on the car I wondered where you lived so I followed. The card was one I had picked up on the floor of the dean’s office.” 16

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selfishly hoarded treasure. Then, as they turned to go, the priests stopped them with the words that the Goddess was not yet appeased, that only human sacrifice in addition would stop her anger. The people resignedly awaited their next fate, but the priests said that this was all. They asked the people to choose between sacrificing one young life, and the lives of the whole island. They resisted, but when the priests grew impatient they consented, bewailing their fate. Then the priests said that the youth would be chosen in an hour. The people sadly, once more started home. “All the while this was happening the wily old Maru had not been idle. Long had he cherished a desire to get rid of Ouliti, now he saw his chance. He seized a bag of treasures from a hiding place, where he had hid them from the Fire Goddess. He hid them in his robe, and with his long knife shining in his hand, he hurried forth to the Temple. The priests were surprised to see him, but they were even more sur¬ prised when he told him his fiendish plan. His evil eye gleamed like his knife when he told him of his bribe. The priests at first were hor¬ ror stricken, they said that the wrath of the gods would be called down upon them, but slowly they unbent until they at last agreed to the bribe and do as he bade them do. Then, after Maru gave them minute instructions, he sallied forth into the night. His face was so fiendish that a wanderer who saw him turned tail and rushed home- Y ' cird, gasping as he burst into his hut, that he had seen the old fiend himself. Meanwhile Maru glided homeward, little reckoning what was the purpore of this wciked scheme. “When the time came for the announcement the people slowly straggled back to the Temple, a hush falling over them as the priest came out to tell them. Then when the name was announced, the people who were not the victim’s kin fell to wild rejoicing for their luck, while the victim’s relatives went home to prepare the sacrifical garments. All so far had gone as Maru had planned, for Ouliti had been chosen as the victim. The priest and his daughter were to be pres¬ ent so the people wondered how she, the doomed man’s sweetheart would act. The ceremony of sacrifice was to be that evening, so they had not much time to prepare. But they worked their curiosity up to such a pitch that the whole village buzzed and hummed like a beehive. Their interest and expectation grew with time, and when the time came for the ceremony they were keyed up nearly to the breaking point. “They waited at the sacrificial until the chief took his seat. His daughter had not come. The people were more curious than ever. 18