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LELEA.

HOUSE was rented of Lelea, a native woman

She was then a splendid type of her race, tall, well-formed, strong, with a quantity of glossy black hair, eyes brilliant, and clear brown skin. She was a woman of more than ordinary intellect, far-seeing, shrewd, honest and straight-forward in all her dealings. I was led to think, the more I saw of her, that she had the blood of all the Kamehamehas in her veins! Her manners and bearing would not have shamed a duchess.

When I knew her (she is now dead) she was very sad and anxious and would often talk to me of her troubles. Her first husband was a white man, termed at the Islands "foreigners," who left her at his death quite a fine property but who was wise enough to tie it up in such a manner it could be for her use during her lifetime, but at her death, must revert to his relatives at home. A second husband had, of course, come on the scene, a full native like herself, but much younger. When Brown found he could not get hold of any of her wealth, he became very dissipated and abusive to "my lady," and succeeded I am sorry to say in making her very wretched.

However, she proved a very faithful and kind land

lady. She promised that the large paddock should be kept tidy and clean, and as there were many fine trees, and the leaves were continually falling, more or less, it involved a good deal of work. One day of every week, at least, must be given to the sweeping of the grass; and when she had this done, the whole place was like a smooth velvet carpet of richest, softest green! A bonfire was then made and the trash burned up. Not a dead leaf could be found on that place. when she had done!

As I have said, the natives never like to go indoors on moonlight nights. I would awaken to some noise in the grounds and looking through the shutters of my blind doors, would see my earnest and faithful Lelea sweeping and gathering up the leaves by the light of a late moon. Like to many white people, trouble had seemed to summon to her side the demon, Restlessness, for she never could be still. She had lost, forever, the repose and indolence of her race! I pitied her. She manifested (why, I failed to comprehend) great affection for her recreant lazy lord! Often I would find a bundle of oranges, or a choice fish left on my veranda to show her Aloha for me.

MY POOR, TRUE, NOBLE-HEARTED LELEA!

IN

PONTO, THE VAGABOND.

IN this large inclosure were to be seen mango, tamarind, pride of India, royal palm, and the traveler's, together with many others; not omitting to mention by itself, the wonderful and much-loved, and deservedly-loved, cocoanut tree; which, by some unhappy mischance, I could but think, was growing far away from any beach or shore-miles inland, in this place of mine.

The cocoanut is a child of the sea, and never looks comfortable and happy but where it can see the face of its friend!

In the middle of these grounds was a circular mound of that exquisite green, such as is seen nowhere but in tropical climates. In the middle of this mound a deep pond, stone-lined and curbed; and a fountain, where the water was plentiful, and ever cool and fresh! Above the first basin was a smaller one, which overflowed, when the fountain was playing, into the larger one beneath. A crowd of doves frequented this pond for their daily ablutions. I wish I knew that all little boys were so happy in having their faces washed, and taking their bath, as were these lovely feathered children! I could not discover that there was actually any quarreling among them; but, in watching them

closely, I seemed to see some selfishness. When they came at nightfall, after an unusually warm day, I noticed that, in their eagerness, the big ones took the lead, and pushed the little ones off the edge of the basin! I would set the fountain gently running-not to scare them off-and they would fly in little groups, on to the upper basin, where the water would fall on them. There they would walk and prance about, round and round, picking and shaking, and cooing, and washing, until each feather was in full-dress and party order! They were of all sizes and colors. Never have I seen such exquisite white ones anywhere, not even in Venice. Oh, they were beauties!

But it was not for the doves, I cared the mosthappy, jolly, rollicking dears that they were; and much as I loved them, and welcome as they were to share the coolness, and the water of the pond and the fountain; and glad as I was when they came, and sorry as I felt when their daily bath was over! No, it was not for them my sympathy went out, nor in them that my interest specially centered! They were well fed, and housed, and cared for and owned! Could I not see their neat little cotes, far over the way, among the cool, shady trees in a flower garden! Ah, yes! they had many friends, and lovers, and companions, for were they not choice birds at that—many of rare and expensive breeds, tumblers, and crowns, and crests, etc. No, no! They were not the only living things that wandered into my premises, for there was other two-footed life, besides them, that

came! and they came with no fine plumage, and no coquetry! They came at all times of the day, and from the small hours of the morning, if there was a late moon—indeed, I could look for them any time in the night, if there was a wind; for then, they knew, the ground would be strewed with mangoes.

"Mango-o-o! Please, some mango-mango-o-o!" This appealing cry from the throats of little brownies, can be heard from sunrise until after sunset, during many months, for it is the fruit of which the natives are the most fond!

The mango trees are often colossal in size, forty and fifty feet in height with immense crowns loaded with fruit, hanging (literally enough to feed an army) in strong, heavy, pendant clusters. A perfect mango is as large as a full-sized Bartlett pear. It is delicious, and of many flavors, no two seeming to taste exactly the same. When the new leaves are coming they take the beautiful shades and tints of Autumn leaves in New England. Nature, displaying the same colors in living as in dying! When this fruit is ripe, or when there is a wind, it is thud, thud! Falling from so great a height it is cracked and mashed often more or less; and with the heat is soon sour, so that the natives are always quite welcome to gather it up. No one but the natives can mount the cocoanut and other high trees! and they test the strength of a branch as they go on and rarely make a mistake or get a fall. They will go up a mango tree and to the outmost limbs like little monkeys. This