A Song for the March Wind [pp. 253]

TIhe Song of the March Wiind
time he had come back disconsolate, for
the answer was always no. The taupo's
price was too high for Ailoli and his people
of Sapapele. They mourned grievously
over the good food which had been wasted
upon these ungrateful strangers, but after
the third time they gave it up. AIoli was
only too pleased to beseech Tinamo's forgiveness, and the good lady came back,
never uttering a word of reproach against
her erring lord.
Judging from the latest telegrams, the
political troubles of Samoa are by no
means over. The natives are far from being pacified, and there is always the danger of grave international complications
arising, owing to the rivalry of the representatives of the three treaty powers.
In this case the risk is all the greater because the outbreak has been directly
caused by the decision of Judge Chambers,
the American Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. When Mialietoa died, last
November, there were of course many candidates for the throne, but eventually the
contestants were reduced to two, NIataafa,
who had just returned from exile, and
MIalietoa Tanu, the youthful nephew of
the deceased monarch. It is hard to say
which of the two had the largest following,
for anything like a comprehensive ballot
is impossible in Samoa. Mataafa was
strongest on Upolu, but a large part of
Savaii, and all Tutuila, were in favor of
Malietoa. It so happened that Mataafa
had the largest force available in Apia, and
thus was easily able to dispossess Malietoa.
But Chief Justice Chambers has decided
that a protocol to the Berlin treaty renders Mlataafa ineligible for the throne.
If this decision is to be respected, and
Malietoa Tanu restored to his rights, force
will have to he used; and a cable from
Auckland informs us that the British
men-of-war are only waiting for the arrival of the UJ. S. S. Philadelphia, in order to
take concerted action. The Germans are
sure to oppose, by every means in their
power, the deposition of Mataafa. No one
can foresee the end, but the next few weeks
promise some interesting developments.
'\I D -4.4
.1~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~,,,,x~,x IN.
I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~".I%~ I IN~,
A SONG FOR THE MARCH \WINDI)
W ORK swiftly through the cool, keen days;
Toil yet may prove too late, too late!
Incessant through the northern gate
Pours the strong windy flood that none delays
Nor any stays.
0 work!
For in its tireless rush that impulse burns
For which in vain thy duller spirit yearns.
Warren Cheney.
253