Koamalu : a story of pioneers on Kauai, and of what they built in that island garden / by Ethel M. Damon. [Vol. 1, no. 2]

GROWING Up

533

shouldered, his fair beard already appearing on his face.
All loved him for his pleasant, friendly manner and his
happy way of playing with the little folks and telling
them stories. Much of his father's disappointment in his
choice of a vocation must have begun to disappear. And
his mother! How proud she was of the promise which
he so richly gave of developing into a well set-up man,
industrious and skilled! How he devoured the Christmas cakes she made him, what delight he took in getting
a few long nights of sleep, and how he revelled in the
joy of being once more within the circle of those whom
he loved and who loved him.
With his eighteenth year his apprenticeship, having
brought him great profit, came to an end. In the department of agriculture this very practical schooling had
given him thorough training in every point; he had
learned not only to be exact in small things, but careful
also in greater things, and had acquired, for so young a
lad, an enviable knack at supervision and not a little prudence and forethought as an executive. What he needed
now was another similar field in which to broaden his
experience. And such a position was not long in presenting itself on a farm which, through negligence, had
become much run down. Here he worked as foreman or
manager for two years, faithfully and zealously striving
to improve neglected conditions for the owners. And so
successful were his efforts that in the end he had won his
employers' affection as well as their respect and admiration. They hoped, in fact, that he would marry their
only child and would thus settle on the estate permanently. To a youth of twenty, with no capital and no
definite prospects, this must have presented many angles
of advantage. But Paul's face was already turned toward
the west. Moreover, his heart was still untouched and,
looking clearly beyond the need of the moment, he replied
firmly to the gracious offer of his employer, "You do me