Short Stories
"That will do for China. I do not know China. This is Ha-
waii, and in Hawaii the customs of all foreigners change."
"She is nevertheless my ancestress," Ah Kim protested, "the
mother who gave me birth, whether I am in China or Hawaii,
O Silvery Moon Blossom that I want for wife."
"I have had two husbands," Li Faa stated placidly. "One
was a paké, one was a Portuguese. I learned much from both.
Also am I educated. I have been to High School, and I have
played the piano in public. And I learned from my two hus-
bands much. The paké makes the best husband. Never again
will I marry anything but a paké. But he must not take me by
the ear—"
"How do you know of that?" he broke in suspiciously.
"Mrs. Chang Lucy," was the reply. "Mrs. Chang Lucy tells
me everything that your mother tells her, and your mother
tells her much. So let me tell you that mine is not that kind of
an ear."
"Which is what my honoured mother has told me," Ah
Kim groaned.
"Which is what your honoured mother told Mrs. Chang Lu-
cy, which is what Mrs. Chang Lucy told me," Li Faa completed
equably. "And I now tell you, O Third Husband To Be, that the
man is not born who will lead me by the ear. It is not the way in
Hawaii. I will go only hand in hand with my man, side by side,
fifty-fifty as is the haole slang just now. My Portuguese husband
thought different. He tried to beat me. I landed him three times
in the police court and each time he worked out his sentence on
the reef. After that he got drowned."
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