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THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
by which he monopolized the fish market of Honolulu。 He did not talk
for publication； nor figure in politics； nor play at revolutions； but he
forecast events more clearly and farther ahead than did the men who
engineered them。 In his mind's eye he saw Honolulu a modern；
electric…lighted city at a time when it straggled； unkempt and sand…
tormented； over a barren reef of uplifted coral rock。 So he bought land。
He bought land from merchants who needed ready cash； from
impecunious natives； from riotous traders' sons； from widows and
orphans and the lepers deported to Molokai； and； somehow； as the years
went by； the pieces of land he had bought proved to be needed for
warehouses； or coffee buildings； or hotels。 He leased； and rented； sold
and bought； and resold again。
But there were other things as well。 He put his confidence and his
money into Parkinson； the renegade captain whom nobody would trust。
And Parkinson sailed away on mysterious voyages in the little Vega。
Parkinson was taken care of until he died； and years afterward Honolulu
was astonished when the news leaked out that the Drake and Acorn
guano islands had been sold to the British Phosphate Trust for three…
quarters of a million。 Then there were the fat； lush days of King
Kalakaua； when Ah Chun paid three hundred thousand dollars for the
opium licence。 If he paid a third of a million for the drug monopoly；
the investment was nevertheless a good one； for the dividends bought
him the Kalalau Plantation； which； in turn； paid him thirty per cent for
seventeen years and was ultimately sold by him for a million and a half。
It was under the Kamehamehas； long before； that he had served his
own country as Chinese Consula position that was not altogether
unlucrative； and it was under Kamehameha IV that he changed his
citizenship； becoming an Hawaiian subject in order to marry Stella
Allendale； herself a subject of the brown…skinned king； though more of
Anglo…Saxon blood ran in her veins than of Polynesian。 In fact； the
random breeds in her were so attenuated that they were valued at eighths
and sixteenths。 In the latter proportions was the blood of her great…
grandmother； Paahaothe Princess Paahao； for she came of the royal
line。 Stella Allendale's great…grandfather had been a Captain Blunt； an
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THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
English adventurer who took service under Kamehameha I and was
made a tabu chief himself。 Her grandfather had been a New Bedford
whaling captain； while through her own father had been introduced a
remote blend of Italian and Portuguese which had been grafted upon his
own English stock。 Legally a Hawaiian； Ah Chun's spouse was more
of any one of three other nationalities。
And into this conglomerate of the races； Ah Chun introduced the
Mongolian mixture。 Thus； his children by Mrs。 Ah Chun were one
thirty…second Polynesian； one…sixteenth Italian； one sixteenth Portuguese；
one…half Chinese； and eleven thirty…seconds English and American。 It
might well be that Ah Chun would have refrained from matrimony could
he have foreseen the wonderful family that was to spring from this union。
It was wonderful in many ways。 First； there was its size。 There were
fifteen sons and daughters； mostly daughters。 The sons had come first；
three of them； and then had followed； in unswerving sequence； a round
dozen of girls。 The blend of the race was excellent。 Not alone fruitful
did it prove； for the progeny； without exception； was healthy and without
blemish。 But the most amazing thing about the family was its beauty。
All the girls were beautifuldelicately； ethereally beautiful。 Mamma
Ah Chun's rotund lines seemed to modify papa Ah Chun's lean angles；
so that the daughters were willowy without being lathy； round…muscled
without being chubby。 In every feature of every face were haunting
reminiscences of Asia； all manipulated over and disguised by Old
England； New England； and South of Europe。 No observer； without
information； would have guessed； the heavy Chinese strain in their veins；
nor could any observer； after being informed； fail to note immediately
the Chinese traces。
As beauties； the Ah Chun girls were something new。 Nothing like
them had been seen before。 They resembled nothing so much as they
resembled one another； and yet each girl was sharply individual。 There
was no mistaking one for another。 On the other hand； Maud； who was
blue…eyed and yellow…haired； would remind one instantly of Henrietta；
an olive brunette with large； languishing dark eyes and hair that was
blue…black。 The hint of resemblance that ran through them all；
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THE HOUSE OF PRIDE
reconciling every differentiation； was Ah Chun's contribution。 He had
furnished the groundwork upon which had been traced the blended
patterns of the races。 He had furnished the slim…boned Chinese frame；
upon which had been builded the delicacies and subtleties of Saxon；
Latin； and Polynesian flesh。
Mrs。 Ah Chun had ideas of her own to which Ah Chun gave credence；
though never permitting them expression when they conflicted with his
own philosophic calm。 She had been used all her life to living in
European fashion。 Very well。 Ah Chun gave her a