A FOND FAREWELL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 13108, 23 June 1913, Page 7

A FOND FAREWELL.

THE MERRY MAIDENS. HOW THEY KISSED CAPTAIN AND PRINCE. (Special to Herald.) AUCKLAND, this day. While the battleship New Zealand was at Russell Captain Halsey and Prince George of Battenburg found themselves much in the same predicament as Lieutenant Hobson, the hero of -a littie incident in the . blockade of Havana, 'who .had to run the gauntlet of N a double line of American matrons and misses, who insisted on kissing him as ho walked away alter a reception tendered in his honor on his return home. The Maoris, who had gathered from all over the North Island to see the big ship (states the Star) were greatly interested in the captain and the prince. They are strong on rangatiras, and at the conclusion of a dance of welcome the tribe asked to be allowed to shake hands with these officers. The captain, with his usual urbanity, at once .acceded to the request, and the old warriors of the party shook hands, with the peculiar dignity and grace of the Maori. The wahines and kp tu ' os °f ie tribe did likewise, but several of them, no doubt attracted by the. smiling good nature of the scion of the House of Battenburg, slapped him, on the back, as much as to say they thought he was a good sort and they were glad they had met him. There was a good deal of mild merriment over the cordial reception his Highness was coming in for, but even the gravity of the quarter-deck was dispelled when a young and good-looking girl walked straight up to tho Prince, and, throwing her arms round his neck, kissed him twice with no uncertain sound. He blushed a rosy red, and tried to look as thought that sort of thing was fully provided for in the naval ! regulations, but he was evidently embarrassed, and glad when he escaped momentarily from the attentions of the dusky maiden: Captain Halsey was among tho officers , who were highly amused at the discomfiture of the Prince, and his genial face wore a pronounced smile, but he quickly dropped his gaiety when the psculatory young lady made a beeline for him, and kissed him fairly and squarely. After he had endeavored to beat a graceful retreat, seeing there was no way out of the unexpected position hhort of; swarming up the mast, the captain submitted to his fate with as near a show of good grace as one could possibly anticipate. When the amusement had subsided the Maoris filed oil and- shook hands with each officer as they went over the ship's side. Several of the other young women evidently envied the daring one her triumph, and as they passed the Prince they leant forAvard and kissed his blushing features. Ho stood up to the ordeal like a man, but his pleasure at the close was more marked than during its progress.