Memory Of “Teuila” Lingers Still In Samoa

By E. E. Bush, of Apia

Mrs. Isobel Field, Aged 92 On

September 18, and now residing at El Mirasol, Santa Barbara, Cali fornia, has lost her good health, unfor tunately, but not her good spirits. She still is the same bright Teuila, gay and chatty, looking back on “This Life I’ve Loved,” or passing comment on the pres ent age.

In the Vailima days, in Samoa, she gave much pleasure to R.L.S., and added much to the gaiety and laughter of the happier days in that hilltop home. She was then, of course, Mrs. Isobel (or Belle) Strong. Isobel and Lloyd Osbourne were the children of Mrs. Fanny Stevenson, by

her first marriage. RLS called her Teuila. and wrote of her: , - , ... . . ir £ ear and * ai T my and pretty, come and sue to me for praise?

Why come and tease me for a ditty, Who are, yourself, my song of praise?

Yourself the goddess bright that lingers The 1 days ground And the hoiise hrie Si fl l,r p And tne ftouse brightens with your eyes.

RLS wrote several poems about her always they express the regard in which he held her. As his amanuensis in the latter days they were drawn close to

gether. Many a depression must hayi oeen lifted in the hours they spent tod gether, and many a pain eased in til; presence which he described as “the turn ihat the whole world goes to, and til; brightness of the passing miles.’

Some of his work would never havi seen the light of day if it had not bee; for his beloved Teuila. Who but Teuiij would have thought of the deaf an dumb alphabet when Louis was stricke: on his bed, forbidden to speak one won for the effort involved, yet anxious to to his manuscripts, to correct the pax labours, or to pour out the ideas thsr were forming in his never-resting brain..

Teuila was his right hand and his let' Perhaps, too, he had tender regard hi her because her marriage was not work ing out very happily. He who found suoi happiness with his Fanny (her motheie could sympathise when another was n<r finding the complete happiness that H knew could be found in marriage.

THERE are those who criticised Bell: and Joe Strong, and Lloyd Osbournn for adding themselves to the Steven; son household. But Belle, in a veie moving passage, tells us why she did.

She had her own ideas of independent) and did not wish to join the household t Vailima. But, in Sydney, Louis put til situation to her from his viewpoint. H had no family of his marriage, nor woui. he. Belle was Fanny’s daughter. A such he looked on her, begged her to rti main as part of Fanny’s family, an therefore of the only family he' woux ever have.

He was home-loving. Home require'; a family; only the family spirit com. convert the four walls of a house inr home. Therefore he begged her to com And, happily for us, she did.

“This Life I’ve Loved” gives us intimax glimpses of the family on its travels; gives us a picture that no one else —nr even Nellie Sanchez or Graham Balfoun has given.

The little cottage at Vailima in whioi Joe and Belle Strong lived is there h longer. Indeed, the face of Vailima it self is changed, and Belle would ha\£ difficulty in recognising the house wheo she spent those happy years. Whn Fanny Stevenson, after her husbanoj death, placed the house on the markji it came to the hands of Herr Kunst, wM enlarged the building by the addition another wing, and improvements. TF! house later became the property of tld German Government, and was used ; Government House. Governor Solf wv its first occupant in this capacity.

And so the years roll by. Septembd 18 marks the 92nd anniversary of tld birth of Belle Osbourne in Indianapolis The house at the foot of Vaea, associate for ever with the immortal name Stevenson, is yet a memorial also to thoo who lived with him within those walltl to Fanny, whose labours are perpetuate in the lawns and flowerbeds she mabj and the waterworks she engineered; Teuila, whose laughter and happy diil position added so much sunshine to thri home. Her name lives on in Samoa. Til flower she brought from Honolulu —th ginger flower —is called the Teuila flowev and its brightness is the essence of hd life.