A Strange Career.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 50, 6 October 1887, Page 4

A Strange Career.

It it amuaing, yet instructive, to read goae of the histories in the Salvation oracle, and Maria is such a well-known though impenetrable character that a brief sketch of her life will be interesting. She was born at Hawke’s Bay, her father being an Irish whaler and her mother a Maori of rank. Her father kept a public-house at the Mahia, and at nine years old she went for a two years’ stay at the Three Kings’ Institution, Her mother died and her father started drinking heavily,

which caused her to run away to Poverty Bar. In 1863 she married a young chief, but he was killed during the Massacre and she was taken pnconer, witnessing the deliberate murder of her husband by being shot in cold blood, and the butchery of men, women and children of both races. She says that throughout these scenes Te Kooti and his followers were raving mad with drink. Maria escaped after three weeks’ imprisonment, went to the Mahia, but not agreeing with her stepmother, returned to her Maori friends, and in 1885 came to Gisborne. She was impressed by the preaching of the Army soldiers and concluded that they were not mad as some supposed. Meeting a War Cry seller she asked him to “ sell me a Cry for nothing." and in reply to the Captain said "I am a heathen She wrestled with great wrestles, " but could not get rid or the devil.” At length she forgave Te Kooti, but found great difficulty in overcoming her bad temper, " The Captain ana Cadet would talk and pray, and the devil would pull, and I was miserable again, I got quite mixed." Eventually she got the victory—the Devil was beaten and ran away. Anyone can testify that Maria is an earnest, if not wise, worker in the course the Army ays down.