Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-12
Why the Christmas Season Varies
at the Different Agencies.
INDIANS WAIT FOR SANTA CLAUS
To Enable Them to Properly Celebrate
the Occasion.
TRAVELLING 12O MILES AFTER 4 TREE
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE D1srArcB.l

dustrial teacher, with Jacob Black Hawk
an Indian boy, left on Friday morning to
hunt over these treeless plains for cedar
tree. They went fully equipped for all
kinds of weather and to meet any emer-
gency. They carried with them blankets,
prov isions and weapons Of defense. They
knew they would have to travel
40 or go miles before they would
strike the ''cedars of Lebanon 81
They travelled southeast, crossed the
Pawnee reservation and camped on the
banks of the Cimmaron river, 60 miles
from the Otoe agency. Like Robinson Cru
soc and his man Friday, they roamed over
the banks of the lonely Cimmaron until
they found the tree which SO delighted the
Indian children. All night on Saturday
they drove, because their provisions gave
out and the changing wind betokened a
coming blizzard. The night was dark and
cold, and to keep in the road one was COM
PEELED to walk ahead with the lantern, while
the other one drove. The industrial teacher
tells jokingly that when Jacob Was walking
| and the coyotes and panthers would howl,
that he would call back and ask him if he
didn't want to walk awhile.
On Sunday morning they drove in, tired
and cold. Sunday school was in session,
! but the Indian children, whose power of
vision seems keener than ours, caught sight
of the wagon afar of, and in pretense of
studying about Solomon and his downfall,
were anxiously awaiting the nearer ap-
proach of the. mysterious wagon. When it
drove into the yard, and the beautiful tree
was thrown out, then several young twigs
and a wild turkey, Sunday school lesson
/ Il kkok h
present we have had Christmas.
ONE DAY AS GOOD AS ANOTHER.
The Ponca Indian School, eight miles dis
tant had arranged to have their entertain
ment on Christmas Eve, and so ours would
not conflict with theirs we celebrated Christ
mas on Monday night. But that does not
matter in this country. Very often many of
the Indian schools have kept Christmas in
February and some as late as March. We
have to depend SO much upon the generosity
of friends in the East that we are just as
likely to have Christmas on the Fourth of
July as on the 18th of December.
All day on Monday preparations were
made in the schoolroom for the evenings
performance. Our special artists, Dick
Shunnatonna and Joseph DeRoin, were
busy drawing appropriate pictures on the
blackboard. Dick drew admirably picture
of the wise men on their camels travelling
toward Bethlehem, guided by the star. The
camels in their gay attire and the wise men
in their rich Oriental costumes made
beautiful picture. The light is
just breaking over Judea's hills as
they stop, for the star has ceased to
travel and stands directly over the lonely
stable in Bethlehem. On another space
he drew a forest scene. Behind tree
stands hunter whose arrow has pierced
the heart of fine, large fat deer just ready
to fall. Little lame Dick Shunnatonna is
natural artist and should be sent East and
educated in this particular study. Joseph
DeRoin drew old St. Nick on housetop
Just about to enter chimney, which seemed
too small for him and his big sack of TOYS,
and the same old chap skimming over the
snow in his sleigh drawn by eight tiny rein
deer. He also had an original sketch of
little negro surprised at seeing Santa Claus.
Joe would like to go off to school, but his
parents oppose it on the grounds of death
and corn bread. They tell him that he will
get nothing but corn bread to eat and may
die away off from home; so poor Joe's ambi-
ton to become an artist is crushed by the
foolish whims of doting parents.
The notices, "Peace on earth and good
will to men," "Merry Christmas" and
"Welcome," with the sprigs of cedar twined
over the windows and around the chandelier
and the tree loaded down with presents and
lighted with bright-colored wax candles,
made beautiful picture, a striking con-
trast to dirty tepees and the aroma of
tainted meats, old hides and filth generally.
THE EARLY ARRIVALS.
The camp Indians came en- masse. They
commenced coming at 4 O'Clock. They
hitched their teams to the fence, and
fod IN cir ID IN fba
waiting for the evenings performance. If
there is one thing an Indian can do well it
is to wait. The sight was comical. They,
too, thought they must bring their dear
papooses presents also; so they brought the
best they had. 1 saw the Oldest couple in
the tribe, whose only child is here at school,
sit out on the roadside eating corn soup out
of very black vessel, and the soup was in
harmony with the old black can. They had
big wooden spoon among them, and it was
passed from mouth to mouth. 1t was
sweet little love feast out and out. These
Indians love their children supremely and
are hsApy when they see them being
benefited. especially when receiving gifts
from the white folks.
Among the Indian audience I noticed old
Wah-root-chee-nee. This means eating
standing. Surely, he is direct descendant
of the tribes that left Egypt eating their last
supper standing and with staff in hand.
Wah-root-chee-nee dotes on his little
granddaughter Phama, and would rlde
miles to see her appear on the stage in some
simple little act. He is queer-looking old
fellow, and makes one almost believe in
Darwinism; but his heart is so
full of love that we forget the
homely exterior. Chubby, little Ma
Hot-Chee was present with his two
wives. He is a big medicine man
among the Indians, and is expert in PLAYING
the buffalo. Mon-co-you, which means medi-
cine box, came to see his bright little daugh-
ter, Eliza. also noticed Ne-kah-a-tahn,
This means 70 cents. Ne-kah-a-tahn is a
young man. He eloped with one of our
school girls last year, but has separated
from her. Very many call him 'Six Bits"
and guess he is worth just about that
much. Thsn there were Ah-hoo-thie, which
means yellow wing; Nah-dwar-kon-jah-
king-a, which means white mule; Soo-ng-
ith-ga, which is white horse in English, and !
dozens OF others with just such ridiculous
names. They all seemed to enjoy the per-
formance very much, which was short.
THE EVENING PROGRAMME.
All of the advanced pupils had committed
to memory the first ten verses of the second
chapter of Matthew, which they repeated
very nicely in concert. Thirty little Indian
boys and girls who could not speak one |
word OF English when school commenced in
September, sang very sweely Jesus Loves |
Me-" Little Walter Macglashan repeated |
very nicely verse very appropriate for the |
occasion. Then followed three songs and a
recitation, and the distribution OF presents,
for which they had been eagerly waiting.
They were all delighted with their, gifts,
and all say that ssthis was the best Christ |
mas Of all"
Away up in East Orange; N. Y, little
missionary society, composed Of young bows
and girls, heard OF us through some friends, |
and sent us a nice, well-illed box OF |
Christmas goods. Then another box came |
from Mrs. r. S. Rust, of Cincinnati, Secre- |
tary OF the Woman's Home Missionary So
ciety. Miss LOngstreth, Of Philadelphia,