Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-02
sHEDAHDA SERVING TEA.

ohLDAhDa SGhNlNH TEA
togethe such articles of value as thew intended
\ to sacrifice during the Coming gilt game"
The Chief. In the meantime. was being dressed
for his task by his two wives-an old
one. the mother of the children. and Young
one acquired but lately to cheer his declining
years lie first put on loose shirt and
drawers of cotton cloth and daintiv embroid-
cred moccasins and then hung uron this chaste
foundation one gaudy ornament after another:
feathers and beads. belts and collars CT costly
furs were taken from various odd-shaped r,
ceptacles and doHned. the whole being finally
crowned by hat Of great dimensions ana gro
tesque design. such the riotous ina gination of
dozen milliners gone mad could not have
equaled In conception. Its wide brim COW
cred with ermlne skins. the heads and tails of
TIE little animal ringing its outer edge. inter-
spersed here and there with brass bells and
tufts of swans down. From this foundation
rose the first story of the structure consisting
OF the stuffed heads of four animals. two foxes
and two lynx, their ears touching and their
noses pointing to the four quarters
OF the globe, with strings of birds claws and
beaks festooned from mouth to mouth. Above
this rose the second story of the hat. cylin-
drlcal frame work covered with fishskin and
profusely ornamented with tassels of feathers
and sea lion whiskers. while the whole was
crowned with a plume OF eagles feathers and
porcuplne quilts. As soon as the old chief had
donned this little museum Of natural history he
advanced into the circle of spectators and the
young Dogs anu women began TO sing
lively tune, the men beating time with
sticks and drums. This was an affair quite
inherent from the tame walk around previously
INDUCED in. With the first few notes all traces
OF age and feebleness seemed to leave old
Stepan. He jumped and tripped and shuffied
and skipped shaking his rattles of inflated
biadders and shouting and putting at intervals,
while the bells were jingling in his hat After
having danced a short time he threw down in
the center of the ring ''length" of gaudy
calico Cten yards-a dress pattern) and con-
tlnued his exercise. The chief from Kustatan,
with a grunt of satisfaction, followed
suit. throwing down a foxskin. The dance
IN the meanwhile was growing more wild and
fantastic every minute. and as the admiration
OF the audience was excited donations began to
rain down upon the pie on the floor. The old
man now exhibited signs of exhaustion aud
retired to a corner, where his wives assisted
him In wiplng off the perspiration and donning
clean shirt and drawers. In few minutes,
however, he was to the fore again. repeating
and improving upon his first performance with
the same substantial results. When the old
man finally retired to recuperate another
man took his place, to be followed in turn by
others. and though not every one succeeded in
exciting the audience to the donation point
there was goodly pile of valuables upon the
floor when the performance ceased.
The chief. having recovered his breath now
stepped forward, and in accordance with the
directions of an old blind woman, called in for
the purp began TO distribute the articles
among the audience.
At the end of it all tea was served again. with
accessory trites, S0ch as hunks of blubber,
dried fish and seal oil. brought in and offered
by the prospective bride aud other maidens
Old Iats-le-tuchten. who had enjoyed the
game as much as any youngster, again grew
thoughtful he watched Shedahdas dett
fingers and the CLEAN of her white teeth as she
daintily hut of small piece for each guest
from the huge cake OF boiled sugar to sweeten
the tea. He pondered and pondered until
at last when his seventh tumbler of
| the scaidiDg-hot beverage was but half
| consumed he solemnly declared his intention
to make few remarks. The host at once re-
peated the announcement to the audience and
the hush OF expectation fell upon the assembled
| men and women; but, deliberately slipping his
tea. the old man kept them waiting for some
| time. At last he began. not with the deluge or
| the crusaders, but with illusions to grand
father and father, who had been great hunters
and men with good hearts" He then en-
| largel upon his own virtues without any false
modesty. finally bringing down his rambling
| discourse TO the son who had accompanied him.
He said his son was also mighty hunter, equally
/ at home chasing the 6rampus in his swift
canoe and tracking the savage brown bear into
/ mis- lair. but, he continued, my son has
bad heart, very bad heart, indeed. Why,
his heart Is so bad that when he meets q bear
| on the trail he does not get behind tree or
log, like a good-hearted man. cautiously send
1 ihS ohe Duiiet AFTER another into the beast
from distance. No. his heart is too BAD for
that, he goes right up to the bear
and attacks him with knife or spear.
Now, what would man like that
with 80 bad heart, do with young little wife
mere child, who would be afraid all day lone
\ that her husband was living dead and torn r.
pieces somewher in the forest OF uDcn the
hills? He should have n wife big and strong
| and older than himself, who can work and take
care oil his house and clothing, There may be
Ileh a w m in a n
| one or two at home. i have spoken"
| murmur of appreciation came from the
| audience. extoiling the great wisdom Of tn
aged chief. The boy with the bad heart sand
ne thing but he looked as if his fathers tall
had made him very tired
After a brief pause Tats-le-tuchten sisnifed
| bis intention to speak again, and the host at
once informed his guests of the treat in store
! for them.
1t may be-" continued the fat old chief,
''that the girl feels disappointed, which is a
very bad feeling for such young thing to ill.,
dul3e in. But she must not feel bad. l will
marry her myself tomorrow. We can all go up
| to the priest together. With me she need not
wife i shall give him will look out for
the house and keep Us supplied with
food and clothing, and besides have an
old wife at home who works about the
house. Shedahda will have nothing to do
but to sing and ply her needle. have
spoken" And. with sigh Of satisfaction and
| glance at the girl TO note whether she was
overcome with the honor in store for her. the
old man subsidized into digniied silence.
On the following day the little feet Of canoes
again crossed the inlet returning to Kustatan.
| Snugly slowed away "bctween decks" a. it
we're, behind Tats-le-tuchten in his big canoe
lay Shedahda, the newly made bride, dreaming
Of what2 In the forward hatch Of the same
canoe sat the young son plying his paddle a.
merrily e. II his nose bad never been put out
! Of joint IyAx PIzSos1.