The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-10-20

the services of an interpreter; and
presently they retired to the back of
the box, where the little girl danced
few measures for MIN, and then pre-
vailed upon him to dance for her. 1t
took her but moment to master his
odd steps, and when she joined in them
she won the last fraction of Pomiuk's
heart. if she hadn't it all before that.
AT last the mother said they must go,
as it was long past the little girls bed
time; and their parting brings me to
my story.
The little girl took a ring from her
finger and fitted it to one of Pomiuk' S.
Keep that" she said, $50 | will know
you when l see you again; perhaps ii
will be in Heaven"
Pomiul looked at the little token,
and his eyes suddenly filed with tears,
Alas! he had nothing to give in re-
| turn.
"Never mind" said the little girl. put
| ting her arm round him; Il shall never
| forget you. l shall not need a re-
minder."
All through the hot, weary months
at Chicago Pomiuk treasured the lit
tie keepsake and thought about the
donor. and wondered when he would
meet her again, and Ionged for her with
such longing as only the heart of
child can hold.
When the great fair was over, and
| Pomiuk with his people-Kangega tsuk,
his uncle, and Tulllavina, the latters
wife, and Kamialuit and Sikeepa, his
cousins-returned to their home in the
| frozen north, which, from the needs of
their nomadic life. is from Nachvock
to Ungava, POmiuk gave his uncle his
| hoard of quarters, nickels and dimes
| These, with his uncle's savings, were
| promptly converted into fishing nets.
guns, ammunition, clothing, a cook
stove and cooking utensils, tobacco,
flour and molasses. and last, but not
least in their estimation. the clock and
maltese kitten. But with one thing
Pomiuk would not part for aught this
| side of Heaven-the little gold band
that he had already outgrown, with its
tiny opal setting.
Kangegatsuk fell among thieves by
the way, and when, after many vicis-
STUDIES, they managed to reach their
northern home there were but few of
their purchases left. save the stove, the
clock and the kitten.
Nor had things gone well in Labrador
during their 80 months of absence.
The fishing had been a failure, the seals
had been scarce, and had it not been
for the deer, that principal source of
supply i'll winter, probably none of
Kangegatsuk's band would have been
lefg TO welcome them.
1t was sad home coming Two of
the 10 who had gone to the fair had
been buried by the wayside. Range
| gatsuk's father was dead, and his aged
mother also died few days after their
return. Then, ere the snow was solid
enough TO build their winter igioos,
sickness fell among them Range
gatsuk's father had been the medicine
man; there was no other to take his
| place, and nearly half the tribe sue
cumbed 10 this dread visitation. Those
whose lives were spared were of little
use that winter, and with but two or
| three well souls to hunt and trap and
| fish and serve the needs of a score of
i'll ones, it proved a terrible season.
Toward the latter end of February,
when the cold was at las greatest, the
| powder and meat gave out at once. 1t
was not great way to the company's
| post, but they had no fur TO trade there
Fur TO trade must be properly dressed
What little the half-tended traps had
caught had been hurriedly skinned and
| frozen up. There had been no well
| hands to dress it.
"But you still have your ring" said
| Kangegatsuk. Take that. it has much
value, and bring us powder and meat
from the post. Don't hang your head
| would take it from you aud 90 myself
were l able. I"
"But watt" interrupted Pomiuk
''Why should they not give us powder
and meat? They do so to others fur
Their SOUTH and even to those at the
westward. We can pay them in furs in
| the spring. They have often offered
| 10 trust us.
"And be like the mission Eskimo
| like the poor slaves we know and have
| seen to the south? Not T." said Range
gatsuk. Never yet have l been in debt.
1t is the first rule of our tribe. Would
| you have me, the chief the first to
| break it? No. Do as l bid on, and go
at cnce. l speak as your chief, not
your uncle"
Refusal was out of the question.
Pomiuk bit his lip till it bled; but he
limped out of the igloo, called the team
of dogs together, and painfully har-
messed them to the sledge.
1t was night, but that did not matter.
| The sky was ablaze with northern
| lights that famed like candles of gil
! gantic power; for they clothed all the
snow-clad mountains with a weird,
| ghostly light that was not like the
suns nor the moons, nor the stars,
but light that one could see by as
well as if the sun had risen.
1t was cold, too. Our common Their
mometers would have failed to shoW
| how cold it was; but that did not mat
ter, either. The Eskimo are used to
1 "