The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1899-04-22
infancy displayed the old savage in
stincts and longings.

| otiACto dHu iOuSluSS.
Lozette could not have lived SO close
under Miss oerton's care for ten years
receiving the careful training in pre-
cepts Of truth and kindness, and fail.
ed to have been good girl. She loved
her school and her teacher; she loved
to be called Christmas Child and to
think of the Christ Child; but she
| loved also, In a different way, her
| father, Manuth, and dear in her secret
heart were these occasional Journeys
when she could, without restraint, en-
joy the customs OF her ancestors.
The bright, crisp December morning
was lovely enough to satisfy the most
appreciative worshiper of Nature when
the motley procession filed out over
the hill away from the village.
Lozette was perched upon pony be-
side her father. Miss Berton. with q
crowd Of her pupils about her, stood
upon the doorstep watching until the
train was out of sight, then she called
the little band in to work and lessons,
and Lozette dropped out of their lives
except in thought.
The days passed uneventfully at the
school, while Lozette mingled with the
squaws and played with the babies
around the great camp fires, or de-
lightedly gazed on the dance where
Manuth was the central figure and
where the pipe went around the SOL
enn circle. Sometimes her high voice
rang out above those of the squaws
when they were permitted to join In
the general discordance, and her small
figure moved among the throng at
feasting time.
On the arrival of the day on which
Manuth had promised that he would
start back with Lozette the sunshine
OF the day before had disappeared, and
the children at the school looked out
on the. darkened sky disappointedly.
Toward evening a snow storm of un-
precedented severity began to rage. At
night wind sprung up which before
morning developed into a fearful bliz-
zard. Many times during the day Miss
Berton and her young charges gazed
anxiously through the windows into
the dimmed world, thinking of Lozette
and hoping that something might have
detained her father from setting out
In the face of such storm.
Another night and another day pass
ed before the wind abated, leaving a
white, quiet earth.
The next day the Indians began to
come struggling home. The watches at
the school house waited in vain. 1t
was not until the day before Christ
mas eve that a strange procession was
seen moving in their direction. There
were four men, appearing scarcely
more pinched and hungry than their
poor ponies, coming so slowly that the
watchers pressed their faces against
the panes almost breathlessly.
They could see Manuth, so gaunt and
feeble that he could scarcely remain
in the saddle.
mo Lozette, Miss Berton!" exclaim-
ed one little girl in great alarm, break
ing the watchful silence.
Il think she is being carried by one
of the men," answered Miss Berton,
looking intently at the bundle OF
blankets in front of the foremost In
dian.
Slowly the half-starved beasts plod-
ded through the unbroken snow.
Miss Berton was on the steps in spite
Of the cold when they reached the gate.
Two men assisted Manuth into the
kitchen, while the third brought the
bundle in his arms to Miss Berton.
Poor little senseless Lozette!
Tender hands ministered to her
needs, but little could be done to re-
lieve those stiffened, frozen limbs.
For hours Manuth never spoke, but
sat as one dazed, by the kitchen fire.
Suddenly he seemed to remember
something and asked to see Lozette.
Miss Berton led him in to the still
room where the unconscious child lay.
There, alone with the kind teacher, his
tongue was loosed and, as II he had
never been averse to speaking English,
he said with great effort and trembling
gestures:
Ten days stay. Lozette say Come
back Lozette cry, say, Come back
Christmas
Manuth bent over and looked closely
at his child, his tears raining down up-
on her face.
Miss Berton understood him. Sha
knew that he had started home against
his better Judgment, but Lozette had
cried to keep her promise, and he had
yielded to her wishes.
Snow come hard; no see," he re-
sumed after long silence.
me put Lozette in blanket, lay
down." He made a motion showing
how he had held her tight in his arms
as the snow drifted over them. There
was another silence longer than before
and then, without raising his bowed
head. in a voice shrill with anguish.
he said:
"Loxette heap cry. Say No Christ
mas sing'-'No Christmas Child"
Miss Berton could only sob with the
poor old man.
Pretty soon no cry-no more. Me
think Lozette dead" Manuth conclud-
ed his recital with pitiful moan.
They sat all night by the child's bed
side--the old father and the faithful
teacher-but Manuth opened his lips
no more to speak. and no one ever
again heard him utter word Of Eng