Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-11-27
A THANKSGIVING UAU

Little Weena and her brother COLA
sat on the ground in front of their
grass house making long chains of the
flowers they had just gathered. 1t
was such an odd little house, only ten
feet high, with no windows. 1t was
covered all over with punches of grass
the ends lose and flying. It looked
like a big tousled head Of hair.
Through the trees the children could
see their father in his canoe out
among the tossing waves. When he
came in from fishing they ran to him
with their flowers. When he sat
down to rest at the foot of a great
tree, Weena threw her arms around
him and begged him to talk to her. So
while the sun went down and the long
cloud shadows and soft colors stole
across the alter, he told them about
their people.
In the early days, he said, there
came many tribes from far away in
long canoes to live in their island.
For a long time they were happy and
content, for Pele, the goddess of vol
canoes, shut the mouths Of the craters
and made the sun smile upon the val
leys. Then after many years and
many kings, there came the best and
noblest king the world ever knew,
Kammehameha First who subdued the
wicked by a look and killed fifty rebel
chiefs in one day single handed and
flung them down a steep cliff into the
sea. When he died the people mourned
greatly and struck out their front
teeth and tore their hair to show their
grief. Then the tribes went to war
and there was no more happiness. But
in the later days since Ola was born,
his father said, the people had heard
of far country with good ruler and
many soldiers. So they sent to the
ruler saying, 1--WE are like little chill
dren without a father. Will you come
and care for u.s."
Did he say yes?'" asked COLA.
''He has said nothing yet" answered
the father
Just then a canoe landed near,
bringing two men. They talked long
and earnestly with the father while
the children crushed taro roots in q
long wooden trough to make a kind OF
bread called poi for dinner.
When the two men went away,
Cola heard his father say that there
was to be a great festival the next
day in the city and he was going to
take them all.
When they started the next morn
ing, crowds joined them at every viii
lage. and when they reached the city
it was overfowing with happy people.
All were moving toward a great
palace where bands were playing and
soldiers marching. All the villagers
crowded into a great square in front
of the palace Weena climbed on her
fathers shoulder and Cola held his
mothers hand and stood on tiptoe to
watch a big soldier with sword
There was silence as a great man
made a speech from the portico OF the
palace: another man seemed to an
swer him; then suddenly there was a
roar of cannon, a great stir. Above
the palace there flashed upon the
sight flag, like a glorious flower,
red and white and blue.
Weena stretched her arms to it and
shouted, aloha! Aloha! THE cry OF
joy of her people. aloha! Aloha!"
sounded on every side, with the cheers
of the soldiers.
What flag is that?"' begged Cola.
That is Uncle SANS flag" said the
big soldier before the father could
speak.
"Who is Uncle Sam. Is he a great
man." asked COLA again.