The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-12-14


further into the heavens streams OF
vapory light dancing up and down
in graceful shadows that easily led
me to imagine that they were caused
by invisible spirits.
For a time / forgot the subject Of
my visit and lay watching the play
OF the aurora as 1t shot forward and
backward, and when ! finally came
to myself / looked around and found
the natives lost in deep and silent
awe at the spectacle.
"The hour / spent in this service
was one of supreme delight to me,
especially so as the little handful of
food / distributed made the bright eyes
of a hundred people glisten with hap
piness and supplied as many stomachs
with feast they enjoyed before they
again closed their eyes in sleep.
1T will take too much space to re-
cord all the times l gathered as !
peered through their little skin win
dows and saw them dancing around in
great glee, old and young, and ex-
pressing their thankfulness for the
many good things received, the like
of which they had never before eaten"
Where Santa Claus Caused Terror.
Mrs. Bertha Stover, the wife of
missionary stationed at Bailundu, At
rica, tells an amusing story OF how
Santa Claus terrified the black chill
dren at her mission station, where he
FIRST appeared to them year or two
ago.
They had celebrated Christmas at
Bailundu before, but they never had
Santa Claus. so Mr.. Stover dressed
himself up as tho benevolent saint.
HE had been padded and powdered
and packed until his own mother
would not have known him." said
Mrs. Stover. Presently we gave
the signal and the door few open and
in walked Santa Claus. But dear me,
what consternationl
"He was greeted with shrieks and
groans and cries Of:
"Let me outl'
"1t is the evil oner
at is the day OF Judgment
"The small fry, catching the in
fection Of terror from the elder black
people, fed to the bedrooms. fell down
upon their faces. crept under chairs
and tables-anywhere to hide them
selves.
Poor Santa Claus never had such
greeting before. AS soon as he
realized the panic he had caused, he
tore off his tall hat and white cotton
beard. and from the bags on his back
began to throw gifts right and left,
and to tell who he was.
treasured once more, they were
soon all laughing and chatting MUNICH
ing the great red breads dough
nuts), tasting their fruits or nibbling
at the sweets in the familiar little
bags.
"One man wondered which end up
he was to hold the fork Santa Claus
had given him. Another Immediately
tried on his new shirt. The girls ar
ranged their bright-hued handker-
chiefs into nobby turbans. while 9TH
ers tried to find some place about
their scanty clothing where they could
stow away the bunch of bread, paper
Of needles and cake Of soap given to
them.
Each one tried to talk louder than
his neighbor. so they examined the
costume Of good old Santa Claus. who
had frightened them almost to death.
One man said he thought Elijah had
returned, another that it was John
the Baptist. Yet another thought It
was Satan himself, and all my sins
rose up before me- while a fourth /
My only thought was to
hide myself
A Christmas Feast That Nearly /
Caused Bloodshed.
Rev. Frank Patton, son Of the IA !