Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-07
SMALL GIRLS PREVENT
FIGHT AMONG PARENTS

An interesting incident of Christian mis-
sion work in Alaska is told as follows:
great feast was held by one of the
more southern H'lingit tribes. There had
been drinking and dancing and the men
and women were all drunk, for quanti-
ties Of the native ''hootsanoo' had been
furnished, and at last they lay upon the
floor in drunken stupor.
The little children were gathered out
side the house, tired and hungry. and
awfully afraid Of what their fathers and
mothers would do when they came to
themselves. for always after such scenes
there was fighting and blows and killings
One little girl eight years old named
Undah gathered the little group together
quietly and said: Come with me into
the forest and l will bring you food. We
shall have a feast, too So she picked
up little lame hungry baby that could
not walk and they all toddled after her
to the cedar grove outside of the village.
Then she told them that their fathers
and mothers were all ''hootsanoo dead"
and that they would be dead of empt-
ness before their mothers woke up un
less something was done. She was GO
ing to steal some food for them and she
wanted some of the older ones to help
her. but she would not let any one help
who had ever stolen anything before for
themselves They all kept very still and
several of the brightest boys and girls
slipped out of the group aud came and
81 God beside her. Then she spoke To them
in a lower tone and told them there WAS
something else for them to do besides
steal food. They must first find all the
knives and guns and weapons of every
kind in the village and hide them SO that
when the elders woke UP there would be
no killing. So she left the children In the
forest to wait for the food and took her
little company of helpers back to the vii
lage From house to house they went
gathering up knives and guns and any
thing that could kill. They put them In
Undah's blanket and she took them all
and MD them beneath a hollow log I'm the
woods. Then she went to her uncle
storehouSe-he was also the chief and her
master and guardian-and unlocking the
door spread out her blanket and put in
it dried berry cakes and punches of sea-
weed, bundles of dried salmon ana the
little candle fish. She folded the blanket
together and gave 1t to her assistants to
carry to the children. Then taking
horn spoon. she filled two wooden dishes
with berries and fish eggs preserved In
oil. which she carried and fed to the
younger children. Then she organized
some more helpers TO play games WIN
the children all the afternoon. and until
early evening when the smoke from the
village chimneys showed that the parents
were waking up and getting supper, and
they might safely steal back without no
tice. But great was the wonder when il
was discovered that every ones knife and
gun were gone! They thought the witches
had done it. But in the night little Undah
stole out fearfully. for they all believe
there are eri! spirits abroad at night and
brought the weapons and laid them in
conspicuous heap In the village street.
where they were found with wonder and
awe the next morning by their owners
This feast was notable among all the
tribes because not single instance of
serious quarreiins occurred, and 50 no
injuries had 10 be avenged or paid for
~ few months later Undah heard of the
mission school and begged SO long and so
sweetly to be sent that she finally was
allowed to go. She became A Christian
was bright scholar and finally married
Christian young man who had been
trained a carpenter in the Industrial
Training School at Sitka. and is doing a
great work among the natives Just by
showing them what sweet, beautiful
Christian home can be.