The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-12-10
INDIAN GIQERS
AT CHRISMASTIDB
RED MEN LOVE TO MAKE PRES.
ENTS To ONE ANOTHER.
Lively Time Around Reservation:
During the Holiday Festi-
walls.
GOSSIP FROM WASHINGTON,

Press. Several thousand Indian
children throughout this country are
awaiting the coming of Christmas
day with just as much eagerness and
anticipation as the average American
youngster.
For there Is really a Santa Claus
that brings joy to their hearts. The
Indian children believe in Kris Krin-
gle, but they do not know that he
lives at the North Pole. They think
he lives in Washington, that he u.s.,
in short, Commissioner of Indian Az
fairs Valentine. And Commissioner
Valentine does his best to live up to
the reputation, backed up by pa
ternal government that wants the
children of Poor 10 TO have all the
advantages of civilization.
At all the Indian reservations.
Christmas Day is oserved faithfully.
There is always a big holiday dinner
to which the grown-ups are invited
as well as the children. The invita-
lions are supplemented with n cake
of soap. In this topsy turvy land it
IS the parents who eat with their
fingers and the children who are well
behaved, so that the youngsters eat
first and their seniors wait for &C
ond table. Some of them. preferrlns
to eat at home, bring sacks into
which they dump turkey, cranberry.
rice and dessert. II there is coffee.
they pour that In too, on top OF the
other food.
when the weather Is good. the
children who. during the winter. re-
side at the school, are allowed to go
home for a vacation after the din
ner. II they are kept in school.
close watch is maintained. for OF all
things these children love their
ponies. of all places their hills, and
Of all games. hockey" In this
their parents aid them by hitching .
pony near the school yard. Sudden
" a pupil IL missing. He has ga
loped OF and a weeks hunt will be
needed to locate the truant
The Indians are fond of present
giving A. the Tongue River reser-
walton in Montana. at one time. a
sister of Sitting Bull was the guest
Of honor. DESTROYS OF showing their
appreciation the Indians. after many
fine speeches. brought in her present.
II was a dog. That evening she en-
tertained them at dinner. and they
all said they greatly reaished the ca
nine stew.
In Phoenix. Arizona. there Is q
school OF roo children. Here II IS
very different from the Montana
school. Lining up on Christmas
morning they march solemnly into
a big room with walls covered with
palms. pepper tree branches and the
crucifxion thorn. a prototype OF the
plant in Palestine. In the cente'
stands a mesquite or perhaps a pale
verde tree whose natural beauty OF
green leaves and red berries is en-
HANGED with ribbons, pop corn, candy
canes and presents. At dinner the
children are divided into tables OF
ten. eight little ones and two big
ones. TO restrain the youngsters TO a.
few squeals Of ecstacy as IL possible
even for little Indians at Christmas
dinner.
After the dinner come foot races
with prizes and ring games for the
wee ones. Then the big event of
the day. the rabbit hunt. All the
boys spread out over the desert in a
circle. stealthily they close in until
one spies a rabbit Then it Is pell-
nell, dash and scamper for the rab-
bit must be caught in the hands. II
Bre'r Bunny is run down, he forms
the piece de resistance of the even
ing supper.