The Washington herald., 1917-02-10

You would be surprised to see the
variety of gifts that come to me from
all over the world Or course the COL
lection is subject to my own personal
Board of Censorship. That is not
my name for Mother. Jack gave 1t to
her for fun. and she never minded one
bit She Just smiled that little wise
smile of hers, and said one thing was
certain, we all needed that same
Board, and we agreed with her.
Anyway, one day I had a card from
the customs office about a parcel from
Canada that was held for duty.
was not expecting anything at all,
and was just on tiptoe with excite
ment, seeing everything from silver
fox pelts to walrus teeth.
Mother went down with me, and IN
never forget the opening of the box.
1t had come from the Athabasco Lake
region. and painted on the outside, be-
side the address it read
From Princess Red Feather.
Supply Post No. Is.
Circle Island,
Athabasca Lake,
Saskatchewan, Canada"
Wasn't that enough to make one
fairly tingle with excitement? I
leaned over mothers shoulder, expect
Ing to see anything almost that was
romantic and wonderful.
And wrapped in a sheet of rough
brown store paper, and again inside
we found a pair of "Mutlocks," l
think the Customs ofnclar called them.
high deerskin boots for an Indian girl
to wear, beautifully made, and orna-
mented. Under them I found a small
pair, of moccasins. of softest doeskin
painted and fringed. with dyed red
quills of some water bird laid on this
toes in a sort Of sunbrust pattern.
Then there was a letter slipped into
one of the boots. written in a child
like hand.
Dear Miss Pickford-
Il am little Indian girl, thirteen
years old, and have your picture
cut from a magazine our teacher had.
like the way your face looks, and
SO I am sending you boots and moe
casins. I wear the same kind. VIII
you send me the kind you wear,
please?
RED Feather"
Wasn't that perfectly dear? And
they just fit me, too, the prettiest,
oldest little footgear you can imagine.
put on the boots the first good snow
storm We had this winter, and made
Jack take me for a long tramp way
up along the Hudson towards River
dale
l wonder II she had as much fun outSof
the box 1 sent her in return, little pink
sa tin mules, and high-laced brown suede
street shoes. Just think of little Red
Feather trying them on the first time!
wonder IL they brought to her the thrill
Of the New York debutante, IL she felt
her first interest in this world down here,
and the girls who trip in such shoes.
When I put on her "mutlocks'' they
were like magical boots. Jack said
looked like "Puss'' with them on, and a
short fur-edged skirt, but / felt like all
the Indian maids who had ever trod the
SHOWS in the Aurora Borealis Land.
Isn't 1t queer how clothes affect US? I
know they do me. I don't care a bit for
rich fabrics or extremes of style. I'd
rather wear a Norfolk suit and tam
than anything else Just now, but do love
clothes that mean something. clothes that
make me feel am somebody else. And
that is why sent those pink satin mules.
Won't Red Feather have fun in them?
You've heard of exchanging photographs,
haven't You, and rings, and locks of hair,
but did you ever exchange shoes for
friendship? Does anybody know what the
meaning Of 1t Is when you get moccasins
and "mutlocks'' for a present?
Jack says 1t means
Keep moving" but he always did stick
pins In my soap bubbles.