Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-12-24

her gratitude for the memories of the old
home days.
The Indians. to whom the whites had
long been objects of interest and curiosity,
came as close rs was permissible TO the
church and listened with reverence and
awe to the sweet-voiced girl as she in
toned her gratitude M 4 thanksgiving to
the Christ whom they first time had
! heard Of, and whom for the first time in
their lives felt a thrill at the assuring faint
recognition of aDcity II WAS IN impressive
scene. Everyone who took part IN that
Sunday Christmas service probably felt
tho dual solemnity Of the OCCASION, aud
everyone who drank in that intoned praise
10 God on high, forgot for the moment
that he was participant in tho services
and stood silent nnd in trance under tho
spell of the inspired melody that poured
from the girlish throat.
1t was ts+s song that held together the
little band Of Pilgrims, that restored their
hope and reanirpated their purpose, for it
brought into the meeting that mysterious
atmosphere which unfailingly marks the
ncarness OF God. The red men omitted
their race old custom of approval. the
anprcclatve gr1int. and seemed To bow
tittii ftti@ III fEftlCAtt Ht4OfhlitJfi II
Deity to them unknown, hut who comes
INTO all manConsclousncss Mt such times
So, in fact, the gloom of that first Christ
mas day WAS turned into jov. happiness,
and, indeed, II was memprahe for many.
many years. 50 long rs n soul Of that little
gathering renamed 10 recall how the voice
o. one young woman. plrl Of 10 in truth,
had pushed back the clouds and let in the
glorious Christmas sun Of the new and
untrIed world. and had given the Indians
their first peer into future world that
they had never even heard Of before
Flna Stidham became the central
figure Of the Christina colony As the
DAYS and months advanced she took more
and more part in the affairs az the people
and the church She was the most be-
loved, the prettiest and the most useful OF
all the women Of the little community.
She became the closest friend and conf
dante of the Indians and enioved 10 the
full their condolences, given sparingly at
first, but eventually offered without
reserve. The ssvages loved the beautiful
pale faced papoose, rs they may have called
here and came to her with all Of their
little JOYS and to seek her solace when
mist cloudcd their happiness She rsed
to regard the red babies as her children
brought 10 see the new red papoose or the
infant, often not more than week old or
younger was brought within the stockade
for the white sister to admire. as she be-
spoke with her eyes her love fer the
mother IS we'll rs for the little one.
Elma Stidham. who gave the red people
their first glimpse of Deity, spent many
MANY hours explaining 10 them that we
all are children Of one father, be we red or
white or whatsoever color, and that God
is everyW here at all times and that he
loves ard protects All of Ills people who
seek Him aud follow his commandments
FIrna etidharn. too. ssved the colony
from attael, by the Indians who had mis-
understood some action of the settlers
who had uIwlttnely taken some fish from
their weirs 1t vas decided by the chefs
ot tie trlae that whatever happened IN
this renrlsal 10 Others 40 IniaY must
befail the white papoose, and IN their
soi4cltt,de for their spiritual teacher and
guide they disclosed their purpose of re-
xengc on hcr friends and through this in
formation she was atl.' To seek out the
great chiet and the matter was thus adj
il shd without LlocdSh,d Through thus
gent Il mis- ionary. the Indians came 10 4
Dttis t.tti4i Af4ftlf4iE II tit WHITES anu
except now aud then st long interval did
these aborIgines Who baa been INT aught
in the haiits al restraint. make
any demonstrations Of unfriendiness
80 Elma Stidham was the life and savior
Of the SWee dish colony, and II Is doubtful
I any other one Of her sex Tor women
n those days were TO be mute and remain
al Ia the background. they served and
were driven, but did not iead-cyer had
50 much influence N any of the early
colonies that left their homes IN the old
world To serve as missionaries III the spread
Of Christianity and to advance the cause
OF civilization IN this nov land
Let it be not understood that Elma
Stidham was left to spend her days IN
single blcs5edness. On the contrary, she
was the most courted OF all the women
Of the Christina Colony She was merry;
she WAS pretty, sympathetic and had n
lar larger share oi In spirit Of comradie
than was common among the girls OF three
centuries ago. 1t can be truthfully chroni-
cled that out Of the eligible men of the
community she had her pick, and, rs is
unfortunately not always the case, she
chose wisely and well
Olof Derrlckson was the strongest,
tallest and best all-round man of Chris
tiana lie was without fear schooled IN
humility Of the kind that bespeaks
breadth or bigness Of vision-he was in
truth leader lie titled the soil or sailed
his boat on the Delaware or its tribu-
taries and fished for the community pick
ling tub wherein the winters supply was
packed. lie hunted and bagged enough
deer and turkey and such other game to
keep the table well served ut al times in
the year.