Evening star., 1921-05-08

IF you glimpse through the gates
of the Dean estate you will see
/ little children romping in its
paths, on the porch of the old
mansion and under it's ancient trees.
And if you are lucky enough to meet
some young mother on her way in
with her baby, she will tell you that
the home is in charge of a caretaker
who has instructions to let little chill
dren play in the grounds, provided
the shrubbery is not defaced.
So they are having happy times up
in that green and beautiful place. and
the other day, as a peeping passerby
saw a dozen bits of girls and boys
playing ring-around a-rosy under the
mighty oak that guards the house, ii
gave her dramatic reminder of the
story the old tree could tell them Of the
first child that knew its primeval shade.
That was such a long time ago
that an Indian chief had his wigwam
near the tree-on top OF the hill
where he could keep watch on his
enemy tribe Of Anacostia- One time
he captured and killed a settler and
his half-grown son. but the wife and
baby were spared because of the ap-
peal made by the chiefs squaw. who
had no child of her own. The tribe
was willing she should keep the Ut-
tie one. but the wife was about to be
tomahawked when the squaw remind
ed the chief that the mother must
nurse the baby. So he relented so
far as to make this law:
las long as the white woman keeps
80 III t,4 hot
live. II she takes one step beyond
it, she dies"
So the mother remained a prisoner
under the oak while the squaw kept
the child in her wigwam. until it was
old enough to run free among the
tribe. And the years passed, with the
tree extending its shade line and the
chief growing older and older until
when the day came for him to die
he said to his people:
|; Tell the white woman she is free
P. S-Maybe it isn't a truly story
tree" in the Capitol grounds is not a
living monument to a man who will
never die-seeing it was planted by
some one else. Still: The old oak has
come down the century along with
trict. and we have Fenimore Coopers
word for it that there's never any
telling what an Indian will do-and
besides, a good story is better than
a bad one any day in the year!
- +
|IIyHEN Music, heavenly maid, was
w young. she probably never ex.
cial week-over in Washington. but
you know how it is: When Columbia
calls. everybody comes a-running!
Also it is doubtlessly just as sur.
prising to the average citizen to learr
that Euterpe has been invited to dc
lAmericanization work in behalf Of ouI
aliens-to quote the statement OF q
lady to a plain, everyday soul-bott
| lice-creaming in a cafe:
"As l tell Tom. he and the children
have got to put up with what the5
can get their ownselves, because
won't have no time to bother ovel
| cOOkin' while music week is goin' on
| I'll be too busy teachin' aliens how t
| sing"
| This was obviously surprisin' infor
| nation to the other woman, for sht
| wedged in an inquiry as to how arr
you goin' to teach anybody else t.
| sing when you don't know how to sins
| your own self" The interruption a:
| obviously carried sting. but th'
| lady made no sign other than tn,
| dash of vinegar with which she sea
| sOned her explanations:
| III you was more patriotic instead
| of bindin' yourself down to your owl
folks you would know what Ameri
! canization means. These foreigner
have got to learn how to sing tn,
| national anthem"
| 81 bet you a nickel you don't know
it yourself i know l don't, except th'
| first line
'IDU dont know what | know. a!