The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-18


everybody what has a good will has to
give present. / have much good will TO
my teacher and l got to have money to
~ one present; Pies send me some
when | get big boy and come back home
70 Apache country l tell you and all old
Indians about Christmas, and then every
body have good viii and give presents to.
Your loving son,
LOUIE 1KoCHE.
MORE than two weeks ago tn. letter had
AVA been mailed to the old Indian father,
way out on the Apache reservation. One Of
the big boys had helped him to write It.
Every day little Louie had asked his cap
tain. rs one letter for mel" Every day tn.
answer had been, No" The DAYS were
30 long just waiting and watching for the
letter. There had been many times before
Wnen he had wanted money for gum and
candy, but to really need it. as he did now.
vas something new to him. The little fellow
fairly ached for 1t, and as Christmas drew
nearer and nearer the longing became .
positive hunger
The child had entered the government
school during the early spring, 30 that this
was his FIRST knowledge Of Christmas. II was
a very wonderful thing and the air Of mys-
terry that hung over the entire school, the
confidential showing Of presents. the stories
In Sunday school and almost every day in
class about the little Christ child, and about
Santa Claus. and hanging up stockings, and
good will to men, and giving things to each
other to show that loving spirit, and the star
OF Bethlehem, and the RENDERS and the
sleigh, and the wise men from the East and
the chimney, were all In one big but verJ
much confused picture. But with all the
confusion shone out, clear and distinct, on.
thousht-thst If you had good will to any
one you must be sure to give that person
q present.
Miss Brown, the teacher Of the little second
graders, was much beloved, and many were
the gifts that were being hidden away in the
most secret places Of the mattresses, in the
little nook just at the head and foot Of the
wire springs. in the lockers and down undss
the floor of the playhouse. to be given Ia
her on that night when all should be revealed
Christmas Eve.
Almost all the little second graders had
some present to give Miss Brown, except
little Louie, and he-why, he loved her more
than all the other little Apaches In the school.
Yes. even more than all the Apaches and
Sioux and Pawnees and Cheyennes com
bined. He had nothing to give this lady OF
his heart. unless the letter came from his
father, with the money, for which he had
20 far looked in vain.
If he had had any other teacher In the
school but Miss Brown it would not have
seemed so bad not to have token Of love to
give her. She was not only his dearly BE-
loved teacher. but she had been his only
friend on that dreadful first day at school.
1t was not until after he had arrived ut
the dormitory building, and the other Apache
boys, who had come to school with him,
had disappeared, and the strange whit.
woman had led him into room that was
all shiny white and had many white things
in it that flowed with water, some hot and
some cold. that he had become really frfeht-
ened. He was trembling from head to foot
when the matron stripped of Ills cotton
shirt and trousers and plunged him into a
tub of warm water He set his teeth together
to keep from crying out as she scrubbed
him with a brush and something that made
him all white and foamy, like the river in
the spring, when its waters were high and
rushing.
"nb SUN coat ana trousers, the starched
l. collar Of his shirt. the many garments. tn.
hard government shoes. were a veritable pun
ishment suit to the little savage child who
had worn almost no clothing in all his .bor,
life. Shaken with nervous terror, he had
uttered one long scream when the matron
placed her hand under his long hair and had
lifted toward him the glittering thing that
opened and shut like a cruel mouth. On.
wild leap and he was out Of the door.
painting, running, stumbling along In III.
unsccustomed shoes until finally he trimmed
and fell, blind with tears and terror, on the
brick walk.
He could not understand the strange Enx-
hsh words, but he did understand the sooth-
Ing tones as some one lifted him up SAYING
There, there, there! Don't be frightened
Don't cry, little baby boy" He could not
comprehend the language, but he understood
the mother voice, alike in all countries and
tongues. He understood the arms around
him as Miss Brown sat down on the grass
and took his poor. tired. quirering littl.
body on her lap. Ever since that day she
had been friend and mother and father and
home to him. She was his rock Of refuge
In a truly weary land, where children went
to school and work classes every day. In
stead Of playing games with the soft desert
sand.
She had soothed him and petted him and
then had led him back to the matron. She
had sat down in the high chair and the
matron had clipped of one OF her bright
locks to show him that it did not hurt. She
had stood by his side while his thick black
hair had fallen in a shower, and from that
day Of terror and misery Louie had lavished
on Miss Brown all the love of his starved
baby heart.
Christmas came ON Tuesday and IL Mas