potatoes. And another time when he had ridden the pony Bessie to drink
at the river, his younger brother came to the house with him. The two
are as devoted brothers as any that I know, and when I reached out Ben's
pay toward him, he motioned me to give it to Daniel instead. Very likely
it was shared afterward, but at least I thought it showed a generous
spirit of brotherly love.

Fourth of July and Christmas are great days here as well as among our
white friends in the East. This year I had the pleasure of attending two
Christmas-tree celebrations. The first was at our little church
Christmas evening. The house was full, some of the boys and young men
being obliged to sit on the edge of the little platform and on the
floor, and everybody seemed happy. The next evening I drove about six
miles, to the Oak Creek Station, to share in the festivities at Cross
Bear's house. There, too, they had a tree, and a Santa Claus dressed up
in a big, shaggy, fur coat, a very tall hat decorated with Indian
designs, and in his hand he carried a stout staff on which he leaned, as
if he felt the burden of many winters. He was just as funny as your
Santa Claus, as he stood bowing and bowing, and making his little
speech.

Indians like to have a good time all together, whether it is Fourth of
July, or Christmas, or a prayer-meeting, or a feast. And we are very
thankful that now they enjoy meeting in these ways, instead of having
the old-time heathen dances. We are thankful that when we speak of
Indians now, we do not mean a race of people who are only waiting for a
chance to scalp us. They are our friends, as we are theirs.

God has been revealed to them, and they are coming out of their heathen
darkness into His light, and they are learning how to live purer and