red coyly in the summer breeze.

NEYKIA'S WEDDING

At ten o'clock, on the morning of Neykia's wedding, a motley mass of
natives clothed in many colours crowded about the little church, which,
for lack of space, they could not enter. Presently the crowd surged
back from the door and formed on either side of the path, leaving an
opening down the centre. A tall half-breed with a shock of wavy black
hair stepped from the doorway, raised his violin, and adjusting it into
position, struck up a lively tune to the accompaniment of the wailing
of a broken concertina played by another half-breed who preceded the
newly married couple. Neykia wore a silk handkerchief over her head, a
light-coloured cotton waist open at the throat, a silk sash over one
shoulder, and a short skirt revealing beaded leggings and moccasins.
Behind the bride and groom walked Oo-koo-hoo and the fathers of the
bridal couple, then the mothers and the rest of the relations, while
the clergy and the other guests brought up the rear. As the little
procession moved along, the men, lined up on either side of the path,
crossed their guns over the heads of the wedding party, and discharged
a _feu de joie_.

On reaching a certain log-house the procession broke up. The older
people went in to partake of the wedding breakfast, while the bride and
groom went over to one of the warehouses and amused themselves dancing
with their young friends until they were summoned to the second table
of the marriage feast. Everybody at the Post had contributed something
toward either the feast or the dance. Out of respect for Oo-koo-hoo
the Factor had furnished a liberal stock of groceries and had, in
addition, granted the free use of the buildings. The clerk had sent in
a quantity of candies and tobacco. The priest had given potatoes; the
clergyman had supplied a copy of the Bible in syllabic characters; and
the minister had given the silver-plated wedding ring. The nuns had
presented a supply of skim-milk and butter. Mr. Spear provided jam,
pickles, and coal-oil for the lamps. The Mounted Police contributed
two dollars to pay for the "band"--the fiddle and the concertina--and
ammunition enough for the _feu de joie_. The friends and relations had
given a plentiful store of fresh, dried, and pounded fish; and had also
furnished a lavish supply of moose, caribou, and bear meat; as well as
dainty bits of beaver, lynx, muskrat, and skunk.

The bridal party having din