The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-08-18
Indian Marines.
BY MRS. EASTMAN.

ing one. The latter answers to our runa-
way matches, and in some respects the
former is the ditto of one conducted as it
ought to be among ourselves. So after
all, | suppose Indian marriages are much
like white peoples.
But among the Dahcotahs it is an un-
derstood thing that, when young people
run away, they are to be forgiven at any
time they choose to return if it should be
the next day or six months afterwards
This saves world of trouble. 1t pre-
vents the necessity of the father looking
daggers at the son-in-law, and then loving
him violently; the mother is spared the
trial Of telling her daughter that she for.
gives her, though she has broken her heart;
and what is still better, there is not the
slightest occasion whatever for the bride to
say she is wretched for having done what
she certainly would do over again to NOR
row were it undone.
So that it is easy to understand why the
Dahcotahs have the advantage of us in
runaway matches, or, as they say, in steal
ing wife," for it is the same thing, only
more honestly stated
When young man is unable to pur-
chase the girl he loves best, or if her pa
rents are unwilling she should marry him,
if he has gained the heart of the maiden
he is safe. They appoint time and
place to meet; take whatever will be ne.
cessary for their journey, that is, the man
takes his gun, and powder and shot, and
the girl her knife and wooden bowl to eat
out of, and these she intends to hide un-
der her blanket. Sometimes they 90 to
the next village and return the fext day
But if they fancy bridal tour, away
they 20 several hundred miles, with the
grass for their pillow, and the canopy of
heaven for their curtain, and the bright
stars to light and watch over them. When
they return home. the bride goes at once
to chopping wood and the groom to smok-
ing, without the least show or parade.
Sometimes a young girl dare not run
away, for she has miserly father or moth
er who does not like her lover because he
had not enough to give them for her; and
she knows they will persocute her, and
perhaps shoot her husband But this does
not happen often. Just as, once in hun
dred years in Christian land. if girl
will runaway with a young man and her
parents run after her, and in spite of reli-
gion and common sense, bring her back,
have her divorced, and then in either case,
the parties must as matter of course be
miserable.
| But the marriage that we are about to
witness, is "marriage in high life" among
the Dahcotahs, and the bride is regularly
bought, as often occurs with us.
"Walking Wind' is not pretty; even the
Dahcotahs, who are far from being con-
noisseurs in beauty do not consider her
pretty. She is, however, tall and well
made, and her feet and hands las is the
case with the Dahcotah women) are small
She has quantity of jet black hair, that
she brads with great deal of care. Her
eyes are very black, but small, and her
dark complexion is relieved by more red
than is usually seen in the cheeks of the
daughters of her race. Herteeth are very
fine as every body knows, for she is always
laughing, and her laugh is perfect music.
Then Walking Wind is, generally speak
ing so good tempered. She was never
known to be angry but once; when Harp
stenah told her she was in love with he
"War Club" she threw the girl down and
tore half the hair out OF her head. What
made it seem very strange was, that she
was over head and ears in love with '.The
War Club" at that very time, but she did
not choose anybody should know it.
War Club was hirt-yes, male CO.
quette-and he had broken the hearts of
half the girls in the band Besides being
hirt, he was fop. He would plat his
hair and put vermillion on his cheeks; and,
after seeing that his leggins were properly
arranged, he would put the war eagle teath-
ers in his head, and folding his blanket
round him. would walk about the village;
or attitudinize with all the airs of Broad
way dandy. War Club was great war
rior, too, for on his blanket was marked
the Red Hand, which showed he had xii
led his worst enemy,-for it was his faith
er's enemy, and he had hung the scalp up
at his fathers grave.
"No, one, then, could for a moment
doubt the pretensions of War Club, or that
all the girls of the village should fall in
love with him: and he, like downright
firt, was naturally very cold and cruel to
the poor creatures who loved him so much.
| Walking Wind, besides possessing ma
ny other accomplishments, such as tam
ming deer-skin, making moccasins, ETC.,
was capital shot. On one occasion
when the young warriors were shooting at
a mark, Walking Wind was pronounced
the best shot among them, and the War
Club was quite subdued. He could bear
every thing else; but when Walking Wind
beat him shooting-why, the point was
settled; hemust fall in love with her, and,
as natural consequence, marry her.
Walking Wind was not SO easily won.
She had been torlnented so long herself
that she was in duty bound to pay back in
the same coin, 1t was Duncan Grey