Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-09-29
Wife Usage among rrappss and Indian,

II 4 ~ III T.
Beckwourth, Scout and Pioneer reesnt,r .
| lished by the Harpersl pun
Alter residence among them Of few davs
had slight difficulty Ia my family as,ir.
party OF Indians came into camp one dav
bringing with them three white mems soalr..
The sight OF them made my blood boil with
rage but there was no help for Il, 20 deter
mined to walt with patience my day Of re-
| Venge In accordance with their custom A
scalp dance was held, at which there was
much additional rejoicing.
,, ny Hno came to me with the information
lnat her people were rejoicing, and that she
"Shed 70 loin them In the dance.
trephed, No, these scslps belonged to my
people my heart is crying for their death
Sou @ nus nus. no. rejoice when my heart cries
you must not dance when mourn.n
she then went out, as I sunposea sat;ssa Al
NY Two white friends, having a great curiositv
10 witness the performance, were looking out
upon the scene. / reproved them for Whine
70 witness the savage rejoicings over the fsIl
ot Willie men who had belonged To our own
company.
the best dancer Of the whole party; she ont
dances them all''
This was a sting which pierced my very
heart Taking my battle-axe, and forcing
myself into the ring, I watched my opportu.
nity, and struck my disobedient wife heavy
blow on the head with the side Of my battle
axe, which dropped her as If ball had
pierced her heart.
dragged her through the crowd and left
her, and went back to my tent
This act was performed in such bold man.
ner, under the very nose of hundreds Of them,
that they were thunderstruck, and for A me.
ment remained motionless. When entered
the tent said to my companions, oThere.
now, you had better be prepared to hold on 10
N 60 al Snw- l.
terest IN celebration over those of your mur-
dered brethren Their countenances turned
ashy pale, expecting instant death.
by this time the whole Indian canp was In
a blaze. "Kiil him kill him burn him
burn him !" was shouted through the camp in
their own language, which plainly under
stood. was collected, for knew they could
kill me but once.
Soon / heard the voice Of my father in-lav
crying, in tone that sounded above all,
:, Sop! hold hold! warriors, listen to your
chief
All was hushed in an instant, and be oop-
tinled: Warriors! / sn tie loser Of a
daughter. and her brother, have lost a sister
you have lost nothing. She was the wife Of
the trader; gave her to him. When your
wives dIsobey your commands. you kill them;
that is your right That thing disobeyed her
husband he told her not to dance; she dis
obeyed him; she had no ears-he killed her.
and he did rightn .
As-as-to next came to my camp and said,
= NJ son, YOU have done right; that woman
gave yOu had no sense be ears were stopped
up; she would not hearken TO you, and You
had right 20 kill her But have another
daughter, who is younger than she was She
Is more beautiful, she has good sense and
good ears. You may hsve her in the place Of
the bad one-she will hearken to all you say
to her.
Well, thought l, this is getting mar
ried again before have had time to mourn"
But replied, "Very well, my father, L
will accept Of your kind ufer," well knowing
that TO refuse him would be 10 offend, as be
would suppose that disdained bis generosity
My second wife was brought 10 me. Ifound
her, as her father had represented, far more
Intelligent and far prettier than her sister, and
was really proud Of the change. now poE-
se'sed one that many a warrior had performed
deeds OF bloody valOr to obtain, for it is high
honor to get the daughter Of a great chief 60
wife, and many a warrior has sacrificed his
life In seeking 10 attain such a prize.
During the night, while / and my wife
ware quietly reposlng, some person crawlsd In
our couch, sObbing most bitterly. Angry at
the intrusion, asked who was there.
Me-" answered a voice, which, although
we'll nigh stihed with sobs, l recognised as that
of my other wife, whom every one had sup
posed dead After lying outside the lodge
senseless for some hours, she had recovered
and CROPPED her way to my bed.
$50 away" / said, you have no business
here; have new wife now, one who has
sense
Il will not 60 away" she replied, "uy
ears are open now. / was a fool not TO hearksn
70 my husband s words, when bis heart vas
crying, but now have good sense, and will
always hearken to your words"
Ii did really seem as il her heart was
broken. and she kept her position till morning.
L thought myself now weTlsupplied with wives
having two more than / cared TO have; but I
deemed it hardly worth while TO complain. a.
L should very soon leave the camp, wives and
all