Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-05-16
LOl THE POOR INDTAN--HOW An
INDIAN GETS HIS WIFE. KEEPS
HnEaE ETl

LOl THE POOR INDTAN--HOW An
INDIAN GETS HIS WIFE. KEEPs
HOUSE, ETC.
The Missouri Democrats correspondent
with Hancocks expedition, writing from
Fort Laramie, Kansas, says
We may shock the sensibilities Of ro-
mance-loyfng boys and girls by relating the
manner in which the dark eyed aboriginal
damsel il espoused. There have been
poems sung on the heavenly beauties OF
focahontas and Hiswatha, but we have
not seen an Indian girl yet that we could
compose an ode upon. The vOluptuous
form, olive features, ripe, red lips, delicate
feet, we'll formed ankles, lustrous, humid
eyes, wayy masses of raven hair, queenly
head and a swanlike neck, we have not
seen But we have seen a matter Of fact,
practical and most unpOetical Indian girl,
handling most dexteroualy the AK, cutting
wood for her liege lord supper, with coarse
black hair, low forehead, blazing coal black
eyes. nose inclined 10 be Cat, her face of a
dirty, greasy color a large mouth,
monstrous and fat feet, dwariish legs and
not over modestly dressed, and sometimes
carrying a staring, round eyed and grim
ming papoose, on whom she seemed to
scorn those little foolish maternal endear-
ments 40 natural 10 a mothers heart
When an Indian wishes a squaw 10
attend his lodge, cook his meals, and wait
upon him, hedoes not launch forth into lyri-
cal enthusiasm or feryid expressions OF love
nor does lac forget in his wooing mood the
existence Of 4 sky or the green woods about
him, but simply asks the prosaic question,
How much is she worthp The amount
being ascertaincd, if he has the means, be
lays il at the feet Of her father, and takes
her to his lodge. From that time she is
bis own, bought by his Own money and by
his own hand. Probably the manner in
which he has been raised accounts for the
methodical manner OF treating the fair seK.
When an infant he was looked upon seem
ingly as an useless incumbrance, by his
inexpensive mother but which stern
necessity compelled her not 10 entirely
abandon. This treatment is also the means
VI calling forth that Spartan stoioism,
courage, endurance, and hardihood for
which the North American savage Is cele-
brated.
The style and architecture Of a ''wigWam'
l. almost invariably the same, its size
varying from fifty 10 seventy-iiye feet in
circumference at the base, and in hight
from the base to the apex Of the tent about
yefeet abouttwent poles planted around
and meeting at the top, where they are tied
firmly with a covering Of tanned buffalo
robes. form The wigWam. The top is leitopen
10 represent a window, and Zap in the
side j. typical Of a door, by which the
Indian enters on all jottrs. In this unpar-
titioned lodge sleeps the Indian his wife
tor wives) and children, and frequently his
children's husbands and their wives. The
furniture IL quite in keeping with the
house Name the saucepan, camp ket-
tie, three or four spoons, of home man
ufacture, two or three wooden dishes, like
wise Of home manufacture, and you have as
thorough an inventory as any knight ofthe
hammer cOuld make. It's not by inadyer-
tence that the coffee roasting, grinding, and
boiling apparatus are absent from the list,
for the luxury Of 4 cup Of coffee is not
amongst the home comforts Of the poor
Indian" unless he has lately been in
government fort. Half a dozen buffalo
ropes are the only articles approaching bed
furniture which he possesses, the whole
forming an accumulation ofiilth and veTmiB.
Towels and soap are Of course unknown
Injuries, and his personal costume entirely
accords with his other domestic equipments,
his scanty and only covering being a
"breech-clout,' generally ragged and never
washed. OF course in winter the Indian
covers HE nskedness with a red blanket or
n buffalo robe, or an army Overcoat