Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1868-09-11
Remarkable Death of an Indian
Princess.


following touching story:
"a few days since, Weu-ne-pe-wink-a,
(Pretty Bird daughter of Dandy, head
chief of the Winnebago nation, was at
the depot at La Crosse, accompanied by
her two fatherless children. While await
ing the arrival of the train, one of the
children got upon the track of the com
ing train as it was nearing the depot
Seeing its danger, the mother, regardless
of her own life, sprang forward and
snatched the child from the very jaws of
death. She threw the little one upon the
platform, but it was too late to save her.
SELF The rushing locomotive caught her
blanket and threw her upon the track.
The wheel caught her foot, ran over it,
crushing the bone to atoms, tearing off
the flesh, and making frightfnl wound.
The bone up to the knee was splintered.
Such an injury could not but be excru-
ciatingly painful, yet the Indian mother,
with wonderful nerve, drew her knife
from her belt, and cutting off the loosely
hanging flesh, washed the limb and
bound it up with her own hands, refusing
all assistance. Mr.. Moore says that not
a feature of her countenance denoted the
intense agony she must have suffered dur
ing the operation.
A physician of La Crosse, arriving at
the depot, and examining the injury
said that the foot must be taken OFT at
once to save the life of the woman, but
the Indian declared that it should not be
amputated, and asserted that she would
prefer death to being deprived of limb.
Modification began to spread rapidly in
the forenoon of the day, when she gave
up hope of recovery. Soon after, with
the most mournful cadence she COM
menced chanting her death-song. The
plaintive notes could be heard clearly by
the villagers below, and the news passed
rapidly from house to house that the
daughter of the Chief was dying. In
dians focked up the hill and filled her
wigwam. Her strength still remained
and she raised herself upon her elbow
She shook hands with all, kissed hel
children and her nurse, who had attend
ed her 50 faithfully. As modification
extended to her vitals, her last moments
were without pain. Whites and Indians
alike assisted in dressing her for burial
She was carefully washed, her hair comb
: ed smoothly back, fastened with a new
: beautiful wrought bead band He
cheeks were painted with vermillion.-
Silver bobs were put in her ears, and hel
neck hung heavily with new beads
Scarlet leggins, moccasins, blue petit
coat, red calico shirt and blanket, al
new and decorated, completed her "out
: fit and gave her fitting dress for he
: appearance in the Spirit Land. As sh
lay in state" many young Indian girl
| from the camps lifted the side of he
tent and threw in strings of beads an,
t wampum. A little sack of rice and tc
: bacco was placed by her head side.
/ Toward sunset she was put in flu
: length plain box and carried under
|, tree. The Indians gathered in q circle
r with their backs to the coffin. A 10
j chant was sung, when an old Indian ros
with folded hands and looked toward th
e heavens. He began a speech, and poin
s ing to the east, traced the different p,
z riods of her life, as illustrated by tn
d course of the sun through the sky. II
d closed with an earnest recital of tt
n brave and devoted acts that marked Il
o end of her life. After second chan
the coffin was carried to the summit
s. the hill on the opposite side of the Vi
lage. A grave had been dug few fe
h. from the burial place of the great Wi
N nebago orator, Wau-kon De-ko-ray, wi
was killed by the cars here four yea
el ago. After the corpse was lowere
"Dandy William, brother of the W
n, man, stepped across the grave, droppir
e, handful of tobacco on the coffin. T
he was followed by other Indians present.
he The 10 o'clock train from the Ea
ee brought the old chief Dandy, who HI
er been back to his camp on the Visions
,e- River on Sunday. He had heard
uz word of his daughters death. On lear
in ing the fact, the old chieftan smote
ad breast, and sent forth wall that seem
Of, to pierce the very vault of heaven.
re- Leaving the crowd that had gathered
his coming, he made his way, silen
and alone, up the winding path to
nd grave.
of
mt THAD STEVENS AND Mr.. LINCOLN