The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-01-05

= For loss that doth enrich rs yet.
With upward yearnings Of regretl
Bfeaker than unmossed srone
Our lives were but for this immortal gain
OF justified longing and inspiring pain!
As thrills of long hushed tone
:. Live in the viol, SO our souls grow fine
With keen vibrations from the touch divine.
OF noble natures gone.
.-..z.: 49,. ~" -, '-'aTe' Russell 1o''sn
a.. ..-- g., ,. For the St: Cloud Journal.
AN INDIAN BURIAL IN MINNESOTA.
Preparing the Rohy-The Ceremonies
,ofBurial-Graphtc Details by an Eye
Witness.
: [EDlToR JouRNAL.-During short visit
made last summer to: Alexandria, q lady
friend residing there detailed to me the in
oldents attending an Indian burial which
she had witnessed q short time previous. 1t
was so very interesting that requested
her to write it for THE JOURNAL. She
partially promised 10 do so, but her
modesty and hesitancy to let her illusions
appear in print, prevented her from doing
so until reminded her Of her promise,
when she reluctantly complied. b.
One bright sunny day, in the early
part Of last spring, party Of Indians
belonging to band Of the Chippewa
tribe eucamped on the shores of Lake
Darling, a lovely body of water in our
immediate neighborhood. An event of
that kind being no unusual occurrence,
it attracted but little attention. On
the second evening after their arrival,
however, our quiet was disturbed by an
unusual outcry, coming from the lake,
in near proximity to the Indian on
campment. Hurriedly putting on
our hoods, and sbawls in company with
some Of our male friends, we FASTENED
to the scene of the cutlery, and there
found great commotion, both inside and
outside Of the "tepees." On making
inquiry of one of tho "braves" who was
seated m, the ground complacently
smoking his kinnikinio,e we learned
that one Of taeir young men had that
morning been treacherously slain by a
companion, who had thrown his. body
into the lake, and that it had just been
recovered, which was the cause of the
unusual noise we had heard. Wishing
to learn the particulars, (prompted no
doubt by our Yankee curiosity We
asked the cause of the murder, and
were told that there had been feud Of
long standing between the two Indians
that once on =. time they were both
suitors for the hand of a swarthy mai
den of the forest; that she showed no
particular preference for either when
they were present, but on certain oc.
casion she had received from one oil
them a piece Of red ribbon with which
she decorated her raven tresses. This
little act reused the jealousy OF thu
other, and while under the maddenine
influence of fre-watsr, which he had
been imbibing pretty freely, made 6
furious attack upon his rival. which
resulted in the loss of one of his eyes
and the otherwise marring Of his beaut,
| to such an extent that he lost the affec
tons Of the "forest maidsn," who 500,
after became the bride of his antagonis
and the occupant of his wigwam. Eve
since a bitter hatred had existed be
tween them, and at the time of th
murder they were, unfortunately, alou
together in canoe, engaged in fishing
The murdered Indian being unarmed
the other set upon him and stabbed
him, then threw The body overheard
and fled. During the entire night, al
ter the recovery Of the body, there wa
terrible bowling and waeling in th
camp. ... ..-. ...
Learning that the dead Indian wa
to'be buried the next day, we, in com
pany with others as curious as ourselves
went to the encampment for the pur
pose Of witnessing the ceremony. A
we arrived, a number of "squaws" wer
engaged in digging a shallow grave
AS soon as this task was completed the.
welcomed US, and then took us to tn
place where the oead bra7e lay il
state. A sort Of shelter of bark mat
ting was put up around him, and "
had only to raise portion Of it an
look in. The Indians all gathered
around Us, apparently much .grati6e,
with our attendance, and acting as
our curiosity and inspection onferre
an honor upon the deceased. The fac
Of the corpse was painted glazing red
| a yard Or two Of red ribbon were tie,
10 his hair ]; two new rcd blankets wer
wrapped artistically around him, and o
Ills breast lay a bright chip hat, orn1
mented With broad red band and q
eagles feather. Beside him lag b b
gun and ammunition pouch, knife
tomahawk, tobacco, pipe and matches
Ii one hand he held some .sshame-ap,
Or money, and near BY was : bircl
bark bucket filed with provisions Of
character that forcibly reminded us !
the witches decoction in Shakespeare
Macbeth So ~. 5...: 4 ~. ...:s Y
! '.Eye:ef n4xt Ind toe Of froe, -....,, :.
bet,as Angue Of dog, ; aas :,
Ad1srst fefh 40 bind -worm's sting,
nsssls e "a ssllst's xi1s.