Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1873-06-07
The QUAKER InaIans u !, ebra.lsn.


The Quaker INDIANS sf nebraslkn.
BKETCHEs AT THE OMAHA -RHssERvArIoN-FEARso OF
rlOux H4ID - 1aE BLACK sNARY, MISSOURI
THE PLAGUE OF FtaEAssHoPPERb-AN INDIAN THA.
DER AND HIS FAMILY
lady resident of this city, now visiting the
Agency Of the Omaha Indians In Nebraska, sends
in private letter. some interesting particulars
OF the state OF affairs there The omahas, who
are one OF the most peaceful aud we'll disposed
of the Iudian Tribes seem really to be making
progress in that civilization OF their race which
many good people still patiently hope aud labor
for, in spite Of the present evaporation OF the
popular mind, They are learning the grand les
son OF industry and application, IN farming, in
carpenter-work, and somo p her indus
trial trades, and the children ,ho study in
their we'll conducted school learn with
a rapidity which is surpris as welt
AZ gratifying Their chief trouble lt present is
their apprehension Of an nv sion 4 the Sioux,
their deadly enemies, who are sho ng signs OF
restiveness and ill-feeling on their reservation
which is at no very great distance the Missouri
river. The lady writer hints that Ahe tlnds on
her own account, those apprebensionA a great
drawback TO her enjoyment OF the novelty and
beauty OF the widespread prairies about the
Agency.
"our stting-room, she writes. "has long win
dows opening to the floor, from winch on one
side, we can sec far over the rolling hills to the
WirnebagO Agency ten miles of On the other
the uifenced road, Wiudiug r. to en- Jloypae'
houses, tho school huuse With its beiIy, anu
the mud village, the winter reeldence of the
Omahas away over the bluffs to Decatur ten
miles down tho rivel. Among the bluffs Won
catch glimpse of Lake Tedana, ana uI the
muddy Missouri, which only reminds me OF
horrid lazy black snake l cannot bear that riv-
ef it il the ugliest Hdstiest stream that ever
dagTaCed a landscape, black with the soil which
it laps oil, half an acre at a time, from ono side
or the other, with ole Of it's great tongues swal-
lowing it and carrying ii away IN lis hnaky COURSE
When those Sioux launch their canoes on that
black water and come down here on'us with u
whoup, it will cap the climax.
Last night, as usual, there was thun Ter
storm during the night. You cannot imagine
how the wind raves over these treelerh prArles
at such times. 1t roars aud groans and hlsser
aud hoots ending with long sighs and a sound
like laughter. From the roof right above our
room, rises long Flagstaff bearing lightn,
ing rod, and about this pole the Spirits OF the
Wind hold their councils. Sometimes they
fight and come TO blows, and you hear their
bones era king as they give it to each other
right and left. Sometimes, as last night. while
this is going on. you hear II distinct whistle on
one eide far away-and then it is answered by
whistle ON the other side You say to yourself.
'rhe Sioux are hOrel" But nothing follows but
lulls the birds in great numbers begin to pipe
and sing, the air Is sweet and all nature reJolc-
es. You throw open the long windOws-deilcl-
ous What lovely morning In the haPpy day-
light your fears are gone aud You hit up
YOUR heart and praise God. Then comes
breakfast With nice hot cAkos, baked by Dena
the far-haired Norwegian girl, trily remarka-
bic help, who, besides her industrial achieve
ments, can sing the pretllest Norwegian songs,
it would do you good to hear
This afternoon, We went for a walk taking a
basket and knife to dig up roots of the luxurlant
and beautiful wild flowers But when we went
out of the front gate, lc the grasslioppers were
upon us. The plague OF graszhopperh that We
had heard of as being in Texas, but hoped not
to see so far north had come, and Was still COM
ing. They are a great cloud, drlkehlng the an
toward the south. Ihe air is full OF them you
never saw such sight. Grasahoppers TO right
of you, hoppnis to loft of you, hoppers in front
of YOU, evurywhere Their name is trllliOn.
We all grieve, for il they stay louB,
they will not leave green thing behind
them
trader, for some household matters He ia a
handsome, intelligent looking man, wlth an
Omaha wife, who speaks no English, and three
tne-looking half breed children, one very pretty
and with very rosy cheeks, who interpret lol
their mother A queer match Mr. Chase
showed us the war yestment OF Sioux chiel
which an enemy had taken, from whom the
trader bought it. II ID great curiosity he
values il ut forty dollars, handsome young
Omaha Indian who was in tho store pnt II on tt
show 1t. II went ON over the head and fell IRON
and back like priests vestment, but had ast
sleeves into which the arms are shipped
1t was ornAmented in the most elabor
ate manner, with porcupine quilts, o.
various colors but the part OF 1t WHICH mau'
me shudder was the human hair OF Varloui
shades A hundred OF more little bunehes seweI
all round the shoulders Fine long hsir, iohu
t00nlanS hair and Lthat OF squaws and men
was told they were taken from the heads
those he had killed aud soalped. May kind ProV
idence keep those Sionx on their own reserVa
ton.
- bought ten cents worth OF mintstick q
hand around to the squaws and children IN III
store. The handsome young man VINO trlsu o.
the coat got two sticks for being 20 GOOD looh
ing They all wear their hair tied up ou Inc
crown of the head made into Lice greasy la
plat, then coiled around like breast-pln, an
an eagles feather fastened there witch SLICK
straight up. Their ears are perforated above an
below and decorated with glass pendants, thre
in each hole which hang down aud make the ga
look like chandelier. In front OF the ears an
around the forehead they paint their races lee
A red blanket is always worn, With ono arm on
very graceful ornamental ;leggings and mocca
sins OF course. II lisa very becomlng costume
If were an artist l would made plenty, =,
sketches here" u. NJ