The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-06-01
An Hour with the Indian Boys.

It was away out west; and it was
lovely day in early spring, that in stroll
ing through a grove I heard not far from
me the words, "Qut-te ne-sha. noch-
ali, nOr-wah, po-ta-nah," etc., being
pronounced in slow, methodical man.
ner. I was sufficiently acquainted with
the vernacular of the Indians about us
to know that there was counting going
on.
I listened moment longer, and an
other voice took up the words, "Qut-
tee, ne-sha "a pause. He had evidently
failed in something, for there was an ex-
ultant yell, and another voice commenced
repeating the numbers, while / walked
on toward the spot from whence the
voices proceeded.
I soon came upon four Indian boys,
who were engaged in playing the game
of ''Iellen Iez1ens, which signifies Ten
Tens. They did not seem to object in
the least to my company; on the con-
trary, they by signs and gesticulations
made me understand that they would
like to have me join them in the game.
I, fortunately for myself, refused, but
sat down, however, to watch them.
A boy of about twelve years had in
his hands tail of a deer, with a string
of six inches or SO in length tied to one
end, and on this string were two wooden
cups of about an inch and half IN di-
ameter. He would throw this in the air,
and, as it descended, would endeavor to
catch it by thrusting slender, pointed
stick, which he held in his hand, into
one of the cups. They were very expert,
one boy catching it twenty times before
missing.
They threw very rapidly, counting as
they caught it, which accounted for the
"Qut-tee ne-sha, noch-ah," and so on,
which [ had heard, and which signifies
one, two, three, etc.
One hundred was the game, and the
fortunate one who first reached that num-
Der was the winner, and had the priv
lege of imposing a penalty on each OF
the others.
The game was soon finished, and Wa
ge-o-sa, who was the successful boy,
stepped out with great loftiness of man
ner to fulfill the duties of his high Office.
The other three stood before him with
their arms folded, heroically awaiting
their sentence.
With majestic movement of the hand
the winner of the game motioned to one
of the boys to step forward.
He did so, and as he had only reached
ninety in the game, and thus lacked ten
of the required number, he was obliged
to submit to ten hard pinches from the
fingers OF Wa-ge-o-sa. The pinches were
bestowed on the feshy part of the arm,
between the elbow and shoulder, and
each was given with force and ven
geance that would have brought tears
and groans from white boy but the
little Indian stood like statue, not fnov-
ing a muscle during the whole perform
ance. He then stepped back to his
place, and a little fellow, not more than
eight years of age, came forward.
Stoically he stood, and, without even
cringing, allowed Wa-ge-o-sa to thrust a
pin twenty times into his tender flesh.
Great drops of blood would follow the
withdrawal of the pin each time and
Wa-ge-o-sa on seeing this uttered grunts
of satisfaction, and his black eyes
twinkled with triumph.
Next, walking with firm tread, as if
he was measuring off so many feet Of
land, came forward Mee-cah. Poor
little Mee-cah He had only reached
fifty out of the 100.
AS we looked upon him we hoped his
penalty would be light one, for we
would not like to see him receive such
a number of pinches or to have him
pricked fifty times with pin.
Wa-ge-o considered for a moment
before pronouncing his sentence, which
was to have fifty hairs pulled from his
head.
Mee-cah stood with folded arms, as
streight as an arrow, his blight eyes
gazing into the far distance, while Wa
ge-o-sa, as he pulled the hairs. called
out, "Qut-tee, ne-sha, noch-ah," etc.,
until the fifty hairs were disposed of.
The game was now ended, and thank
full was I that I had not joined them, fol
I am confident that should have failed
each time IN catching the cups, and
am sure that I could not have undergone
the penalty of failure without uttering
groans that would have subjected me tc
the derision and contempt of each OF
these boys.
I had some beads with me, which ]
wished to divide up among the little
fellows. We were busily intent in get.
ting each of the four piles of equal size,
when we noticed a fifth boy approach
ing. He walked rather hesitatingly to
ward the group, and stopped when with
in about six feet of us; then with stick
which he carried in his hand he drew a
straight mark on the ground before him,
when, folding his arms, ne stood still,
with his eyes fixed with questioning
look upon the other boys, who, rising
to their feet, retreated to the back
ground, where they commenced low
jabbering among themselves, the new
conner, with all the dignity of chief
tain, meanwhile retaining his position.
After quite lengthy discussion the
boys advanced, and Wage o-sa, with the