The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1876-12-15
:EBENsBURG, PA, FRIDAY. DECEMBER Is, 1876.
INDIIN ROM4NCE.
A TRUE STORY OF SPOTTED TAILS DAUGH
TER


A TRUE STORY OF SPOTTED TAILS DAUGH-
TER.
a gentleman writing from Fort Laramie,
Wyoming Territory, tells the following TO
mantle story about the daughter Of Spotted
Tail, the famous Sioux chief, which we do
not remember to have seen in print. lie
says:
Twenty yards from the new hospital. on
The hill overlooking Fort Laramie, are two
Indian graves e., coltins raised fifteen
feet from the ground, on stout poles One
Of these co!.ins contained the bones OF a
young daughter OF Spotted Tail, the famous
chief of the Sioux tribe, who died in 1854.
The tribe of Spotted Tail was at that
time permanently located near this fort,
and the chief and his family were treated
with much consideration by the officers
volunteers. The young squaw was one of
the fairest OF the dusky maideus of her
tribe. She was adored by her father, and
her hand sought by many of the warriors.
Unfortunately for her, the charms Of her
dusky face and figure were not passed un-
noticed by the pale faces, and certain gay
captain found opportunity TO whisper pleas
ant nonsense in her ears. Moonlight s5rolls
and wayside meetings we're soon 10 order,
and the flower of the Sioux began to sigh
for the company of the gallant pale face.
She made known her story of love to her
father, and he Immediately waited on the
young officer and demanded his hand in
marriage TO his daughter. The captain
name was not Smith, however, and he was
seemingly ignorant Of the precedent Of Po-
cohoutas, Tor be positively declined the
I honor.
The old clieftain, more in SORROW than
in anger, returned with the crushing news
to his daughter 1t was burning sun to
the ''fair flower of the Sioux. She dropped
and began to wither, and her father, as q
last resort, sent her to visit some relatives
! whose hunting grounds were on the father
of waters, five hundred miles away. Hers
was disease, however, which change of
scene and air did not affect, and She had
been gone bet a short time when mounted
messenger came 50 her father in brcatAless
haste to summon him to the wigwam Of
death. Mounting his swiftest pony, he
galloped madly over the plains, and then
! only reached his daughters side in time to
| receive her dying request that she should
/ be buried at Fort Laramie.
/ The promise was made and kept and
| the reIuairs Of the broken hearted girl were
raised to their last resting place amid one
! of the graudest displays ever Witnessed on
! the plains Indians and soldiers alike par
! ticipated, ard twenty Indian ponies were
| killed in her honor The commanding Off
Ger of the fort gave bis solemn promise to
the old chief that the box containing his
dauG hter's body should never be disturbed
"a promise which was sacredly observed
until two months ago, when meddiug
army surgeon, just before starting on an
expedition with General Crook, empticd
( the cofiu of its sacred contents, gave the
bones to subordinate, and ordered him
to expose them to ;he sun occasionally dur
1 ing the summer, to bleach them, and upon
his return he would refresh his anatomy
with the Indian skeleton.
Imagine tie feeling of the sub one day
not long since, upon being confronted by
another surgeon, and the query, tremulous
I
| ted Tails daughter. lie answered affirm
atively, and was further questioned about
the accompanying bedding, wrappings,
trinkets, etc. These had all been burned
except two rings and bracelets, and as Spot
ted Tail had just arrived for the purpose
of removing the remains to his own agen-
cy, it was feared that if the deSecratiou OF
the grave became known to him j. would
cause him to abandon his peaceful attitude
and join his brethren ON the Uar path.
Accordingly at dead Of night the box was
replaced, the bones deposited therein, such
bedding, tliuke5s, etc, as could be mus
tered accompanied them, and fortunately
next morning Spotted Tail left for Chey-
erue, to be gone five days. Daring his
absence, to cover the thing, handsome
coffin was made, the bones placed therein,
and ali removed to the hospital, as if to
save trouble to the chief. On his return he
visited the hospital, inspected the remains
closely, expressed himself satisfied, and
started with his precious burden for the
Spotted Tail reservation.
r.-t.. r ~ ~ Cor, ,-or, ITr,r TIoro