The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-07-26
FROM THE SlSSETON AGENCY.

Grand INDIAN CELEBcA I10y
Below we give extracts from a letter
from Mrs. Cllas. Newton to her moth
er, Mrs. J. G. Clark:
We have had a great time here this
week over the Nations birthday. The
Indians began to gather i'll as early as
the Saturday before: We could see
them down the coteaux or over the
flats, Oh pony back, with OK teams or
on foot, wrapped in their blankets lin
Ju]y.) Sometimes the tepee poles are
lashed to the pony's back, the smaller
children ride on them, the squaw leads
the pony, and the Indian marches a.
long III care-free dignity. On the 4th
there was a horse back display. There
was a mock battle, Il village captured,
prisoners scalped and dragged off and
the Victor's return and all accompan-
led with the most unearth1y yells and
wlloops. In the afternoon we went
down to see the Indian game of ball,
Lacrosse, and the feast. The ball play
ers were dressed in every variety of cos
tune. Some braves We're suitably at
tired in shirts only. Their swift run
ming and their wonderfully agile and
dextrous movements were fascinating
to watch, to say nothing Of the fantis-
tic dressing.
Out at one side, number Of fires
were made on the ground. Around
one a number Of women were mixing
bread on boards and frying it III bony-
handled skillets over the fire. It CAME
out i'll round cakes, an inch thick. nice
ly Drowned, which were piled up until
wanted OIL the ground. If L had been
re'y hungry, l could have eaten some
of it, but the beef! 1t was cut up in
chunks us large as mans fist, half
roasted OH splits and thrOWIrdoWn in Il
pile on the ground. AS fast as done, a
circle of small boys kept away the dogs
but not the flies. When all was ready,
the agent gathered tile chiefs in a small
circle, the other Indians and boys in Il
large outer circle, and the women and
girls still outside of that. The loaves
of bread were then strung on poles and
carried around and the pieces of beef
thrown around promiscuously. Then
the ''shupaa," or soup made of intes-
tines was carried around in pals and
served out in cups. There were 200,
by actual count, that partook of the
feast. After tile feas.., they were ad,
dressed by David Great Cloud. a native
preacher, and 10y Two Stars. was too
tired to stay to hear them and went
over for Il farewell visit with Mrs,
Hamilton.
The next day q party Of Chippewas
arrived to make 4 visit. They were
without passes from their agent and
had no business here. The Sioux went
out to meet them and escorted them in
to the Agency in military style. We
watched them 1.-TWO miles away from
our upper windows, when they were all
mounted a:ll.ttilred or more, Sioux and
all, they SPREAD thei banners and
started off ma body with the widest
wloops and swept along like the wind.
Some detac',edJ horsemen were coll
tinually galloph,g around them in a
circle until they drew up before the A.
gents office. Acting Agent Lynn told
the Sioux Chiefs that they might tell
them to camp and rest and visit until
8 O'Clock I'M the morning and then they
must 60, but they did not get away UNI
til nearly shutdown Friday.
sat sewing by the window when 1
noticed an unusual stir among the
groups Of tepees clustered around the
Agency, and saw them gathering IN
cattle, galloping about OH ponies, yok-
ing up. oxen, and i'll two hours time
there were but three or four .tepees left
and they were all gone. The Chippe-
was took up their line Of march along
the road leading past here, so we had 4
good view of them. Every night they
had a dance which lasted all light long,
and the big drum, and the yells and
hoots and shouts, could he heard: here
very distinctly. [ must confess that
my nerves became so overt;.xed that I
was about crazy before they were: done.
One such night in a lifetime is enough,
This is their gala time, their one grand
holiday in: all the year. I doubt it
many carried any of their rations home
from the issue: would like to tell
you Of tile many amusing incidents.
gathered up, but l cannot write all.
Soyou see if you had been able to come
up here to spend the 4th sou would
haye seen sight worth coming a long
distance to: see. WhilcI think Of it,
let me say that there are 1900 Indians
| n