Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-05-18
MEMPHIS TENN: FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 49, 1871

ing Grow rushes in, beats off the
enemy and saves his friend. The
breathless spectators look on as the
pantomime, true to life, proceeds.
1t is not easy to represent wildly
IN writing what the savage portray
ed so artistically in dumb show.
He went through the motions of
creeping in upon the enemy's herd,
seizing one of their animals, mount
ing it and driving off number
But the sound Of the war whoop
tells him his escape is not to be
easy. He casts a hasty look behind,
only to see the enemy hot upon his
track. Vainly he plies the whip,
yalnly he urges onward his flying
beast. 1t is a race for life, but the
goal, death, shall soon be reached.
The enemy have surrounded him,
he fights with desperation, but in
vain. He falls, overcome by wounds,
and swoons away; the feelings of
the excited spectators are by this
time wrought up to the highest
pitch, and when the deliverer, in
the person of the "Charging Crow"
makes bold rush into the midst
OF the enemy and puts them to
flight their enthusiasm finds vent
in prolonged howls and ululation.
Charging Crow leads Black Bird
to his place in the circle, while the
chorus resumes its well meant but
poorly managed efforts in music,
aided by the pounding of drums
and shaking of rattles, which to the
Indian mind is melody more har-
moniouS than the symphonies of
Beethoven.
CHARITY.
Old women step into the ring
and spread upon the ground blank
cts and pieces of calico for the use
Of the poor and infrm, who can
come in and help themselves. The
generosity of Indians to each other
upon all occasions of festivity is a
pleasing feature which lights up
the generally saturnine aspect of
character ascribed to them. The
Omaha dance" is quite long, last
ing three, and even four hours. 1t
attracts immense crowds of women
and children, not seldom number
ing thousands. Indeed, the swarm
Of youngsters in an Indian village
is only equaled by the pack of ours
of low degree which assail the pc.
destrian, peaceably passing along
the village street. 1t is some conso
lation to know that the Indians eat
the ugly little brutes (the dogs, not
the children), and that when any
unusual event is to be commemo-
rated a dozen or so of NANCY pups
are strangled and cast into the melt
ing pot.
TIE "sQUAW DANCE"
Another dance given during the
past week is called the "squaw
Dance" none but women being al
lowed to participate. This is re-
markable for nothing except the
beautiful dresses worn by the
dancers. These are long gowns,
reaching from the neck to the feet
and literally encrusted with beads.
From the collar to The waist the
beads form a solid coat of mail; the
sleeves, likewise, are studded with
the tiny crystals, while the skirt
and waist are prolusely ornamented.
These dresses are very pretty in
themselves and becoming to their
wearers. One privilege the squaws
have in this dance is to choose part
ners from the male bystanders ; the
handsome8t only are supposed to
be selected. Your special had
very narrow escape; an old squaw
pOndered in doubt for a long while,
but finally walked off with a cross
eyed man just in from the Black
Hills.
The third dance given this week
was by the Cheyennes alone. They
call it the "spoon" dance. 1t
varies slightly from the OMAHA"
principally in having a more liberal
allowance of rattle and bass drum.
The dresses used were nearly all of
red cloth, which they borrowed
from the Stony