The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-04-23


hand, can make very good shoe for the
foot that does away with all fear of corns
or bunions. An Indian shoe is called
moccasin, and is made 10 tit the foot and
not tine foot to fit, as is the case very
often with ourselves and boots
Moccasins are made by the squaws
md old men. The sole is first cut out Of
green hide, and then the uppers are cut
from buck antelope or elk skin, tanned
very soft and smooth. Deerskin is best
when the shoe is to be ornamented with
beads, and the top is always worked be-
fore it is secured to the sole.
The uppers are sewed to the soles with
strong thread made of sinew, and
sometimes double sole is used TO pro-
tect the thread. To the sides and back
part flaps or ears are sewed, which come
well up on the ankles, and are tied with
strings. Often these flaps cover the
leg, and are tied ut the top by two long
strings, in the same way that u woman
ties her apron.
This is done when the moccasin is
made for hunting or going on long Jour
neys, as the high tops not only brace the
leg, but prevent the moccasin from slip
ping on the foot, and they keep out
the dust, brambles, gravel, cold and
snow.
1t is no very great task to make plain
moccasin, and a squaw will cut out and
sew up pair in half day If they are
beaded, however, it will take week or
more to finish them, and those garnished
with quilts of the porcupine will take a
month or more of patient labor.
For the winter season the moccasins
are made of buffalo hide, or the skins of
fur bearing animals, the hair being
turned inward. The Indians never wear
stockings, but leggings, which are a
good substitute, when one has fur shoes
to cover the feet.
Expert scouts can readily tell to what
footprints in the sand. Unlike their
bows and arrows, Indians never change
the shape of their shoes.
One day, while in camp, saw a squaw
weaving cloth In kind of loom. She
had many threads. strung to little sticks
fast in frame, and through these threads
she passed strings of beads, pressing the
whole tightly together, after the manner
of a weaver The manv-colored beads
were cunningly arranged, so as to give q
pretty effect.
l took purse from the hand of girl,
which she had made for trader in the
village, and it was really beautiful. On
another occasion, / saw a purse in the
traders store, made by this same Indian
girl. 1t had on the side the words
flames Buchanan" neatly worked in
beads. L asked the girl whether she
couldread, and she said "No, hut showed
me medal, which had been given by
Mr.. Buchanan to one of the tribe, anG
from which she had skillfully copied the
letters of the name.
The Winnehago Indians are the only
tribe on the plains who can make cloth,
and they can only weave such things az
; garters, armlets, purses, leggings, gun
covers, and long, white bead-bands, which
, the women wear in their hair
These Indians are very light in com.
/ plexion, and many of the squaws might
be called beautiful if they would only
keep themselves clean. They are tall
J well-formed, have bright black eyes, and
, long, shining, black hair They take
great pride in plating it up, winding il
J in coils and binding it with bead bands.
The latter are often five and six
: feet long, fringed with many-colored
beads, and are very beautiful. They
, wind them about their heads in a very
, cunning fashion, and the effect among
: their jet black hair is very pretty.
The Sioux, unlike the Winnebagoes,
never put up their hair, but always al
low it to hing about their shoulders.
Sometimes they tie the ends of the plaits
with ribbon, or wind them with red
flannel, but further than this they at.
, tempt no ornamentation of the hair.
! The Sioux are very fond of earrings,
and have seen rs many Us hundred
small rings in Sioux ear, slit being
} cut the whole length to make room foi
them. Many of their earrings are very
heavy, being made of square or oblong
: pieces of shell.
The California sea-shell is a regular
article of trade among the wild tribes OF
Indians on the plains, as well as among
the civilized ones.
The shells are about one-fifth of az
inch in thickness, five or six inches long
and four inches broad. They are shaped
like saucer, and the outside is pris.
blue, green, pink and gold. Near the
tuSt' Tile Sllcll II vel y tlliu uuti ucuChIt,
but hard to break. The Indians saw il
into pieces-some round, others square,
oblong or pendant--and these they
string together by means of wire passed
through little holes bored in the pieces.
Brass beads are often strung on wires,
as sort of washer, between different
, parts of the earring, while those sus.
pended on sinew form the pendants.
A large brass ring for the ear general.
, ly begins Sioux earring, and to this
are hung five or six pendants, made OF
beads, supported on wire; to these pend
ants are attached cross-piece of green
hide or wood, then another column OF
: pendants. To these are hung large
{ and small beads, then another
cross piece, and next three large
wampum beads, beneath which is
suspended the piece of shell that gives
the earring its value. A shell will make
one pair of rings, and it generally costs
two robes, or about So in money.
They are something over n foot long
and from three To fOur inches in breadth