Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-12-30
INDIAN LIFE IN THE NORTHWEST.
Courtshipssand Marriage Of White Men to
Il Dusky Maidons.

high standard Of morality is an error,
for she is taught as other girls are, and
grows up, with well developed ideas of
the responsibilities OF life and a firm
resolution to discharge them. Educated
in the faith that she was ordained to
work, she trains herself to undergo hard
labor, and at sixteen years OF age she is
sturdy and strong, brave against IA
tigue, and q, perfect housewife. She
may not possess New England notions
OF cleanliness, but she takes not little
pride IN her personal appearance, and
in the arrangement of her lodge she
Displays some crude ideas of taste and 9
certain amount of neatness. II she
marry q white man, she makes him q
good wife as long as she lives with him.
His home is her sole care and his COM
fort her ambition. She thinks of him
and for him., and makes it her study to
please him and make him respect and
love her. She recognizes in him one of
the superior race, and by her dignity
and devotion endears herself to him and
struggles TO make him happy.
Attic agencies on the upper frontier
thousands Of men are employed, and it
is not an exaggeration to say that the
majority of them have Indian wives and
live happily. They are not sought after
by the maidens, for the Indian girls
riage contract Is made and the marriage
portion paid over. The husband must
have the dowry, with which he must in
vest his projected mother-in-law before
the ceremony takes place. The process
is little out of the usual run, and q
description may be of interest. The
aspiring bridegroom must be well
known in the tribe before he can
hope to win wife. Her people want
to thoroughly understand him and
know if he can support not only her but
also her relatives in the event of a pinch.
He must be kind hearted man, with a
temper warranted to keep in any do
nestle climate, and he must have good
lodge and at least half dozen horses.
If he be and have all these, he can a.
wooing go. Selecting the lady, he
makes application to her mother, and at
3 council the price is fixed upon. If the
girl be especially pretty, her mother will
demand a gun, two horses and lot of
provisions, blankets and cloth. A gun
is valued at $50, horse at $40, and he
must furnish material to bring the
amount up to from 500 to $3.50. Then
he tries to beat the dame down, and if
he succeeds he knows there is some rea-
son for letting the girl go, if not, he un-
derstands that he is making good
choice. The courtship is left entirely to
the mother. She communicates the in
telligences to the bride -elect, who duti-
fully sets upon preparing the lodge for
the nuptials. Relatives and friends con-
gregate, form circle, pound drum and
have feast, at the conclusion of which
4 \ - IL
is thrown over their heads, under which
which the mother blesses them and the
ceremony is complete. But it fares
badly with man who plentifully stocks
his wedding lodge. His wife win give
away everything he gives her, and stores
intended to last month will disappear
in AN hour He, if he be cautious, will
give her barely enough to eat until he
teaches economy, a lesson which once
thoroughly learned she never forgets.
For some little time after the wedding
the newly made relatives haunt the
happy lodge, demanding that they be
Toasted and cared for. Woe unto him
whofaccedes in the slightest. A firm
refusal, well persevered in, is all that
will save him life of misery.
InsNorthern Montana and up through
the northwest territory, on the Domin-
ion side, is q whole nation of people who
have, sprung from such alliances. In the
early days the French explorers who set
tied down had their two dusky wives
unto themselves and lived and died in a
plentitude of home comforts. Their
offspring partook Of the mercurial dispo-
sition of their fathers and the gregari-
Gus nature of their mothers. They live
together and marry and intermarry, and
though they have no notion of civilized
life. they are far above the Indians in
their habits and customs. They speak
French,a little English and all the Indian
dialects, love horses and whisky, have
no ambition beyond the care of their
families. They are the best plainsmen
on the prairies, and in fight will
soundly whip any Indian band that does
not outnumber them. The dread in
which they are held by their more saw
age neighbors they have honestly earned,
for, while they are not more brave in
warfare than the Indian, they are more
skllful and crafty. A popularity is the
ugliness of the men and the rare beauty
of some of the women. In color they
are a light to dark brown, with black
eyes and straight hair. The complexion
Of the women is soft, fairer than that of
the men, and the features are more reg
ular and the expression pleasant.
Leading ii a sort of nomadic
life, travelling in carts and
living in tents. they have no
education, but in their address and bear
ing are cordial and courteous, and to a
stranger on the prairie are hospitable and
generous. They will brave any danger
L
gamblers. As hunters they have no
equal, and consequently are thoroughly
hated. for where they are there is no
game for others.
The progeny of the agency !" squaw
man, on the contrary, takes but little
alter his mother. A half-breed, like
himself, he holds in contempt, stunning
him as he would a snake, and seeking
the corn anionship of the whites. Next
!. to his kind. he hates an Indian, and his
s1oftiest aspiration is to become an army
scout. He drifts around the forts an
idle, worthless vagabond, spurned by the
aayapas and only tolerated. nv the nalo