The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-07-15
..1.d,.n Chief-s Manucrs.
HOW wAwKOMO PROVED HIMSELF THE sUff
moi, or HIS PROGRESSED BETTEBs,


While at the agency OF the Sac ana FOX
Indians had the honor, says correspond
emf of the Chicago Times, 10 dine with
chief. whose name is Wawkomo. lie Is
gentleman OF about forty years OF age, ara
he appeared In full Indian costume. A rich.
hlue Mackinac blanket was belted around
his waist and fell down to bis knees some
what like a petticoat and below were 10 De
seen his fringed leggings and handsomely
beaded pair OF moccasODs. The upper por-
ton of his body was covered win calico
shirt of some flaming colors, and opened NJ
the throat so as 10 display well down MS
dark and muscular chest. Around his
neck was a string OF wampum made
OF shells strung on cord, and whose
actual value, owing to its great length and
the scarcity Of this class OF 0rnament-l was
assured by those who knaw-is very great.
He had half.doZen or more heavy German
silver rings on the fingers OF both hands,
and there were bracelets on his wrists ana
above his elbows OF the same msterial. HIS
forehead was shaved well back to the crown,
but diverging as it went back to leave a
peninsula OF hair on the very top, ana wDlcn
was gathered into loLg queue and very
carefully braided. The ends OF this APP
nendage were tied with gay parii-colOred
the wing OF an eagle and very handsome
silver ornament, nearly as large as saucer,
and curiously chased.
Very erect was WawkomO. broad Of
shoulder and deep OF chest, and athletic as
10 torso and thighs. His complexion was
not at all the regulation OF copper hue, but
n most pronounced swarthiness. which
seemed ingraned in its application. The
ton of his head where the hair was cut
away was decorated with touches OF ver-
million, and the same rich tint was applied
artistically to bis mountainous cheeks. lie
wa. not at all overdressed or Oyerpainted.
In his way he was as faultless in his make
nm ss is the most fastdi0us lOunger who
| freouepts the trottoirs OF the French capt.
tal. He was. in fine, in exact harmony with
| his age, his features, his stature. his COM
nlpyiop, and with his surroundings.
Dinner was served at the house OF one OF
the post.traders, Mr.. Gibbs. Wawkomo
had been standing around the store Tor an
hour or so, in very picturesque attitudes,
and without any other sign Of life than the
exchange Of an occasional grunt with the
interpreter melancholy half whose
Indian origin was indicated by his black
hair. bis general reticence, and very
bright cord around tile crown OF his wide
trimmed SLOUGH hat. Somebody announced
dinner: the Interpreter flung a gntteral
monosyllable at the chief, and he fell into
the procession which filed out OF the store
and into the house Of the trader.
Mr.. Gibbs is very "swell" trader for
the reason that there were napkins and a
dinner In courses, in " hich soup was in the
van. Wawkomo took seat next 10 me (:
and thoreupon | prepared myself Tor some
bizarre developments in the line OF feeding.
l may say, in brief, that in this direction |
was totally disappointed. Wawkomo seated
himself with all the dignity OF Roman sem
ator, took his napkin. uuf0lded 1t Deliberate
ly and carefully, spread 1t across his lap.
reached for spoon and ladled IN his soup
as correctly as il he had never III his HE
dinah only with the worry first families. III
was the same all through; he carved bis
food with ease, masticated 1t without noise !;
used his napkin easily and often; and. III
short, exhibited all the manners OF Well-Dred
gentlemen.
The manners of the blankeied guest so
much surprised me that, after little, /
spoke across the table to somebody and said !:
Doesn't Wawkomo live with his tribe -
"Yes. Why!"
"Beciuse his manners at the table. at
least, are inst as good as anybody's. | sup
posed he would 20 at things in regular hog
fashion,"
An amused expression came into the face
OF the one with whom was talking, as he
said: "Oh, yes, he seems to get along
nicely"
"Where did he pick up his knowledge OF
how to manipulate spoon, napkin. and
all the other paraphepalia OF dinner
tablet"
"He did il Just az well the first time he
ever sat down to table. The Indians are
very observant, and they see everything
| while they appear to see nothing. He no.
ticed how the others did things, and then
| he followed their example"
."Well, he is the politcst old dufier in
blanket, scalp-lock, and leggings | ever saw
or ever heard OF. He beats Coopers cop
| per-coored heroes all to pieces"
During this conversation and consldera-
| bly, more to the same import, WawkOmo
never changed a muscle. or apparently paid
| the smallest attention to anything except
the matter OF disposing OF his dinner. Al
| ter we were through he returned 10 the
stone, when pulled out tobacco-pouch
for the purpose Of having asmOke. Waw-
komo happened to be standing near me !;
and, after / had filed my pipe, | touched
MIN on tue arm, uIohtIiug tue poh'h, |nu
rs | did so said TO the interpreter:
"Please say to him that | think he will
find this to be the finest tobacco that he
ever smoked"
The interpreter said something TO him in
the Indian language. He filled his pipe.
lighted it, took two or three pun's. aud then,
turning TO me, he said in very excellent
English,
"Good tobacco. You are from Chi
cagoi"
| Had somebody at that moment hit me on
the head with clab | would have been ne
more surprised than / was to bear him eX.
press himself in my native tongue. "What,
| do you speak English?" stammered.
"a little" he answered, without the
slightest expression Gu his coUntenaace.
understood little later from the inter-
pretar that, although Wawkome does not
care 20 converse in Raglish, he speaks it
well. and understands perfectly everything
which is said in that laaeaage. Ny concIu-
sion in regard to the whole matter is that
probably have much higher idea Of his
good masaers than he has OF mine.
The moral Sf che incident is that IL is bet
ter not TO talk ~ a person in his presence
unless sure that he does not understand the
language in which you speak.