Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-06-27
AN INDIAN ROMANCE.
A Creek Chieftaip Married to a Wash.
inston Woman.
Washington Post

About the 1st OF January a delega-
ton of Creek Indians arrived in
| Washington. One of them was Ispa-
hecher, an Indian whose name has
come into sudden notoriety all over
the United States. He hal set up
rival claim to the head of the Creek
nation, and Indian-like had endeavor-
ed to assert his claim by fighting. He
came up to Washington fresh from
the war path, and the war of toma-
| hawks became war Of words in the
interior department. At last Secreta-
ry Teller refused to recognize his
claims and said that Checote was the
chief of the nation. The disappoint-
ed claimant was then free to go home.
But Ispahecher had found boon
for his wounded spirit. He was in
love. He had been taken by a friend
to a house on Ohio Gvenue, between
Thirteenth-and Half and Fourteenth
streets and introduced to Mrs. Har-
rover, a woman who is descendant
of a Cherokee Indian. Mrs. Harro-
yer was pleasant, but she had daugh
ter about 25 years old who was pleas
anter. Ispahecher was impressed at
first sight.
Mrs. narrower earnGd her living by
manipulating clothes in a washtub,
and IN the performance of her daily
avocation frequently visited the Ire
mont house. where Ispahecher was
domiciled Then the plot thickened.
and the courtship of the two waxed
warmer They became engaged, al
though exactly how no one seems to
know The language of love was
their only means of communication.
Ispahecher had decided to leave
Washington on the 10Th of June, and
he wanted the marriage postponed un
til just before that date He was
afraid it would get into the newspa
pers and be spread over the country
and become known to his tribe before
he reached home. But the arguments
of his interpreter made him change
his mind, and the 4th of June was the
date fixed.
At 7:30 o'clock on the date named
therefore, little party gathered in
the parlor of the brides house. The
light of a solitary lamp fell upon the
dark and stalwart form of the Indian
standing in the center of the room by
his white bride, while her family stood
over against the walls. The ceremony
was performed by Rev. DR.. Bartlett,
of the New York Avenue church.
''Wilt thou have this woman to be
be thy wife2" he asked of Ispahecher
Then the interpreter, Mr.. S. B Gala
han, uttered series OF cultural
sounds. The chief bowed his head,
and answered Il do" in unintelligible
Creek. The whole service was thus
interpreted.
Ispahecher is a fine specimen of an
Indian tall, heavily built, with black,
glossy hair, and face which is deeply
furrowed He is 56 years old.
When interviewed, through the in
terpreter, by Post reporter after the
ceremony, he said that Indians were
generally regarded as poor, wandering,
homeless creatures. He was not one
of tins kind. He had home and
farm and plenty to I've on. He re-
gretted exceedingly his inability to
speak English, but he had always
lived back in the country among the
Indians, and had not acquired the
new tongue, as others had, by min
Cling with the whites He therefore
felt lost among English-speakjng peo-
pie.
Miss Alma Harrovcr, the bride, is
about 25 years of age, with pleasant
features. She wore neat drab dress,
and said but little during the inter
view. She does not understand one
word of her husbands language, and
he, as stated, can not speak English
How are you going to get along''
asked the reporter I'VE understand
each other" she said, smilingly.
Il should think they did," said the
interpreter, for they have been court
ing each other for some months.
Mrs. Ispahecher sad she did not
mind going to Indian Territory, and
was perfectly willing to live there.
In room beneath thu parlor table
covered with . white cloth and bear
ing two plates of plain cake told OF
the wedding feast which had followed
the ceremony