Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-03-26
CUPID AMONG THE INDIANS.
Al Pamee Princess TeHBm OF Love
Making fm aHac vglgsvams

- AuucuAuSga HOW 1Autt CO0kAclAko 8N4N
carried on. She became interested ct
once and thus chafted: when q girl
reaches womanhood and her family desire
to indicate TO the tribe that their
daughter has reached the manageable
period she makes her debut, as you say
in English, but the Piute girl comes out
in an entirely different way than that
adopted by.her white sister. just before she
reaches womanhood her grandmother
has especial charge of her. To that old
lady, whose years are supposed TO have
brought wisdom, the girl is given.
She schools her in do
nestle duties and explains TO her the ma
ture and importance of the wifely Tela-
tions. The girl then goes with two
older female relatives in tepee, which
is a small wigwam, where she remains
with them twenty-five days. During
this time she performs work which is
supposed TO be strengthening. 1t con-
sists chiefly of piling wood. Three
times q day, at morning, noon and
night, she stacks five piles of wood,
making fifteen each day. Every five
days her relations take her 70 the river
TO battle, and at the end of the time she
gives her clothing to her attendants and
returns to the family lodge. Very FREE
quently the wardrobe which she pre-
sents her female attendants is quite ex-
tensive and is regarded by them as
very valuable present. When the young
girl has spent twenty five days In the
tepee she has made her debut in the So
ciety of the tribe, and that is considered
as a public announcement that she is
ready to marry.
''Of course pretty, shapely girl il in
great demand, just as belle is in your
society. A girl with handsome face
and fine, black eyes, and flowing hair as
black and glossy as ravens wing, and
willowy, graceful form, is the object
of great deal of attention from the
young men of the tribe, and often of the
older men. too A lovely Indian girl is
as much sought after in her circle as a
great beauty is in a London drawing
room. But, oh, how different the two
kinds of courtship are! We have no
parties in the wigwams to which young
folks 90 and get acquainted and court.
The young men and girls have no theatre
to attend and no long walks home after
the play is over. They never go riding
together nor stro.ling through the woods
along the river bank. They never idle
together in the canoe on the water, pluck
ing lilies and flowers. Although they
seem to enjoy much greater liberty to
roam and wander whithersoever their
fancy may lead them, yet they are kept
as close as prisoners Piute courtship
lacks freedom, and yet it is not devoid
of that intense excitement that attends
love making the world over
You may suppose that the girls and
young men would steal out Of their
lodges of moonlight nights and have
clandestine meetings and WOO in that
way, but they never dare to do it. In
deed, they never speak together. A
word never passes between them. But
still girl very soon knows when
young man is interested in her. He
tries TO catch her attention by his horse
manship or his skill with the bow or his
athletic accomplishments He runs by
her at furious speed and returns again
and again. In this way he attracts her
attention and informs her, although he
does not speak a wcrd, that he loves her
and would like to marry her. But this
does not comprise all of his courtship.
AT night, when the Indians have retired
to their wigwams and are sleeping, the
young man rises from his bed of leaves
and skins and goes to the lodge occu-
pied by the girl he loves. He enters
silently and sits down beside her couch.
A lodge is circular in shape, and at
night when the inmates go 60 bed they
heap brushwood and logs on the fire in
the centre of the tent and then lie down
with their feet toward the fire and their
heads toward the outside or circumfer-
ence of the wigwam. The Indians
sleep on leaves and robes and are
covered when sleeping with skins. AS
the young man enters the lodge he can
see by the freight where the young girl
is sleeping aud he goes directly to her
side, often stepping over other sleepers
and sits down by her bed. It is cus4
tOmary for the young girl to sleep near
her grandmother, who IS expected 70 rest
lightly after the girl has made her debut.
As soon as she sees the young man enter
she wakens the girl, who rises and goes
to where her mother is sleeping and lies
down beside her. As soon as she does
this the young man rises and goes out as
silently as he came in.
Not a WORD is spoken He does not
touch the girl while he is sitting By her
as she sleeps. Her grandmother does
not speak : word Of encouragement to
him. neither does her mother indicate
that he is welcome sutton. The next
night he comes again and takes up his
position beside the girl, and keeps this
up for long time. During all this time
ne IS counting in this way, be is treated