Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-03-08
INDIAN e0uRrsaIP.
How the DuskY MaIdsns are Woced
and Wen
Among the Piutss---A Wonderfully Severe
System Of Etiquette---Ths Way the
Braves are Tendered
the Mitten. @
Ernn q. San Ernnei,p ON

SlngQlAE huN, III SONS Ecop6CbS, y COotrAQlc-
tory feature OF the life Of the aborigines that,
with sll their liberty and freedom to roam
the vast wilderness of q boundlesJ country
they voluntarily adopted many domestic
regulations more rigid than any in vogue
among the Puritans who landed on Ply
mouth Rock Austsrity is not usually
aScribed as one of the traits Of the Amer.
can Indian, and Yet in that most interesting
period OF life, when young people court aud
marry, they enforced the severest and
most StoiCsl restraints. The knotted lash
which the monk frequently had laid upon
his bare back and limbs to give his thoughts
more heavenly bent, was no greater in
CUlgence in asceIicism thSn the forced sup.
preston OF a young girls feelings which the
Indians required. Ia matters relating TO
courtship and marriage the higher tribes of
tie sbOngines we're singularly severe and
formal The narration by Sarah Winnie
nucCa Of how Indian maidens were woOed
and won in the Piuts nation shows the
stIictness OF that people in regard to the
sexes. The old Chiefs daughter gave the
following account Of q Piute couEtship to a
Call reporter few days ago:
When q girl reaches womanhood aud
her family desire to indicate to the tribe
that their daughter has reached the mar
rageable period, she makes her DEBUT as
YOU say in English, but the Piuts girl
comes out in an entirely different way than
that adopted by her white sister. Just be
fore she reaches womanhood her grand.
mother has especial charge Of her. To that
old lady, whose years are supposed TO have
L. ha fy1r i -
schools her in domestic duties, and explains
10 her the nature and importance Of the
Viiely relation. The girl then goes with
two other female relatives to tepDee,
which is small wigwam, where
she remains with them for
about twenty-five days. During this
time she performs work which is supposed
10 be strengthening. Ii consists chiefly of
I;liug wood. Thee times a day-at morn
~. neon, and night-she stacks five piles
q wood, making fifteen each day. Every
rye DAYS her relations take her to the river
40 balhe, aud at the end of the time she
ives her clothing to her attendants aud re-
IRIS 20 the family lodge. Very frequently
tie wardrobe which she presents her female
attendants is quite extensive, and is regard
ID by them as valuable present. When
The Young girl has spent twenty-five days in
the tepee, she has made her debut into the
society OF her tribe, and that is considered
as public announcement that she IS ready
TO marry.
"Of course, a prettp, shapely girl is in
great demand, Just as 3 belle is in your
society. A girl with handsome face and
fine black eyes and flowing hair as black
and glossy as q ravens wing and will
lowv, graceful form, is the object OF a great
Zeal of attention from the young men OF the
uibe, and often Of the old men, too. A
lovely Indian girl is as much sought after in
her circle as a great beauty Is IN a London
drawipg,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 ne long
walks home after the play Is over
They never go riding together, nor strolhng
through the woods alond the river back.
They never idle together IN the canoe on
the water, plueking lilies and flowers.
Although they seem to enjoy much greater
Liberty 10 roam and wander whlthersoeyer
their fancy may lead them, yet they are
kent as close as prisoners. Plute eOurtshlp
lecks freedom, and yet It is not devoid oil
that intense excitement that attends love
making the world over.
You may suppose that the girts and
Young men would steal out OF their lodges
Of moonlight nights, and have clandestina
meetings and weo in that way but they
never do it. Indeed, they never speak TO-
getber. A word never passes between them
But still a girl very soon knows when
Young man is interested in her. He tries
10 catch her attention by his horsemsnship
or his skill with the bow, or has athletic &C
comphshmens. He rides BY her at fur
ious speed and returns again and again. Ia
this wav he attrrcts her attention and informs
her. although he does not speak q word, that
he loves her and would ike to marry her.
But this does not comprise all OF his court
ship At night, when the Indians have re
tired 10 their wigwsms and are sleeping, the
YOUNG man rises from his bed of leaves aud
skrs and goes to the lodge occupied by the
Girl he loves. He enters silently and sits
down beside her couch. A lodgeis circular
IN shape, and at night, when the inmates GO
10 he'd thew heap brushwood and logs on
the fire in the center Of the tent, and then
lie down with their feet toward the
FIRE and their heads toward the outside
of the circumference 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 glri Is
sleeping, and he goes directly to her siae,
often stepping over other sleepers ana sits
down by her bed. 1t is customary Tor the
Young GIRL to sleep near her grandmother.
who is expected to rest lightly after the girl
has made her debut As soon as she sees
the Young man enter she swakens 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 Is
she sleeps. Her grandmother does moi
speak a word of encouragement TO MN
neither does her mother indicate that ne Is
welcome sutton. The next night he comes
again, and takes up his position oeslde INT
girl and keeps this up for long nme
During all the time he is coursing IN tins
way he is treated as an absolute strangei
BY the girls relatives. They may have en-
tertsined him before he began his attennor
TO the girl; her brothers may have hunteC
with him, but when he once begins to WOO tn IN
girl, all familiarity and friendship ceases; ID
is never invited to eat of food prepared ol
the family of the girl, and her orotnsr'
never offer him ANYTHING on the hunt. hu
presence il wholly ignored. II the 81,
does not ike him she tells her grand
mother, and when the young man comes
again at night that good old lady rises iron
her bed, takes handful Of hot ashes non
the FIRE and throws them in bis face. That
the mitten. If he persists in his attentions
and continues to come again, the WnoN
family unite in hesping indignities upor
him, but the girl is never g party TO TINS