The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-02-06
Indian Curiosities.

Anew leisure moments of q representa-
tive of the Day were improved THU
forenoon in looking over the array o.
Indian articles of warfare, toilet, lux
.ury and general utility, exhibited fol
sale in the show windows of a popular
business house of st. Paul. There
were war-clubs, tomahawks, bows anG
arrows, necklaces of elk's teeth anG
bears claws, stone pipes and moccasin.
OF every description, so arranged as tc
attract the attention of therelic hunter
"Where do you get those thingsp'
inquired the Day representative.
"Well," said the merchant, 1--WE gel
them from Indians, trappers, pos,
traders and sometimes from amateur
travellers and adventures who have
started out on small means, and after
reaching st. Paul, on their way home
from the West, find it necessary to sell
their relics, in order, sometimes, to OBJ.
tain a meal. 1t is astonishing how
many people go West thinking they
will make speculation in procuring
Indian toys and selling them in ST.
Paul These people usually find II
hard to sell their specimens at any
price.
post traders and trappers often
come to ST. Paul expecting to realize
handsome profits, but they are gener-
ally disappointed. I remember trap
per who came to my store four or FIVE
years ago trying to sell me a rare spec
linen of Indian workmanship. He
stated that it was made by one of an
extinct tribe, and the only relic left as
a memento of the race. learned af-
terward that he had tried to sell 1t to
several dealers both in st. Paul and
Minneapolis, but had failed. He had
started out asking the exorbitant sum
of $500 for the specimen, but had
knocked off at each successive store
until the price asked was only $40. !
looked at the man moment and lis
tened to his story, about the rarity of
the specimen, etc., and then said to
him: My friend, that's a very pretty
story you're telling; but you see ]
shan't be able to make any one swallow
it, and the fact is I'll have hard work
to get 10 cents for the trinket.'
"'Well, hang it, said he, give me a
drink of whisky and take the cussed
thing. This is the only house in the
Nor'west that haven't tried to sell it
to, and I'm broke and dry as apowder.
horn. Take it along, stranger, and
gimme drink, quick and call the deal
squar.' gave the man agood flask Of
whisky and cigar, and he wandered
off apparently happy"
"'Well. how much did you get for
the toyP"
"Oh, I happened to be in luck" said
he, with twinkle in his eye; ian En-
glish lord came along, and told him the
story l had learned from the trapper,
and think l got about $50 for the
specimen.
"Do you sell many of these goodsp"
Eyes. a good many; but nearly as
many to Americans as do to Euro
peans. Of course, Eastern people buy
them; but we have TO be very moderate
in our prices in order to sell to this
class. We can get fancy prices for tho
goods from Europeans, and particular
ly from English and Scotch people.
During the summer season our sales
upon these goods to Europeans amount
up to thousands of dollars. while to the
Americans they scarcely reach into the
hundreds.
"Are these goods genuine-that is,
made by Indians for their own usep"
"Well, no; not all of them. A large
portion is made by the Indians express
ly to sell to white people. Such goods
would never answer the purposes of an
Indian"
Here the merchant showed the differ
ence between practical war club and
a fancy one, a practical tomahawk and
q poetical one. THE Indians, half
breeds and some of the frontier whites
make many of these toys expressly to
sell, I" said the doctor. but then, you
see, it's not necessary to mention that fact
to foreigners. The cheats bring about
as big price as the genuine articles"
ST Paul Day.