The Arizona sentinel., 1886-08-07
WHEN INDIANS LAUGH.
A Custom That is Strictly Observed Anon,
 the Redskins of the West.

A Custom That is Str1ctlV observed Among
 the Redskins of the West.
 Some Indian school-boys found theil teacher had very great aversion to frogs. To them it was a continual source of amusement to see her run away from them. One day boy caught one, and shut it up in the table drawer. The teacher entered the room. All were in order; but when she opened the drawer the frog, glad to gain its liberty, leaped out upon the table, and the teacher made great ado. One of the boys, in gentlemanly way, took up the frog, carried it to the door and threw it out. No sign of enjoyment could be discerned In their faces. They remained through school hours retaining their solemn dig nity. Afterward, as they told it, they laughed until the tears came, laughed over and over again as they remem- bered the dismay of the teacher. Why did they not laugh at first? They had not yet come into the ways of white men enough to realize that we would excuse rudeness in our pupils, even un- der these circumstances, and they con- sider it rude to laugh aloud, or to laugh at the expense of another in the others presence.
 An old woman who owned poor old pony which was almost dead from starva- ton and hard work, had brought the pony in and tied him to the fence. He was literally ''skin and bones." While I in I,o I q making great outcry, and ran to the door just in time to see an immense flock of crows fly away. I said: What is the matter?" She replied that the crows had come to pick her poor old pony's bones while he still lived. She saw the funny side of it as we'll as I, and laughed very heartily. When one of the young lady missionaries asked an Indian woman for her "Wakan sica tanka, instead of her ''Waksica tanka,n no one laughed till the teacher was gone. When 1 inquired why the dish- pan was not given. the reply was she did not ask for the dsh-pan, she asked for ''the great evil spirit (he deviD, and I assure you no Indian woman hears that story without laughing heart fly. Another teacher meaning to ask for tub asked for young man, and, though to her face they did not laugh, have seen a whole sewing school con- vulsed with laughter over the mis- take several times since. When one of the ministers from the east attending one of our meet, ings went up to a group of Indians who could not speak or understand word of English and tried to enter into con- versation of course there was no re. sponse. He said to me as I came up: Why do they look so solemn?" l simply interpreted what he said to the Indians, and all laughed and said: ''We did not know what he said; why should we laugh?" It does not seem to occur to those asking the question why they do not laugh that they have but little to laugh at in the presence of white men. They can not understand us or our ways. Indian children are in the house quiet and orderly; they sit and listen to hear older people talk, and if anything is said that is very amusing. so much so that they feel that they can not control themselves, they put their hands on their mouths and run outside to laugh. Men will laugh gently and quietly, and now and then you may hear an old woman laugh long and loud; if so, some relative will say aside: "Hear how she laughs, like white man; she is unwomanly." They are very social people, and around the campfire one may hear many legends and fables, hear many old war songs and nursery rhymes. Missionary.