Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-04-08
THOUGHT HIM A MEDICiNE-MAN.
Awe Inspired in the Red Men by an
individual with a Glass Eye.

A source OF cOnStdnt luteTeSt W tno
spectators at the st. Paul carnival are
hc Indians in their tepees at the palace
grounds, and the canvas doors are con-
stantly raised for look at the smutty
inmates as they sit about their fires, the
bucks smoking and the squaws making
embroidery or sewing. A rather odd
incident occurred in one Of the tepees.
A visitor entered who CHANGED to wear
a glass eye. When the canvas door
was raised there was the usual cry from
the door-tender, Five cent" and the
visitor responded by giving the dirty
looking squaw dime and telling her to
keep the change. This paved the way
for most hospitable welcome. A
young squaw, apparently about 20, and
rather more comely than the average,
arose and spread blanket, to which
she motioned the visitor, and brave
who had been sitting in the corner rose
and made some signs of welcome with
his hands, which he raised and lowered
several times. The seat was accepted
and one of the old squaws, apparently
80 years old, about as large one way as
another and with face that looked
good-natured in spite of dirt and wrink-
les, filled long red pipe and handed it
to the visitor, who crossed his legs
before the fire and pulled the smoke like
any of the braves There were eight or
ten Indians in the tepee, scattered about
in the usual confusion and in all sorts
of postures. One of the old squaws had
been downtown shopping, and she I'M
packed her purchases and submitted
them to the visitor, evidently expecting
them to be admired. They consisted of
several pieces of calico of bright colors
and cake of Rabbits soap in red paper
After due admiration on the part of the
visitor there was a general conversation
with such as could talk English, inter-
rupted frequently by the jabbering in
the Indian dialect as they interpreted
for the benefit of others. They said
they had not been cold during the severe
wheater of last week, that they were
having good time and getting some
money. There was one little squaw
about 10 or II years old who was I'M
usually bright. and she informed the
visitor that she could read in "the
Second reader" After time the
comely squaw came over and sat down
beside the visitor and held up dog,
sleck-looking pup, that was very play
full for his admiration. She said the
dogs name was Fanny and was l
year old and belonged to her. The dog
was duly admired and allowed to poke
its cold nose against the visitors hands.
For nearly half an hour the call was
prolonged, and at length the CONVEX
sation Jagged. The old squaws were ap-
parently going to sleep, and the braves
were talking among themselves. 1t
came over the visitor that perhaps he
had not been furnishing his part of the
entertainment, and it occurred to him
that his hosts might be interested in in
speeding his glass eye. Speaking to the
young squaw, he called her attention to
the fact that he could place his finger
upon it without apparent pain. She was
interested at once, and with degree of
familiarity that was unexpected, she in
sisted on poking her own cinnamon
colored fingers into it, She called the
| IS tln al . L.
strange circumstance, and they looked
with admiration and some degree of as
constituent. AS they were looking in
tently the visitor quickly grasped the
eye with his thumb and forefinger and,
removing it, held it out to the young
squaw for inspection.
Christopher Columbus when he show
ed them the eclipse or Henry Hudson
when he gave them the tire-water never
saw more completely paralyzed set of
Indians. The squaw looked first at the
eye as it's owner held it in his hand and
then at the place from which he had
taken it, at the same time making a sort
of half-frightened cry. Apparently the
entire party thought the visitor some
big medicine man, or a direct agent of
the Great Spirit, and they fairly tried a
sort of worship. Three of them got on
their knees before the visitor, and, hold
ing up both hands, the palms outward,
they began passing them up and down
and over the head of the visitor as he
sat on the tent floor, while they made a
noise that can not well be described, a
sort of long. low sound in which all
joined. While this was going on the
owner of the eye quickly replaced it.
This seemed to astonish them even
more; and they ceased their noise, but
continued on their knees and kept up
their motions with their hands. The
fat old squaw evidently thought it mus,
hurt the strange visitor, for in her
wrinkled old face there was a sort OF
plying look and she reached out to take
hold of the VISITORS hand. Again the
eye was removed, and again they began
their noise.
Don't get excited" said the visitor.
ats nothing but glass eye, that cost
$40 in Chicago. I'm not medicine.
man, and so far as | know the Great
Spirit has got nothing in particular
against you. l simply thought you
might like to look at some of the curious
things the white folks make"
ugh, great" said two or three al
once and that was all they would say,
Apparently they had never heard of any
such things, and no explanation cc+.id
persuade them that there was not some
thing marvellous, and during the visit
they kept up their attentions. AS The
visitor arose to go they all arose. One
held the canvas door up as he went, and
as soon as he was out an unusual jab
bering and the beating of drums could
be heard coming through the cloth walk
of their smoky houses. 50. Paul Globe
Didn't Wait to Wrestle.
| pn,,lnp nnnlittIa uyoc vall Gnnwp q