Smyrna times., 1888-05-23
Land of The DakOtas.
A BALTIMORE WOMAN's GRAPHIC
DESCRIPTION OF LIFE AMONG
THE INDIANS.

Mrs. Abbie Thayer, widow of Ma
thaniel J. Thayer, of Baltimore, is Wis
iting friends in that city during her
! vacation from government work in the
land of the DakOtas." She is head
teacher in one of the government In
dian schools in the Rosebud agency.
Miles away from any white settlement,
she has the charge of camp of hun
dred Indians, her protecting police
being savages also. Her duty is to
look after the education, food, clothing
and general furnishing of the entire
camp. She has been very successful
in her work, and her graphic descrip-
tiOns of her experience are exceeding
ly interesting.
The Indians are those known as the
Sioux" who were sent from Mime
sofa years ago to their present reser-
vatiOns in Dakota. They adhere to
their ancestral customs, except so far
as they can be individually persuaded
to I" go on the white mans road. The
more fortunate among them live in
wood or canvas teepys" or tents, an
entire family occupying the one room
which serves for all purposes, and
! sleeping on the ground floor. In fact,
the word ground is also the word for
bed, as they are generally unaccustom-
ed to sleeping on anything else. A
chair, when they have one, is rather a
matter of ornament than use The
dress of squaw is, to begin with, a
single calico garment, which after being
put on is never taken off. When a new
garment is received from the govern
ment it is put on over the old one, and
so on with subsequent additions until
the inner one drops off. A half a dozen
dresses are sometimes worn over each
other IN this way, squaw's wardrobe
and wealth being almost literally "On
her back" The dresses are loose fit
ing, but drawn together at the waist
by fancy girGle. They have no
trunks.
The ears of both sexes are fairly rid
died with holes as large as a pencil,
from which hang many ornaments made
OF brass and bones. Both sexes wear
the hair long, plated and heavily Orna-
mented--a full-dressed squaw looks
like an animated and moving Junk
shop, with all her rags, bones and brass
about her.
POlygamy prevails, and whenever a
brave" is displeased with his squaw
he " throws her away" The marriage
ceremony is mainly that of capture"
The brave covers himself with a large
blanket, hiding all but one eve, which
is painted beyond all recognition. He
selects his girl and envelopes her in his
blanket. Being sure of his audience he
sings her love song. If she submits
to this the cOurtship is over, and he
takes her home. He regards his mo-
ther-ln-laW as his natural enemy, and
never deigns either to speak to her or
to look at her.
Many of the Indians, especially the
young ones, are handsome in figure
and sometimes in face Their complex
ion is about that of an Italian, hair and
eyes uniformly black, teeth sound and
white, even among the aged. The In
dian mother takes care of herself dur
ing confinement, and dispenses with
any services from medicine men :"
midwives, or even from her sister
squaws.
In school the children are bright in
their studies and close observers of all
that goes on around them. All kinds
of deception are considered legitimate.
and the better the lie the smarter the
author. Among themselves all the
work is done by the women, the men
doing nothing until they are taught
and compelled by the inroads of civil
lizatiOn. Alcoholic liquors in any
form are not allowed on any of the
reservations All demands upon the
government are made through the
head teacher of the school, who nat
urally becomes the queen bee of the
savage hive, The teachers are under
superintendents, who report to their
superiors in the Department of the In
/ terror, Washington.