The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-06-07
tiFs AMond TIE SIOUX.
"squaw Men" and Half breeds--fi.i"fe
TaIuters--Famiiy Affection.


sQuaws, and who are adopted py
the tribe. They are known in. trotfef
parance rs "squaw men, ana before
the Indians were restricted TO the limits
If the reservation. accompanied them
from place To place III their nolnadic
wanderings. OF this class a great por-
ton are French Canadians. and many OF
them are rich in cattle and ponies. Their
children are usually bright and intelii-
gent. and when old enough are given the
advantage of the mission and agency
schools. and taught to adopt the customs
of the whites The government scouts
employed at the various military posts
are composed chiefly Of French half
breeds for the reason that aside from
their knowledge of the country. they
speak with fluency both the Indian and
American tongues.
Although the Sioux arc not usually
very dcmonstrative in their manners
about the traders store, they can on
certain occasions become a. noisy and,
boisterious as n whole convent when the
father Abbot has gone 10 bed. Among
other novelties in the store, we once hadan
ingenious toy, which consisted Of a small,
square box, on the top Of which were
four little images representing negro
MINISTRIES, two of whom. seated on tiny
chairs, held respectively Il set Of bones
and a tamhourine. The other two figures
were in standing attitude. When the
concern was wound up with key, the
little darkey musicians began lusty
Gathering OF the bones and tambourine,
and the standing figures would break out
in wild dance, jerking and throwing
legs and arms i'll mirth provoking atti-
tudes of every description. These mimic
performances never failed TO elicit the
widest applause, the squaws fairly
shrieking with delight, and even the most
stoical chiefs shouting wy-yu-pah away
up at the top of their voice.
They are, however subject to occa-
sional fits Of dependency in which n
sadness appears TO fall upon their spirits,
and have been informed by educated
half breeds living among them that the
different lines of paint on Hleir faces sig
nifty when they are in love, melancholy.
etc. | once passed a period of fourteen
days and nights with "A young Indian at
point about thirteen miles mp the river
above the fort. near the mouth of the
Cheyenne. Ny companion was a strong
and active young fellow about II years
of age, by name Ferocious Bear, but his
manners greatly beIied his name, for a
more civil partner could not hope to
find.
One stormy Sunday while sitting by
the fire i'll our shanty, | observed that
Ferocious Bear was unusually taciturn
Usually, when about the shanty, he was
employed i'm cleaning his firearms, on
with bits Of charcoal embellishing the
walls Of our shanty with pictures Of
eagles, buifalos. deer, etc. But on this
particular day he scarcely touched his
breakfast, and up till noon had spoken
not word. When finally asked what
WIS wrong, he shook his head mourn
fully and replied that Ibis heart was
very bad" | had with me an excellent
field glass belonging to Lieut.. Myer at
the post, and when the storm cleared
away handed it to the Indian and re-
quested him to take a look at an encamp-
ment of his people a mile or so distant
It so happened that he had never before
looked through one, and his amaZcmcnt
and delight was unbounded, and his
moroseneSs soon passed away.
The Sioux picture writers or Artists
are by no means skillful painters-yet
some Of the decorations on their robes
are of very clever designs. Among my
collection of Indian cunositios is quite
large picture painted on cloth, represent
ing a dozen mounted warriors bedecked
with paint and feathers all ready for the
warpath. 1t was executed for me ~ an
Indian named Black Hawk. He was a
participant in the Custer fight. and
several of his pictures representing the
battle-ground wer. purchased 10y DR.. Nc
Chesney, OF Fort Bennett, and forwarded
to the Smithsonian institution. The
pictured representation of their battles
with other tribes are an evidence OF their
tendency to cxaggerate their own
prowess. Every solitary Indian repre-
sented in these encounters as getting ter
ribly thumped with a war club, or losing
his topknot, is certain to be anything
else but a Sioux.
\ noticeable feature of the Sioux j.
their affection for their children y
chief, or, indeed, any Indian who Is well
TO do, i. e., one who has many pofiies.
spares neither pains nor expense 70 make
his little ones happy by layishing upon
them everything in the way Of gauIy
apparel that barbaric fancy can suggest.
Some of the little boys, the pride Of their
parents hearts, when mounted on their
favorite ponies with embroidered saddle
and bride, and their own persons glitter
ing with ornaments, are sight To bo
hold. Sam Parker in Detroit Free Press.
Heine and His Mother.
Visiting lIeine one evening. when he
was inst debating a letter to his Sccre-