Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-04-06
NOW AN INDIAN QUEEN.
Miss Fellows WedS Her ChaSka.
The Ceremony at Swift Birds Camp a
Beautiful and Novel Affair, the
Santees Swearing Allegiance
TO Their White Sister
Happy Bride, Repul-
Sive Husband.

fIERRE, ID. 1.-The marriage last Sat
u-day of Miss Cora Belle Fellows. late a
Washington belle, 10 Chsska, alias Camp
bell, Santee Sioux, at Swift Birds camp,
| on the Missouri River, sixty miles above
this city, was social event long to be
| remembered. The bride OF Was shington
City extraction Is about twenty four
years of age, and until twoyears ago was
one of the society leaders at the National
| Capital, where lords and connts gathered
about her like ants crowd sugar bowl.
About this time shs conceived the idea of
emigrating to the wild woody, West. Her
desire vas to educate the wild and untu-
tored minds of the American savage in
the higher lines of thought and action.
Through the influence of the Indian
Rights Society, she was appointed teaoher r
i'll the Indian school at Swift Birds camp.
There she labored, teaching little Indians
American ways and customs and the word
of God. About the camp was young
Indian, homely but with winning ways.
and by many little attentions he succeed
ed in forcing wedge in the white girls
affections wide enough for the Indian
Cupid to enter. The wedding was set for
Saturday, March 16 but kilograms ard
letters from Eastern relatives OF the
mony one week, and in the mean time
every influence was brolght to bear upon
the maiden, but without avail. Invita-
tions were issued. Chaska's groom was
the bearer of the tiny documents inviting
the guests to the feast Saturday.
Just as the sun crossed the meridian
the words were pronounced by Rev.
Handford, of St. Ste-hen's Mission, that
united the fair white girl to the loath-
some Sioux Indian of the lowest type.
The bride is of average height, slight stat
ure and fair 10 look upon, being bright
happy brunette, and, as she stood dressed
in a neat fitting suit of dark stuff, with
bunch of white wild flowers fastened at
her throat, she formed q picture that
caused many of the white guests to shed
silent tears as they contemplated her
dark and gloomy future. Chaska is ig-
norant and entirely uneducated, not be-
ing able to speak word of English, and
regarded "a one of tho most unprincipled
of the Indian Sioux nation, and looked
repulsive as the words uniting the couple
we're spoken in English by the Clergyman
and interpreted into Sioux by an Indian
who spoke both languages, aud answers
were in turn interpreted from Sioux to
English.
The American part OF the ceremony
concluded with game of ball 10 which
about fifty whites had been invited. The
most interesting part of the whole pro-
ceedings was the Indian ceremony after
the conclusion of that performed by Rev.
Handford. The bride and groom were
taken by the medicine maO of the tribe
and led into a large lodge near by and
ter of the room. Here were seated forty
young warriors, gaEdily painted in all
hues of the rainbow. They filed IN and
took positions in an arch around the
couples. They were also followed by
like number of Indian maidens who took
positions Just outside of the ring formed,
each carrying a present which was given
to the bride to show their love for their
new white sister. Thu medicine man
went through a series of gestures and
the Indians i'll attendance set up n dis
NAL chant, which continued half an hour,
after which the medicine man took herbs
from bag and threw them upon the fire
which had been started in front of the
couple. As the smoke ascended the In
dians fell upon all fours and set up most
uuearthlv yells, which were kept ur for
several minutes. Thus this part of The
marriage was completed, that the Great
Father might be pleased with the unjor.
young sqUaw, dressed in a beautiful
beaver skin robe reaching to her
feet, now entered the lodge bearing
in her hand crown made from skins of
otter, set with elk teeth and gold orna-
ments. This was placed upon the head
of the famous Washington girl, and an
other howl of chants went up from the
group of Redskins. Immediately an
other Indian girl, daughter of the
medicine man, entered the lodge bearing
beautiful bear-skin robe ornamented
with figures. The girl took position
beside the bride, and the medicine man
again entered the circle and explained
the words written on the robe, which,
translated, are as follOws: "IO Cora
Belle, our dearly beloved queen of San
tees. We will always be ready at your
will to do you homage. While yOu and
your father and mother are white, we
shall always recognize you our sistsr and
queen" At the conclusion of this part of
the cermOny the medicine man took the
ashes from the fire, sprinkled them on the
couple to keep off the bad, invoked the
blessing of the Great Spirit and then as
sisted the couple to their feet.
This concluded the wedding, and dane.
ing was in order and kept up until
morning, being mingled IN by
both Indians and whites. At
midnight an elegant supper was served,
consisting of venisOn, bear, buffalo, wild
turkey and roast beaver. Each article
of food was served on one large dish and
placed upon the table around which the
guests were seated. Miss Fellows wanted
to create a sensation, and she succeeded
admirably. She deserves all the merit
herself.