Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-27

your cutting yourselves when any of your
people die. My heart was made very sad
when heard that one of your number had
died from cuts inflicted by your medicine
men at a dance, when the news came that
little babe had died. Then visited one Of
your tribe who had an arm on him that I
wouldn't have had for all these reservations.
This is all wrong. You should not do these
things. You should not dance on Sundays.
You should dance as little as possible"
Many of the Indians had gone before his
talk was finished. All of the chiefs stayed
and others most interested. They had list
ened attentively and had conned it all over
in their minds and were now ready to give
their little speech. Nothing undaunted.
they stepped boldly to the front, grasped the
agents hand and then the clerks in charge,
stepped back few steps and laid it off with
all the earnestness and eloquence of studied
oratory. They were talking for what they
deemed their rights, and were thoroughly in
earnest. They most all spoke as if they
were disappointed in the agents talk. They
said: 'sYou tell us old things, we know all
what you tell us. Our children are hungry.
We want to hear about our annuity money.
You talk about the treaty, that is old. We
know all that. We thought because you are
new man you tell us something new.
What you tell us is good, but we not white
man, we Indians. Indians have their own
laws, their own way, good for us, your way
good for white man."
wH1TEwATER's SPEECH.
Missouri Chief looked dignifed and COM
manding in his black velvet beaded surtout,
handsome leggings and moccasins. He did
not have much to say, but what little he
said was we'll and to the point The best
and most impressive speech was made by
James Whitewater, the released prisoner.
He was dressed in citizens clothes, had his
hat in his hand while he talked. 1t was
evident he was somewhat excited when he
first began. I attributed it to righteous in
dignation. I think he felt that it was his duty
to defend his people; that having been Gre
ated Indians they were not to blame because
they were 10th to accept the white mans
policy. His style was daring. He stepped
up to the agent, shook his hand and then
the hand of the clerk, stepped back with
dignity and determination, fixed his eyes
on the agent and began: "You tell us
about the Bible. know something about
that Book, too. On account of bad white
men, who made me drunk, killed two men
and was in prison II years. While in there I
read the Bible through 80 times. 1t lisa good
Book. 1t tells me good things. I would
not drink glass of whisky now for a mil
lion of dollars. That Book tells me that God
made man. He picked up the red clay and
made the red man. You tell me that only
one wife is enough, yet that Book tells me
that some good men had more than one wife;
Abraham had more than one wife. You tell
us not to dance. David danced, and white
folks dance. You dance for fun; we dance
on Sunday because our dances are our re-
ligion. "But," he added, "you tell us
good things" Many more good arguments
he brought forward, and for once among the
Indians the preacher found his equal.
james Whitewateris is now Christian, and
will preach to the 0toe Indians tomorrow
afternoon.
AN INDIAN ELoPEMENT.
Several days ago four of our pupils, two
boys and two girls, ran eff News came to
the school that they were married, Indian
fashion. The agent sent word from his
headquarters at Ponca to have them brought
into the agency, to imprison the boys and
have the girls work at the school. At first
it was thought best to send the boys off to
the Haskell Institute at Lawrence, Kau.,
and keep the girls here in school. And this
was the wisest decision, but through the
pleading of Chief White Horse, the father
of one of the girls, and other prominent In.
dians, that if these were pardoned and al
lowed to live together on the reservation,
that they would give their bond and forfeit
their annuity money in case any more chill
dren ran off from school. The agent, who is
Methodist minister, said that they were
not married and concluded to marry them
legally before be released them. The boys
were brought out of Jail, and the girls,
who had been working in the kitchen.
took off their big kitchen aprons which are
made out of ticking. This was all the pre-
paration that was made for the marriage.
The Indians, who had attended the council
hocked into the schoolroom, the school
children were present and all the agency
people. Just as the sun was sinking behind
a rim Of golden clouds the two couples
walked in, to the music of Grants march,
about the only appropriate march the organ
ist knew.
Itwas strange wedding, the ceremony
being little different from any found
in prayer book or discipline. He asked
the girls these questions: i.Do YOU love this
boy? Are you willing to marry him? Do
you do this of your own free will? Will
you love him above all others, and stay with
him while life lasts?" Then he asked the
boys the same questions. but added: "Will
you open up a farm? Will you buy these
girls clothes to wear and food to eat?'' All
OF their answers were prompt and decided
Yes" but as lightly as the VOWS were
made, just as lightly will they be broken.
The shadows of the night had deepened
ere the ceremony was over. The strange
company filed out; the grooms mounted po-
nies behind some of their friends, and the
girls went in an opposite direction. They
will have big feast, and will then be hus-
band and iwiie, according to Indian law.
A CORRESPONDENT ADVENTURE.
A tall, angular, long-haired newspaper
man came into the school-room this morning.
He had long rubber coat on, and blanket
thrown on his arm. He had come up from
Guthrie the night before, with two Iowa In
dians, and had gone direct to White Horses
lodge, where the Otoes were holding coun-
ell. The Otoes want to Join the Iowas, and
live on their reservation, which is about 15O
position and love of change have
caused them to be dissatisfied here. They
claim that this land is not good. The new
town of Guthrie is not far from the Iowa
reservation, and If the Otoes were to ioin
the Iowas this would throw all their trade
into the town of Guthrie, hence the Guthrie
ties are interested In the dissatisfaction of
the Otoes, and are encouraging them in
their project. This council at White Horses
Lodge, the arrival of the reporter of Guthrie
with the two Iowa Indians had all been
slyly arranged, but the clerk in charge
heard of it and sent Willie Green, an In
dian policeman, out to arrest him and
bring him into the agency. When Willie
arrived, the long haired, =. pale faced
stranger was painting up most gloriously
the advantages of the Iowa reservation and
the beauties of Guthrie to the eager-eyed