Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1891-04-17
THE APACHE IED1AHsIN ALABAMA

UtAAAnOhN 4N AlIt ~ CAHOAlB AAe0AlAAtAs
The military post is occupied by the
Nineteenth United States Infantry.
The force of contrast is here Illus
trated. Within the walls are the
highest refinement and courtesy, re-
presented by the army officers and
their families; without, the utmost
barbarism, typifed by the Apache, his
sduaw or sQuaws, and their domestic
belongings,
The huts Of the Apaches arc dotted
about without regard to regularity,
and architecture is peculiar to them
selves Many Indians still prefer to
live in tents, where they eleep on the
earth, or simply raised therefrom by a
few pieces of wood and straw. But
most of them have Lighthouses which
are built with two bedrooms, one at
each end Of the structure, and a
square open space between the two.
This space serves for hall, parlor,
kitchen and pantry
The cooking is done in the centre Of
this space, over wood fire, and the
smoke blows where it likes, After a
little observation Of this method Of
cooking one feels as he fancies a smok-
ed herring might feel.
The squaws, as a rule, are unsoeiable
and little disposed to made friends
with white women who visit them,
probably on account of long suppress
sion Of the social instincts. They sit
most of the time on piece Of cloth
spread on the ground, and make fancy
bead-work.
This work is quite pretty and often
artistic, and is done with mathemati-
cal precision. The women count the
beads, and are 50 intent on their work
that they seldom raise their heads
when visitors stand'over them. Like
Diogenes, their only desire seems to be
that you get out Of their sunshine, for
they glare savagely when their light
is obstructed.
That red9ubtable old savage, Geron-
imo, who carried fire and destruction
along his path through Arizona and
Northern Mexico, now goes to and fro
as peacefully as lamb.
lie condescended to shake hands
with me, and we exchanged the
compliments Of the season; but for all
his lneekness I felt better for the
knowledge that eyer-yigilant soldiers,
with guns in their hands, had their
eyes upon him and all the band.
Geronimo has lately been awarded O.
medal for services in the school at Mt.
Vernon. lie sits in a large red chair
and holds a long stick, with which he
ever and anon "pokes" misbehaying
boy, and reduces him to silence.
The teacher uses every means to
thank and hatter Geronimo for this,
since she would, without his assis-
tance, be quite powcrless to enforce
obedience. Giles, another Apache,
who had learned some English at the
school in Carlisle, confided to me that
"Gernimo no like white man clothes,
he like Injun clothes" Nevertheless,
ne was buttoned up to the throat in a
military coat with brass buttons.
Recently the commanding officer at
Mt. Vernon distributed among the
Indians some military clothing which
had become a little obsolete in pat
tern, but was warm and well-made.
The suits were trimmed, accord
ing to the branch of the service for
whose use they were intended, with
three colors. The Indians Invariably
selected the garments which were
trimmed with red.
The women and children are given
flannel, calico, and all things needful
for garments, but it is next to i'm
possible to make them keep their
clothing. On the first warm day they
sell it for very little money with
which they otter purchase whiskey.
They even exchange their garments
for dog, for scraps Of sugar-cane, OF
any article that suits their whim.
All of them seem ayerse to too much
clothing. Two boys were promenad-
ing up and down, arm in arm, who
had divided one suit between them.
One urchin wore the coat and the
other the trousers. Their rcd skins
formed a striking contrast above and
below.
Natchey, the hereditary chief, is by
all odds the handsomest and most
warrior-llke Apache in the band.
His tail, straight figure, clear-cut fea-
lures and long black hair approach
most nearly to our romantic concep-
tlon Of the aboriginal kings Of the
forest.
Since General Crooks recent visit to
the Apaches, Natchey has looked very
dogged and cresfallen. General Crook
told him, through the cowboy inter-
prefer, that his want Of faith and
homer in failing to keep his compact
had brought much suffering and hui
initiation on his people.
1t is earnestly to be hoped that the