Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-03-25
SITTING BULL DINED OUT
HOW HE WAS ENTERTAINED IN HIS
FIRST SUIT OF CLOTHES.


now the well known city of Fargo, n. d.
My husband was among the number, and
/, with our little daughter, had recently
Joined him.
heard an unusual commotion outside
the tent before rising in the morning, and
peeping out, saw party of eight or ten
Indians, full blooded Sioux from the Mis-
souri, valley, on their way to pay visit to
the Great Father" in Washington.
Among them was the willy, keen wtted,
merciless savage who afterwarA became so
famous-Sitting Bun. They had left their
native haunts clad only in their native
garb, but at Bismarck two or three of them
had succeeded the evening before they left
in inducing themselves into some of the
cast off clothing of Fort Lincoln soldiers
Over these they had thrown their own
blankets, so Sitting Bull had not discov-
cred the change until the next morning.
While openly soothing at such degeneracy,
the interpreter accompanying them told
us the chief was secretly chagrined at not
having procured such gorgeous raimcnJ
for himself, and upon his arrival at Fargo
he declined to be presented to the poten-
tates Of the Northern Pacific railroad until
properly attired.
HE GOT THE CLOTHES.
As he was resolute in his desire to have
white mems clothes contribution was
levied on different members Of the cncamp-
ment the result of which, although salts
factory TO him, struck the rest Of us as in.
expressibly ludicrous The only pair of
trousers whose waistband was suited to his
girth belonged to Il very short man, and
70 hni a.,
able appearance inseparable from abbre-
waited neither garments. As no ordinary
masculine sock was long enough to fiji the
gap between shoes and trousers, Aunt
Venny, the huge old negro cook, was call
ed to the rescue, and pair Of snow white
stockings were given TO him There was.
Of course, some difficulty in giving these
the smooth, unwrinkled appearance de
sirable, but the ebony aunty got round the
difficulty by fastening hose aud trousers
together with those useful little articles
known as safety pins.
One Of our brawny teamstcrs contributed
a shirt. Flannel shirts were in general
wear among our engineers, and a white
one, commonly known as a boiled one, was
an almost unknown luxury. However,
one of the men resurrectcd one long
buried hidden in a trunk, aud TO Sitting
Bulls great satisfaction, he was instructed
as to the approved manner of entrance
and exit a vest was not to be found, and
it seemed for a time that civilization as
represented by u coat was for him still in
the dim future. But here again his good
genius in the shape Of the fat old negress
interviewed. \ coat having been found
whose only objection was its extreme mar
rowness across the back, this ingenious
woman energetically ripped the center
seam and inserted a broad stripe Of vivid
red, cut from a heavy blanket. A stove
pipe hat polished to the last degree was
found, and thusequippcd the famous chief
tain made his debut before the presiding
officials Of the encampment.
The wives Of several Of the officers had
been at variJu- times residents in the camp,
but just then / Glanced to be left alone
with my little girl to represent our sex
had been warned of the impending call,
but had been told nothing Of the change Of
raiment, and when this astounding toilet
appeared before me, the keeping Of the
muscles Of my face under control, and
maintaining a gravity beftting the occa-
sion, was the great triumph of my life
My little daughter was not so fortunate,
and at once gave utterance TO an Uproar-
ious burst Of mirth, causing her father to
instantly seize and bear her ANONYMOUSLY
from the tent.
Iproudly felt that was acquitting my.
self very crcditably during the interview.
and as had been instructed 10 invite the
chieftain TO dine with Us in due form and
state did so.
AT THE DINNER TABLE
Among our guests that day was young
eastern clergyman, making his first trip
over the 0rairies lie was very jealous
youth, strongly imbued with the mission
airy spirit, albeit sadly lacking i'm expert
ence | soon saw he locked upon the meet
ing with these Indians As "a special provi-
dence, and burned with a desire to turn il
70 account in their behalf spiritually. Sill
no opportunity seemed TO offer, and we.
took our places at the table.
The young clergyman rose from his seat,
and, with arms extended over the table
loudly invoked a blessing upon our feast
Despairing Of any other chance, / suppose,
he dexterously Intervene petition for the
conversion Of the grim old savage before
him, making in all rather lengthy pre-
amble.
The old warrior evidently regarded this
devout exercise as some sort of incantation
by a medicine man Of the pale faces, de
signed TO affect food, for as our minister,
in his eagerness to offer a suitable petiti,sl,
wildly waved his hands over the various
dishes, Sitting Bull glanced suspiciouslJ
from one article of food to another, then to
the faces of the white men, ana inaliv sank
sullenly back in the unaccustomed chair.
When at length his plate was filed and
sent round to him, he covered over it,
muttered and grunted, but made no at
tempt to eat. In distress beckoned TO the
halfbreed who served as Interpreter and
who hung about the tent awaiting bis turn
to eat. After a series of grunts exchanged
with the savage, the halfbrced informed us,
"Great chief say white medicine man put
bad spirit in meat and potatoes If chief
eat, maybe he be weak and never travel to
see the Great Father"
A long examination ensued, and at last
our grim guest fell upon his long delayed
dinner with fierce appetite. Irlgret to say,
however, that in the training Of his child
GOOD table manners must have been sadly
neglected. The only possible use he could
see for fork was TO reach forth with his
grimy hands and spear various articles OF
food which appeared to him desirable.
At the close Of the meal the perseyering
little minister was on the watch for his op-
portunity, and, as we were now better pre-
pared, a decent silence ensucd, and we
bowed our heads with due reverence fos
The return Of thanks. The poor man opened
his mouth and had uttered but word or
two Of admiration when Sitting Bull rose
and with one stride reached him, placed his
loud ,,,o- . lao f,o rupu'l NINTH and with an