The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-01-09
STORIES OF THE SIOUX.
couRrsHIP4 OF THE REDsklN
ROMEO.
AxT1yed n Bespangled Evenlng Costume, He
Plays the Part Of Genuine Mssher-
Account Of IN Indian Dog Feast
and Squaw Dance.

Plays the Part OF Genu1ne 1aSher-
Account Of IN Indian Dog Fest
and Squaw Dance.
The Sioux method of courtship (and
I suppose it is the same among most
Of the blanket tribes) instiils in love-
lorn buck the virtue of patience. if
nothing more, says writer from Pine
Ridge Agency during the Indian
troubles OF last fall When young
Sioux warrior, or an old ''coffee
cooler for that matter, seeks sweet
heart he paints his face in many
colors, envelopes himself so completely
IN blanket that nothing Of him but
his eyes are visible and lets his breech-
olout drag along on the ground behind
him. This breech-clout, by the way,
IL the most extravagant piece of the
young warriors raiment. It is often
made OF many colors and is bespangled
with looking-glasses. small coins, bells
and beads. Arrayed in this attire,
the young man takes his position
ton where tho shy maidens of his
tribe are sure to pass him. He may
stand there half an hour before he
receives any encouragement, and then
again he may have to wait there for
whole week. But he never despairs
The girls know why he wears that
cloak and why he peers at them from
beneath Its folds. Usually there are
from two to five squaw hunters
together. If one of them is noticed
favorably by a young girl he imme-
diately joins her and begins to make
the most ardent love. If, after his
story has been told, the girl rejects
him the next young buck leaves the
party, with his breech-clout dangling
behind him, and tries his hand. Thus
the lovers follow one another until the
girl finds promising buck who has
either done some great deed or who is
rich enough in ponies or steers to
reimburse the father for the loss of
his child or who is in a position to
earn some sort of fame in war or
In peace. The agent usually ties the
marital knot. Whatever may be said
about some of the barbarous practices
and tho uncleanliness of the Sioux and
Cheyenne women it is nevertheless
fact that they are with rare exceptions
industrious and virtuous. When they
have married white men they have
proved to be economical wives and
good mothers. This is also true of
the Arapahoes, but among the Crows
Inconsistency is rampant aud one of the
greatest menaces to the perpetuation
Of the tribe.
Pine River Agency at this time was
surely a weird picture OF frontier life.
But down in the Indian village itself,
when the moon was two hours up, the
scenes were far more weird and pic
turesque than the eye could see from
the plateau. The tomtom was being
beaten for a squaw dance. Sunk deep
In the ground was wooden bass drum,
and around it. squatted on their
launches, were twelve old women
with slender sticks who kept up a
ceaseless tattoo on the instrument.
The thirteenth woman wore bracelet
Of sleigh bells which she jingled with
great vigor as the drummers grew
more excited at their work. Squatted
In circle of a diameter of thirty feet
were other old squaws who from time
to time joined in the strange, piping
songs OF the drummers and danced
with the peculiar knee movement SO
characteristic of all Indian dances.
Finally the music ceased. A dog of
six months growth, with dime tied
to each ear with a strip Of green rib
bon, was led into the circle, butchered,
skinned and disembowled. The tongue,
heart and liver were cut into strips
and served to the drummers and the
rest OF the hags by three old women,
who waited on the table as Sunday
school teachers do at a picnic. Then
the dog was cast into kettle OF boil
Ing water. While the soup was being
brewed the drumming was renewed
and round and round tho uncon-
scious danced score of painted
squaws with their Navajo blankets
wrapped closely about them, and
singing shrilly some song which
may or may not have had any appli-
cation to the forthcoming feast. At
the conclusion of each song all the
squaws set up a piping Whitney. By
and by the dog was done. Then from
the kettle two old women ladled the
disgusting mess into small tin pans,
which were placed at the feet of all
the squawa Crackers were also serv-