Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-01-22
STORIES OF THE SIOUX.
CCURTSHIPS OF THE REDS KIN
ROMEO.
Arrayed in Bespansled Evening Costume. III
Plays the Part Of Genuine Aashes--
Account Of an Indian Dog Feast
and Squaw Dance.

suppose 1t Is tho same among moet
Of the blanket ,ribes) instiils In love-
lorn buck tho virtue OF patience. II
nothing more. says q writer from Fine
Ridge Agency during the Indian
troubles OF last fall. When q young
Sioux warrior, or an old ''cohee
cooler" for that matter. seeks sweet
heart lie paints his face in many
colors envelops himself so completely
in a blanket that nothing OF him but
his eyes are visible and lets his breech-
clout drag along on the ground behind
him. This breech-clout, by the way.
is the most extravagant piece OF tho
Young warriors raiment. 1t 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 the 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 q
whole week. But he never dcspairs.
The girls know why he wears that
cloak and why he peers at them from
beneath its folds. Usually there arc
from two to five squaw hunters
together. If one OF them is noticed
favorably by young girl no 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 tho father for tho loss OF
his child or who is 10 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 a
fact that they arc 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 and one CT the
greatest meuaces to the perpetuation
OF the tribe.
Pine River Agency ut this tile was
surely 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 deeI
, in the ground was a wooden bass drum
and around it, squatted on thel
. launches, were twelve old womel
I with slender sticks who kept up
. ceaseless tattoo ON the instrument
Z The thirteenth woman wore bracelc
a OF sleigh bells which she jingled wit
i, great vigor as tho drummers grey
more excited at their work. Squatte
in a circle OF a diameter of thirty fec
!. were other old squaws who from tim
q to timc joined in tho strange, pipin
y songs OF the drummers and dance
i with the peculiar knee movement &
X characteristic of all Indian dance!
70 Finally the music ceased. A dog I
o six months growth, with dino tie
Y to each car with strip OF green Ri
ID bon, was led into tho circle, butchers
" skinned and disem bowlcd. The tongu
s. heart and liver were cut into stril
0. and served to tho drummers and u
IA rest OF the hays by three old wome
SO who waited on the table as Sund'
OF school teachers do at a picnic. The
tho dog was cast into a kettle OF bo
ing water. While the soup wa, beir
brewed the drumming WAS renew
., and round and round the unco
- scious danced a score OF paint
:. souaws with their Navajo biunk'
-, wrapped closely about them. "a
-. singing shrilly some song viii
~. may or may not have had any app
=, cation to the forthcoming fe st.
49, tho conclusion OF each song all
~ squaws set up a piping Whitney.
oh and by the dog was done. Then fr'
:. the kettle two old women ladled
n disgusting mess into small tin pa
IN. which were placed at the feet OF
~, the sauaws. Crackers wore also sc
-, ed, and then amid chnttering alb
all kinds OF nonsensical things
souaws began to eat When the pla
,ch were presented TO DO reflied Il
ala were lioerally laden with tho boi
18th meat OF tho dog. Thus the feast
no, continued until all that remained
MN. OF the do. in the kettle was tho rel
cad sive looking and grinning skull. v
in the coins still clinging to the Q;