The morning call., 1891-01-04

was through this treachery, a terrific war
brought on. The story is familiar to every
child
A like tale. thoroughly true, repeats itself
in the neighborhood of hundreds of our In
dian tribes. On our frontiers-when we had
frontlers-the white man, whether Span
lard, Mexican, Frenchman, English or
American, who married an Indian woman,
was called "squaw-man,' and in few in
stances the ''squaw- man" has been made to
suffer betrayal like Samson of old; and then
have resulted some Of the most relentless
wars of our time, accompanied with out
rage. burnings and slaus liter. But yet the
results have not in the main, been bad. 1t
is thought that the putting of man upon
horse adds to the picture of the man and
the horse, but, while it does this, it always
takes something from the digHity of the
man to be so mounted.
We have hardly visited a tribe of Indians
without finding at least one white man mar
lied to an Indian girl or woman. The wife
soon learns from him to live in house and
10 do the work, in a rough way, that women
did in the house of his youth. She is raised
TO higher mode OF living learns to dress
fairly well and is a true friend and COM
panion TO her husband; but he himself
usually has skunk away into lower life.
His personal cleanliness suffers, his clothing
is shabby and his self-TeSpect is lowered.
So III such pair the man has less dignity in
carriage, while the woman has more than
the queen OF the proudest Indian chieftain
but cannot well stand up ami compete with
her worthy white sisters in the essentials of
prosperous home life 1t may be well to
particularlze.
Near Fort Stevens, Oregon, strong young
man many years ago settled upon a farm
1t was before the old Governor of Washing
ton Territory carried ship-load of mar
rlageable teachers around Cape Horn and
white women were few and far between.
he married woman of anelghhOring Indian
tribe. He carried on a good trade with the
garrison at the fort; was enterprising and
often obtained fat contracts. and so accumu-
lated comfortable fortune. His sauaw
made him goud faithful wife. Her love
for him caused her to study to make his home
more and more tidy rs the years went on
but she mostly kept apart from white women
Her children learned to dress better than
their mother and gathered in the useful
knowledge, social and practical, Of other
American youth. The eldest son has already
replaced his father in honest and profitable
business, anu the daughters are respectfully
married.
In Eastern Oregon there was few years
ago superb family. The husband was a
tall dark-eyed Frenebman. AT one time for
quite period lie was the trusted agent of
the Government. There were three beauti-
ib' III BiuGt VI inquire anu move
lnent, IN elegance of attire and in the yari-
oEs accomplishments of gifted women, few
could SurpaSS them. The wife and mother
however, always kept in the background
She was really servant in the household.
She talked little English, and shrank
from every social attention. She had ad-
yanced far beyond the women of her tribe,
but never forgot for one moment that she
was an Indian, so even here in this most
successful instance of white and Indian
marriage II was next to impossible for tho
polished French gentleman, in the estima-
ton of his white neighbors, TO rise above
the recognized condition of ''squaw- man."
Inc old "voyageurs," French emigraDts
to the West from Canada, who served the
northwestern fur companies, and travelled
through the wids of Oregon, were encour-
aged TO settle here and there among the In
dian tribes. They were naturally led to
marry Indian women. The Hudson's Bay
Company, it is said. made it policy to ia
vor. such marriages. Therefore, you find
half-breeds and French descendants of
these enterprising "voyageurs" wherever
you travel IN that dark region. They are
not generally on par with our best bust
ness people of the West, though some are
on the front line Of progress yet, for the
most part. they are kind, steady, self
supporting race. Their sires or their grand
sres were the husbands of Indian women
Many of their descendants to-day are in the
west, as they usually are in Texas, proud
OF their Indian blood
The first time the writer visited the Spo-
kanes he came with military escort to tine
crossing of the Spokane River many miles
below the falls. Ii was the bridge you cross
to 90 from Walla Waila to Fort COlyille
Here were the bell-shaped tepees of the
Indians pitched in irregular groups. perhaps
twenty OF them altogether Tie skeleton
poles protruded beyond the old canvas out
sides, and smoke in small puffs was gently
ascending above them. At the bridge was
the white man who took the meager toll,
living in wretched apology of a house.
The tepees in cleanliness and order were
preferable. lie had poor, hopeless-l0ek-
ing squaw wife and numerous little half
breed children, who gaZed curiously upon
strangers, and ran to cover here and
there upon approach Soon a white man, q
lame minister, made his appearance, having
! come hither from distant mission. lie had
been invited to officiate at a wedding. A
white man, rather of the old Georgia
| Cracker" order, poorly dressed in old gray
| clothing, perhaps 80 or So years OF age, was
| the bridegroom.
The bride had come with her Indian par
ents. She was is or II years old, had a
| healthful handsome countenance, but very
| sulky, downcast look. We who looked on
| could but feel that somehow she had been
| sold to this man. The ceremony began by
| the singing of Christian airs, like the " Old,
| Old Story" in the Spokane language, first
| in the Aeveral tepees and then Mt the gath
| ering at the toll-keeper's house. The cere.
mony was very brief. it being that of the or.
| binary Presbyterian marriage. The two
| white men, the groom and the toll man, were
Americans, In all that upper country they
were called "squaw-men." They will soon