The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-04

them. But for some reason the distin-
gnished man left his Indian wife, probably
divorcing her after the Indian ideas and
fashion. He then married lady of his
own people and has had since then
large and beautiful family. The
squaw-wife, after the separation from
her husband, went back to her
tribe in Washington, keeping the child
with her. The child. at about Ii years of
age, was discovered at Father Chirause's
school at Tulalip. Puget sound, by an en-
terprising Frenchman- He offered his
hand and was accepted, and the writer
was privileged 10 be present at the we'd
ding. So the little halfbreed with a fair
bit of education started in soon after as a
housekeeper in a neat little cottage. which
her lively husband maintained by log
work at neighboring mill. Before our
Father above s'the squaw" was doubtless,
like the coneubine of the ancient Levite a
bona-i.de wife. Men. however, who get
so high up in the world as her husband
did were never called "squaw-men," and
often the fact of the Indian wife in later
years has been most carefully suppressed.
The son of one of our leading citizens, in
the wild days of his youth, thought it
would be surprising TO his friends and
gratifying TO himself to become the hus-
band of an Indian girl. The maiden he
selected was bright and handsome, could
read and write little, and having seen
only the camp life of frontier parties of
white men. was battered and delighted
and full of hope that she could perform all
the social conditions of the young mans
wife. After marriage. like some other
white men, he drank rather freely of
whisky, his favorite beverage, but unlike
white grooms generally, he induced his
bride to drink freely with him. The pair
visited the nearest city and soon over
turned all the ordinary staid customs of
that city. 1t took much ready money and
all OF its abundant in .auence 10 keep them
out of the clutches of the law. For awhile
he lived the life of veritable "squaw-
man." and doubtless might have been so
adopted in the tribe as 10 have become a
chief and have led thousands of them IN
their subsequent wars with the white
Americans, but his parents and friends in
terposed. and forced him TO send the
woman back to the tribe. He, too, has
since married a white lady and raised a
family. His first bride, after that one
spree into which he led her, has not ceased
to respect herself and she has managed TO
live and work in good homes ever since.
Though circumstances made this mesai-
lance, yet, in our judgment, the nrst mar
riage was the valid one. of which the
heavenly Father knows, and the squaw-
woman, for few days led astray by dis
sipated man, was superior 10 the "squaw-
man"
A very able gentleman from an Eastern
CITY was attacked with terrible disease
which disngured his face He may or may
not have been at fault. But at any rate,
sense of deep shame came over hum at the
sight and consciousness of his misfortune.
He soon abandoned civilized life and
began to wander about among the Indian
tribes he brought up at last neafthe Mo-
lave mountains of Arizona. He attached
himself 10 a small band that had sensible,
good-hearted chief He married. ii is I'M
derstood. into the royal family of the tribe
and has a goodly family OF boys and girls
living lust rs the Indians live They are
nomadic. They live under the boughs of
trees. They plant little valleys IN the
spring time with corn and potatoes. They
watch and herd bands of ponies. They are
with the widest when on the warpath. Our
poor friend. though of high culture. man
ages 10 be an Indian with the Indians and
nothing more. he advises the chief. Is
often his chief OF staff. He takes the In
dams part in all quarrels with their white
neigh bors; but manages quite Otter 10 settle
difficulties smicably and 50 prevent out
RACES and hloodshed. JUS; as soon as this
wild tribe is forced TO take up land and
have permanent reserve, our poor friend
will DOUBTLESS arrange. as so many others
have done, to get leo acres al least three
times repeated assigned TO his wife and
himself A good house wall arise in one
corner and near by q large barn. Oats and
barley vii grow upon part OF his well
chosen acres. corn and hops upon another
part. Fences viii come and orchards viii
he inclosed. Artesian wells pressed by the
neighboring ridges into intense activity,
will afford his family water 10 Irrigaie and
plenty of water 70 drink for his household
and the animals which roam more ST
large with the common herd. This Is a
type Of the usual '.sQuaw-man" 90 ne met
in Arizona. New Mexico and with the Indi-
ans Of the interior. In loving the Indian
women well enough 10 expatriate them
selves, they manage 70 attain unto the
compensationS.
The writer does not like the cognomen
'ssquaw-men; for il We denne the term as