The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-11-14
LOS PARENTAL AFFECTION,
Indian Chiefs Who show the Deepest Low
for Their Children.

The Indian is generally not credited
with much regard or affection for his
| family, but this impression was dis
pelled from my mind during my trip
| to Pine Ridge says writer In the
Omaha Bee. or IA number of friends
| | made among the Indian chiefs will
always rememb Der American Horse. al
man of much prominence among the
friendly Sioux. When he learned that
I represented newspaper he gave nv
hand cordial shake aud remarked.
How, cola, good" He had one of
his souaws with him. and through 4
simple but beautiful sign language in-
formed her Of my vocation, and she
too said How. good" and shook
hands. American Horse then brought
ont young papoose of about 6 years
of age. and informed me that it was
his Youngest, and then he patted the
little one on the head and gave 1t an
affecliouate squeeze. In joke asked
him what he would take for the little
Sionxyenir. He did not first UNDER
stand whether / was in earnest or jok-
ing. and | was afraid / had offended
the old man: but he shook his head,
pointed his finger toward bunch of
several hundred Indian ponies. then to
troop of cavalry horses, stamped his
foot upon the earth and waved his
hand about his head. and | understood
that not for all the horses and ponies
on earth would he part with his child.
He, however. did what he could. and
cut an elk tooth ornament from the
little Sioux's dress and presented it to
the correspondent as n memento. aud
with grunt of satisfaction and an
other How he took the little one by
the hand and walked away.
AT the close of the Indian campaign
of 1876 the captive Chevennes aud
others were taken to Fort Lcaven-
worth to he transferred to Indian ter
rtory. Capt. Edie of the hospital
corps ut Pine Ridge was at the time
stationed at Fort Leavenworth. and re-
lated another instance of Indian
affection and pride in their offspring.
The transfer to Indian territory was a
terrible blow to the proud Cheyennes
and was regarded rs humiliating aud
degrading in the extreme. One of the
noted chiefs of that tribe, whose name
has unfortunately slipped my memory.
was especially bending under the im-
agined humiliation and made several
murderous attempts to escape. He
had for squaw II member of another
tribe and two BOYS were the result Of
the union. Before the final transfer
was made from the fort TO the terri
tory the military concluded to separate
the different tribes. and while tine
Cheyenne hosliles were to be sent to
the territory the others were to be sent
to the north. This news was conveyed
To the Cheyenne chief. and the pros
pect that his sons should not share i'm
his disgrace gave him nndisguised
pleasure. until he was informed that
families would not be separated and
that they would have to accompany
him. He grew morose and down
hearted, and one day he walked into
the hospital. and before any one was
aware of his intentions he had seized a
pair of scissors and with the point of it
ripped u cash clear across his abdomen
from the left side to the right. He ex-
peclcd To die aud said he wanted his
wife and children returned to their
home in the north. but his terrible
sef-Sacritice availed him nothing for
in spite of himself ne recovered aud
with his family was taken to Indian
territory, where he was lost to public
notice.