Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-30
AMERICAN FOLK LORE
Interesting Papers Read at the Session Of
the Society.

1
SOME BITS OF PLANT LoRE-MrTHIcAL cHARAc
TIERS KNOWN BY VARIOUS INDIAN TRIBES
LEGEND OF THE TRAILING ARBUTUs-oFFI.
GERS ELECTED For NEXT YEAR.
Tho sessions Of the American Folk Lore So
ciety at the Columbian University building
have attracted good deal of interest and ii
was evident from tho attendance at the meeting
this morning that the interest has
not abated. The large room where the
chemical lectures nre delivered was well filed
this morning and it was noticeable that the
ladies were in the majority. The papers pre-
seuted might be termed a series of NOVELTIES
ms they gave number of the myths and legends
current among primitive people as well as many
| curious facts and customs.
SOME BITS OF PLANT LORE.
The first paper read was entitled Some Bits
Of Plant Lore" by Miss Fannie d. Bergen, read
by President Mason. In this country, the writer
| said. plant lore was of q practica character.
and some of the uses of plants for rene
| dial purposes were enumerated. The curious
anperstltions connected with plants both as
! agents for the cure or prevention OF disease
ana Tor dlyination and other purposes were de-
'"i'ed In very interesting way bv the writer,
who. by the way, IS Invalid and who en-
| ploys her time i'll these researches Mention
| was made OF the use OF the seeds of grass
known as Jobs tears. which is believed to be
helpful TO children in teothing in much the
sanc way as amber beads are considered to be
| preventive of attacks of Group. The double
cedar knot ii looked uro2 as a cure for rheu-
inatisin, while among the commonest amrots
beleved 10 bring good luck Ii the horse chest
! nut Prof. Mason Eaused III the reading
! 10 observe that lie would not be
| surprised il some present had IA horse chestnut
IN their pockets. The members smiled, but no
one admitted that they carried such an amulet.
In massachusetts, 1t was stated, the beilcf was
on'er tanned that piece OF southern
| wood thrust down the back of girl
would result in her marrying the first man She
| met reference was made to plants for
| ultihntlon purposes. The paper was listened to
| with great interest and the curious facts
| Drought out we:e commented upon i'll the
| discussion which followed.
| ABOUT JOBS TEARS.
DR.. Hinton said thai net long ago in Phi.a-
| deiphia he saw string OF jobs tears hanging
in store. whilo Prof. Mason remarked that
| some years ago wien he lived in the country
he Attempted to raise some OF this grass,
Dut found that the seeds were removed
uy the co!ored servants before he could gather
| tnem. i his wasdn evidence that Jobs tears
was SUI III use. Prot. Mason also called the
attention OF the society to the coIicc-
| ton OF ''yarbs' which will be found tor
sale ut the Center Market in this city by colored
! people. lie stated that there wus a large and
'%ritd use Tor tho sc herbs, and the list of com
P.mits Tor which they were believed to be
speCihcs YES d long oaC.
THE MYTHICAL CHARACTER OF THE SIOUX.
Inc next paper was read by J. Owen Dorsey
OF 'hiS city. who gave an interesting account
OF the my:hica: character known to the Sioux
Indians aid shc related tribes, who is the author
OF MiSchieioIs pra;.kS and whose adventures
iorm lLe theme O. r great many OF the Indian
,aics Ihe maine Of this being is Nani5oZhu
IN! amoio the SoUan :ribes It assumes sew
citi cialac; crs, sCcl Us nc rabbit tie badger
spider, the orphan. &c.
Nj. Dorsey gave some of the stories current
among the Indians relating to the adventures
! o. this Character and lis encounters with men
and animals.
The paper which was read next by A. F.
Chamberlain gave legend Of thi, character
as hncWn TO the Indians living in Ontario,
IN. 10th papers suggested similar myths
winch are found among the Indians.
MISS :iLICE FLErcuERs PAPER.
Miss Alice Fletcher read a paper entitled
The H@thuska Society Among the Omahas.'
She said that the existence of societies of a So
cIGl character among the Indians supplied
| the place of the theater, dancing clubs
ana other silnilar forms of amusement among
| civilized people. In spite OF the changing con-
dition5 OF lite among the Indians due TO the
abandonment OF reservations and of tribal
LIE, tho Indians still c.ung to those societies
Among the Omahas the head OF the
society was the man who could lay claim to the
greatest number of valiant deeds. An account
was gwen OF the rcgalia worn and the cere-
monies observed ut the meetings of this society
Songs and dances ard stories followed
| by a feast were the features of the
meetings. The writer called attention to the
songs or these people and said that they were
well worth the careful attention o: students of
music. he sessions of this society still
kept up, although the members attend clothed
IN civilized garD instead Of being half naked,
az was formerly tie case.
INDIAv Legend OF 7uE TRAILING AnBurus
Beautifully told was the ..IIaian Legend of
the Trailing Arbutus' a Paper prepared by
Representative c. f. Belknap Of Michigan and
read III his absence by DIR. Hinton In the
introduction the writer stated that there were
two things tie white man did not understand.
lEese were the Indians and the arbutus. The
legend ID related by Representative Belknap is
as follows:
On the south shore OF Lake Superior in the
vicinity Of the pictured rocks grows to perfec-
ton that dearest and sweetest of all wild
Towers, the arbutus. The plant that the most
skillful florist, the plant that the tender. low
ing touch of woman even cannot cause to
grow in dollhouse garden.
| There are two things that the learned white
man does not understandable Indian and the
arbutus.
From timo to time as sitting by the camp
fires III the evening, have been ted of the
creation of many animals and birds by the
great Mannaboosho and his captains, the Man
itos. And this is the legend as told rIe of the
origin creation of the arbutus.
1t was many, many moons ngo there lived
| an old man alone in his lodge beside frozen
| stream in the forest: his locks and beard were
long and white with age. He was heavily clad
| in line furs, for ali the world WAS winter. snow
and -ico everywhere. the winds went wild
through the forests, searching every
| bush and tree for birds to chilli,
chasing. evil spirits DER hill and vale,
and the old man went about searching in the
/ deep snow for pieces of wood to keep ND tile
fire in his lodge In despair he returned to the
lodge. and sitting down by the last few diving
Goals he cried to Mannaboosho that he might
rot perish And the winds blew aside the door
| Oh the lodge and there CAME in most bcauti-
| full maiden. Her checks worc red and made of
wild roses; her eyes were large and glowed like
the eyes OF fawns at night; her hair was long
and black as the ravens and il touched tho
| ground as she walked; her hands were covered
with willow buds: her bonnet was q wreath of
wild flowers and her clothing OF sweet grasses
ana forms, and her mcccasins were whito lilies
and when she brcathcd the air OF tho lodge be-
canlc warm.
The Old man said: my daughter, 1 am
glad to see You? My lodge is cold and cheer
| less. but it will shield you from the tempcsts