Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-30

IN any weather, and, probably on the principle
that
THE bravest are the tenderest,
The loving are the daring"
he has from time to time taken unto himself
| "a wives. each and every one of whom he has
won by force OF arms and without paying the
| price IN ponies or other currency. He also
claims that he has never beaten or otherwise
chastised any of the fair two dozen. The Sioux,
by the way, are naturally polygsmous. but are
| now compelled to take but one wife. However,
| matrimonial engagements previously con-
| tracted. involving more generous household,
| are not interfered with. Divorces also, are
| easily obtained and there is no social prejudice
| against the divorced remarrying.
| Never is the dog SO truly the friend Of man
\ as among the Sioux The squaws dandle him
and decorate him as they do their papooses.
| In the summer he trots after his master, fol-
lowing the ponies, and if the march be long and
the day hot he rides beside him in the wagon.
When winter comes and the diet of govern
ment beef grows monotonous the friend of man
is converted into soup. This is terribly near
being cannibalism.
ISSUE OF RATIoNs
The fortnightly issue of rations at the agency
is the occasion of great deal of gayety. par
ticularly in fine weather. The Indians gather
from far and near on their ponies in wagons-for
nearly every head of family who has shown the
slightest disposition to take of himself has
received good wagon-some walking and some
utilizing their ponies. and even their dogs, to
pull travols-a continuance of two poles with
cross pieces, the forward ends of the poles
fastened to the pony or dog. the other ends
dragging on the ground. Most of the house.
hold goods, as well as the wardrobe of the ordi-
nary Sioux can be commodiously transported
In this manner. The Indian who has q wagon
can carry his squaw and papooses. besides his
tepee poles and canvas. No member of the
family is left behind. One often sees a family
OF fat puppies pushing their noses out OF such
wagon. The squaws are always beautifully
painted for the occasion, being especially
gorgeous In the matter of ochre and vermillion
on the parting of the hair. They wear their
best blankets and their longest earrings and
three days are spent in the most delightful
social intercourse. The women sit about on
the turfess ground outside the agency build
lngs. compare babies talk scandal-they are
great gossips, am told-and necessarily chew
gum. This habit is the most conspicuous result
of their contact with civilization.
THE DANCE.
One Of the relaxations usually INDUCED in
on the Saturday of issue week is q dance. The
Sioux as he is generally seen wandering about
the agency, even as a householder, doing
the honors of his own shack or tepee, is not a
being to inspire one even with the admiration
which We give to the untamed wild beast. He
is In an unnatural state. His nakedness is COW
cred so varlously with incongruous odds and
ends. all of which originally owed their exist
ence to the white mana plug hat here, a cav
airy dress coat there-that the savage is robbed
OF his native dignity. But at dance he is seen
as You feel he should be. Generally speaking
the young bucks alone take part in these cere-
monies. They are always stripped to the waist,
and in most cases the legs also are bare. Their
slender, muscular bodies are painted in various
colors-some a solid red, green, yellow
black, with legs to match, and some in stripes
or patterns They wear war bonnets spiked
with eagle feathers, after the fashion
OF the red man in the geogra-
ply books. Long feathered tails hang from
the bonnet to the ground. The dance itself is
weird performance. 1t takes place late in
the afternoon, usually beside an uninhabited
shack Ga log hut, mud daubed) in an Indian
village mile or two from the agency. As the
twilight creeps on no more uncanny sight can
be imagined. The squaws and the old men sit
on the ground in a circle. beating tom-toms
and chanting dismal, monotonous refrain, al
ways in a minor key. The dancers bend their
supple, snaky bodies from side to side and
shuttle about. grinning and nodding their
teathered heads and shaking their bangled
arms. Their faces then seem diabolical- They
carry war elubs-stones smoothed to the shape
OF an egg and bound with rawhide to a heavy
handle You can imagine them exulting over
some tortured victim. Suddenly the music
ceases The dancers pause instantly, relax
from their panther-like attitudes, stroll about
and talk with their friends.
These dances have no significance, and are
now merely social diversions. The sun dance,
OF which SO much has been written, and in
which the bravery of the young bucks was
tested by the length of time they could endure
being suspended by a horse hair rope caught
through the muscles Of the breast, is now for
hidden.
BUCKS AND sQuAwa
The squaws, too, have a dance, which is more
amusing and not SO impressive. 1t is called
the dance of the mothers of brave sons. The
music is of the same order. but the exercise is
more cheerful They dance in a circle. amid
much Sigsling and apparently plentiful chat
from the brave sons.
A great deal of lovemaking is engaged in in
the neIghborhood OF the agency during the is
sue. When the young Sioux brave finds him
self possessed by the tender passion he wraps
himself from head TO feet in a piece Of white
cotton cloth or canvas, holding it with one
arm over his face, leaving but one amorous
eye exposed This livery of love is not calctA
lated to protect the wooer from the wintcYl
blizzard, SO that it is only during mild weather
that We see these snlitten youths fitting about
like ghosts.
THE ANNUITY GOODS.
The issue Of annuity goods occupies about
ten DAYS of every December. These include
articles of wearing apparel, with calico and cot
ton cloth Of which to make garments. There
are also household utensils, the uses Of which
must sometimes embarrass the untutored saw
age. and, il cases Of especial virtue and desc TT.
rocking chairs and spring beds. The dIstribu-
ton takes place in a large room Of the agency
store house. The articles TO be distributed are
arranged in classified heaps about the room,
with assistant 70 preside over each. The
name OF each head Of family is accompanied
on the agency books by list of what he is to
receive. The name Is called and the list read
as rapidly the words can be articulated It
usually reads about like this:
Two blankets.
Three shawls.
-Four pairs shoes
Two hats.
-Four forks.
-Four spoons
Three tin plates
One frying pan.
One case knife.
Two pieces calico-and so forth according
TO the size and necessities OF the family. The
blankets are first thrown down in the middle of
the floor, and then. as fast as they can be
named, the other things come flying through
the AIR from all sides OF the room. and usually
light accurately on the blankets. The room is
filed with shower of plates. hats. knives,
boots and frying pans. Then a squaw gathers
together the corners Of the containing blanket
and drags 1t out to pack and arrange the
treasures at her leisure. 1t is all executed SO
rapidly that the spectator is left breathless
One article which is given annually is a pocket
handkerchief to each individual Indian. but il
Is seldom put to its appointed use The pa
pooses are much decorated with beads and elk