The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-07-22

camp arrived. My sister rushed Tor the
hardtack that we had meant to be
part of the refreshments, and distrib-
uted it among them at the door, and
bade them good-by. Then they went
reluctantly home.
For the closing exercises Of the school,
we invited all the camp to come at ten
o'clock in the morning. Before our
seven-O' clock breakfast, we saw wag-
ON drive up filed with parents and
children. We gave them pictures 10
look at, and they were so entertained
by these and by our running about in
our preparations for the occasion that |
do not think they were sorry to wait
three hours before the entertainment
proper began.
Our wards became 50 affectionate
that we had to forbid their coming 30
the house before breakfast. II they
stayed too long. it was no insult to say,
in the idiom of their language. that we
wished to make the door solid" which
meant that we wished to shut the door
behind them. The same visitor would
be smiling at the door the next day
waiting for admission. II is a grief and
modification to the Dakotas If teacher
leaves their camp. When we found that
the climate was too severe for US and
decided to leave, they expressed their
sorrow in many pathetic ways They
came singly and in number to say that
their hearts were very sad The
chief men in the camp came to the
schoolhouse and held a solemn council,
sitting silent for about an hour and a
half. Then one or two said their hearts
were sad, and all went away.
They gave US a farewell Omaha
dance This IS one of their friendly
dances. \ good many young braves
We're invited from n neigh boring camp
TO make IL very smart ball indeed.
With the exception of bit of blanket
or calico. they wore no clothes except
their feather dresses, necklaces. arm
lets, and ornaments for the scalplock
and the ankles. Their faces and bod
les were painted Enthusiastically. We
scarcely recognized familiar friends. II
was good deal like masquerade. Our
dignificd policemen. Little-DOg and
Stitf-Arm and Cut-EOOt. whom We had
been accustomed TO see in the United
States army uniform, were particular
II amazing in our eyes. They gave Us
chairs, and once or twice during the
progress of the dance asked Us to rise
that our seats might be placed where
we could be still more cOmfOrtab BILE. All
the Indian women and all the men. cx-
cept those who beat the drums, sat on
the ground or on 4 plank laid on the
ground. The women danced apart from
the men. Neither sex paid the least at
tention to the other, apparently
The biggest yellow dog in the camp
had been killed TO do honor TO the
teachers. lie was stewed in a clothes
boiler. and the dish was placed in the
middle of the hut. The other refresh
ments were rice, bread and coffee, each
in n separate clothes boiler. The gov
crnment gives clothes boilers To the
Indians along with stoves These stoves
constitute a part Of the annuity goods
promised To the Sioux or Dai1OtaS IN the
treaty when they ceded their lands To
the United States. When the time
came FOR the refreshments To bc served.
the young man who got up the dance
was conducted by the master of cere-
monies 70 the middle of the room. and
placed beside the clothes boiler Of
stcved dog. Then Eaglc-Dog. who had
contributed the big yellow dog. was led
up and placed beside him Then the
master of ceremonies turned his foot
steps towards me.
II was trying Inohthl. ttEoublN
trusted that it was not de rigueur that
their head teacher should sit on the
ground and eat stewed dog. They must
have held q conference and decided that
my sister and were not TO be asked TO
do this. When he reached me, he did
not oFcr to conduct me to the center
like the other hOnorcd ones. lie stopped
low and put his head with its huge
circle of eagle feathers TO my side and
rolled il round and round. | stole a
furtivc glance round t. see what the
meaning could be. The whole roomful
Of perhaps hundred and fifty Indians
were looking calmly on; it WAS plain
that IL was the correct thing" The
brave held his head up for moment,
and / thought that was the end of the
ceremony. but it had to bc gone through
with a second time. Then he stepped
away, and began to serve out the feast.
Thanks were offered up audihly 10y
each one present both before and after
the SUppcr.-SuSan DabEcy Smedes, in
y. y. Post.