The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-04
SIOUX COURTSHIP.
HOW THE YOUNG BRAVE sIOUxs
FOR A MAIDENS HAND.

Maiden Wishcraws Into the Dark
Recesses of the Tepee.
Warren K. Moorshsdd IN Youths Comp anion.
With Americans q young woman is sell
dom compelled TO accept as a husband man
whom she does not love, but the unfortu-
nate Sioux maiden can hope for no such
freedom Of choica
Most frequently her father. when he has
decided that 10 Is time for her 70 marry. So
leotS = husband from his clrcle OF soquaint-
anOes. negotiates with him, and sells bis
daughter for four or Ave good ponies, guns
or pelts.
Sometimes the girl falls thus into the
hsuds of kind husband, who does what he
can to make her life pleasant and 10 lessen
her burden of work; but more often the
brave who has purchased her oompels his
squaw to hew wood, draw water and per-
form other mental labor. II she complains
be wields a rawhide whip most unmerci-
fully about her head and shoulders.
Fortunately for the Sioux women, the
custom of obtaining a wife by purchase has
been brought into illrepute by contact
with the ''pale faces, =" aud the influence
AdAtSd uDuu LLe lnUiEu0 " ALlAaelOuaTied
and tesoherS In its place has grown up q
method Of courtship and marriage ceremony
which is, l think, without a parallel among
the practices of aboriginal peoples
This new mode Of "love-mskipg" is known
as "courting by means Of the flute" At
present 1t Is very popular among the Sioux,
and large proportion of the recent mar
riages have followed the use Of this means
OF making proposal.
The flute is made of willow, or some
other wood, which has a bark that Is easily
detached, and is usually about one foot in
length. can give no better idea of IL than
to say that the whistles which school bows
are wont to construct Of willow or poplar
resemble it quite closely. with the differ
ence that the toys made by white boys ore
usually smaller and shorter.
The Sioux flute has several perforations
through the bark, each Of which represents
musical note. The sound produced,
though somewhat shrill and fife-like, is not
unpleasant to the ear.
The Indian youth who desires a wife first
mentally fixes his choice upon some maiden
Of his tribe. Then some pleasant evening
he takes his flute and strolis through the
village in the direction of the tepee Of the
maiden's father.
he stations himself tn a convenient SPOT,
about Fifty or sixty yards from her abode,
aud then. drawing the reed from beneath
bis blanket, begiRs to play a plsintive
ErSin.
The wsird aud pximitiVe maaic floats
strangely Upon the cir. 10 its peculiar
minor key II seense In psrfeos keeping with
the Indians wild liza
these ssraina she maiden has reR1aaSd
quissly within her tatherN Lodge, Astsning
TO the asrsnads With characteristic Indian
eompoeure. Hhcn Il h0oon1ea perfectly ap-
parent 20 ths father ttsat hIa daughter Is tie
ohjscf AZ this musical asbeutlon he steps 70
tfs entrance OF the wig wsm OF house, for
many Of A1s BiOMx now I've In comfortable
leg hdusss, glaDoes In the direction OF ihe
player, and II n Is dark, issues forth and
cautiously cresps behind the youth and as
certains who he is.
Then he returns 20 his daughter and
makes known his wishes in words some
thing like these: "Go, my child he is a
worthy Dakota, and will make you a good
MASTER" OF, Remain, my daughtery be is
nat desirable person"
The maiden, In obedisnce TO her parents
wish, advances timidly toward her lover II
| he II favored; or II the parental Judgment
condemns htm, wtShdra We into the dark re-
cess of the tepee.
| In case the suit Is favored and the maiden
has gone out TO meet the warrior, the young
man upon seeing her approach, gives a
| triumphant '|toot" upon his file, and then.
| throwing down the instrument, rushes
forward 70 greet her whon he has 80 easily
won.
The Indian maideu's father fs politio ip
his treatment Of his daughters sutton. II
she is attractive and be Is a man of some
property according 10 the Indian standard
he knows that she will be desired by many
Of the young braves as a wife He does not
wish to let her marry any one whom he can
not respect, nor does he desire her to wed
below her station, but rather above it if
possible,
He is especially upon the outlook for the
sons Of the chiefs or sut chiefs, and for the
| wealthier class of wife seekers, aud guards
his daughter zeal0usly against any less de-
| sirable party"
When the young woman is 80 well looked
| after the poor young warrior has rather q
hard time Of IT, Very likely his suit is not
favored by the father and his flute playing
is in vain. If he is bashfui person and il
| this fact is generally known, his acQuaiut-
ances make a great deal OF sport of him.
Some of them, suspecting his intentions,
may have kept watch over him for sew
eral days, and as soon as he starts out with
his reed they anticipate his destination, and
| rushing ahead, place themselves where they
can laugh at and mock him.
IL he is patient, he will continue making
LuuSlCt TeSdTOIose or LuelE dDLlC9s out IT
quick-tempered, as most Sioux youth are
be will drop the instruments 10 pursue his
tormentors. Woe betide any luckless Indian
boy who falls into bis hands.
have heard of a very laughabIe flute
counting, which took place seven years ago,
and which illustrates the Sioux fondness for
joke.
A young warrior at the Pine Ridge
agency, in South Dakota, was considered
quite ''dude,n or az the interpreter him.
self expressed it, "a heap much dress young
man" He had been sent by his wealthy
parents TO an eastern school, where he had
remained about year, and then had re-
turned to the agency, to strut about among
the other indians, brng about what ne had
seen, and display his fine clothes
He had not been az home long when he
fell in love with a beautiful girl, the
daughter OF one of the most important
warriors Of the tribe. He would have pre-
terred to WOO her after the white mana
fashion, but he had already lost much OF the
good will of his own people aud desired TO
regain it, he therefore decided to ADOPT
the oourtship custom which had become
common among the Sioux.
be manufactured a reed flute and one
charming night, about o'clock sauntered
forth to make, as he though, an easy con-
quest.
But the small boy, irrepressible alike In
savage and in civilized communities, was
out, too. All the boys disliked the "heap
much dressed young IN in,' and they lost no