The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-07-02
realized, as she saw them, the ideals of
her early readings.

realized, as she saw them, the ideals OF
her early readings.
To do the Indian justice, they played
their parts well when they learned what
was wanted Of them. Men who were
thieves by nature, who would rather
b eg than work any day, who had no
conscientious scruples about taking hui
man life, who were incapable Of telling
the truth oven for pay-in fact, almost
without single redeeming virtue, APP
peared before Mile. Bonheur as rare
types of natures noblemen.''
Her admiration eliminated one morn
Ing In an invitation to two Of the Sioux
chiefs, Rocky Bear and Red Shirt. known
to the Parisians as 'L'Ours des Rochers''
land "La Chemise Rouge" to d midday
breakfast at one of the outdoor summer
restaurants of the Bots de Boulogns.
EQUAL TO THE EMERGENCY.
| This breakfast was given by her as
partial compensation to the two chiefs
for their patience in posing in the fore
ground of several sketches. They
brought with them their interpreter,
who also had special invitation. This
interpreter was tall, Ratchet faced
man of the extreme Western type.
Among the Indians he was known
as s'squaw man" on account
of his having married an Indian
woman. He spoke no French, but was
Thoroughly familiar with the language of
the Indians At this breakfast, which
was served under glass covered porch.
the two Indians, with their interpreter,
were ranged upon one side of the table,
while the artist and several of her
friends were upon the opposite side. I
sat at her left, and tran slated to her the
fowery phraseology of the Indians i'm
parted through the interpreter, who in
turn translated into the Indian tongue
the questions and remarks of the artist
after had rendered them in English.
y The Indians were constant source of
study to the artist. Rocky Bear watched
carefully the movements of every one,
and used his knife and fork with perfect
correctness A glance told him any
thing that he wished to know concern
ing table etiquette, while Red Shirt had
in his previous visit to Europe acquired
very correct knowledge of what con-
stituted good table manners. They ap-
peared so dignlfied, so gracious and SO
easy that Mile. Bonheur was constantly
breaking out into calculations of admit
ration.
''These," said she, stars real men.
They are not the simpering, gossipping,
bowling animal of to-day. These are
grave, dignifed, austere men with the
perfectly simple manners which belong
to the true children of Nature. They
remind me of the Frenchmen of the days
How have men degenerated under civil
ization in comparison with these noble
specimens seated opposite me! No
royal prince could have better manners
and nol1ing could besmore dignified and
more composed than Monsieur Rocky
Bear
She also admired to an extravaganza
degree the melancholy dropping lines of
the interpreters face. She said that he
reminded her so much of the face of the
ideal Don Quixote.
did not venture to translate any of
these extravagant compliments after
barely limiting to the interpreter what
was being said. He was SO amused at
her idea of the Indians that he could
hardly preserve his traditional gravity
OF countenance, and when l suggested
to him that she was also an admirer of
his features as type of severe melan-
choly and majestic grace, he nearly
swooned with embarrassment. He was
far from being a heroic character and
he would have died of modification if
Mile. Bonhenr's picturesque estimate
his associates in the camp. They would
have prosecuted him into an early grave
with ridicule.
INDIAN COMPLIMENTS
One Of the inter esting events Of the
breakfast was the carrying on of con-
versation in the language of signs be-
tween the two Indian chiefs. This lam
guage is really very graceful, and the
two chiefs never looked more pictur-
esque than when they were engaged in
making the symbols OF this mute but
most expressive language. This made
the most profound impression upon Mile.
Bonheur. It was in this graceful panto-
mime that they pictured out for the ar
fist a compliment truly Indian in char
acter. e
They said that she saw with the eyes
of the Great Father the beauties of the
world and through her art enabled the
humber ones to see the same thing. At
least this is what the translator said
their signs meant, and they possessed
more gifts in the way of originating a
compliment than the sluggish minded
interpreter.