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

III Il. n of which to hev home.
MI There pathos in the
49, thought of a white man
xsxsS compelled to wrest the
w. means of life from these
unsymPathetic prairies, where the smoky tepee
OF the Sioux seems as much part of the land
scspe a the mound of the prairie dog.
The tutelary Standing Rock. which is the
center of the principal Dakota agency, stands
on the high ives; bank OF the Missouri river
about sixty miles south of Bismarck. There
sacred traditions concerning this rock,
which do not seem to be justified by its per-
sonal appearance It is scarcely more than
two feet in height and about fourteen inches
in diameter al the base, slopiug upward some-
what in the shape of a wedge. 1t Is deyoutly
believed to be the figure of squaw turned to
stone while kneeling in prayer L have heard
various and conflicting tales concerning the
circumstances under which this lady per-
forming her prisons and the reasons why i'm
mortality should have overtaken her In this
manner, but they are not important,
and no one who is not possessed of
the aboriginal imagination can dis
for the legends L have been told
that If 1t should be accidentally or irreverently
t1mbled down the steep river bank by which 1t
stands. il would Immediately pick itself up,
climb the hill and resume its position. How
perlpatetc accomplishments 1t has been
firmly lmbedded In m 'ftIr and stands on a
square pedestal II mas IN work, where 1t Is at
feetionately dauted from time to time with the
red and yellow pains with which the Indians
decorate their own persons Its neighborhood
Is favOrlte gathering place, and on any ration
day one may see solemn-eyed and filthy pa
posses, gorgeous in their beaded swaddllng
Clothes, lying or leaning against 1T. and patient
ponies trying to rub their burdens of on It
THE AGENCY pr-IIDrx6s
About this center are grouped the agency
buildings, consisting of several long, low
wooden structures, used as store houses and
offices; a row of cottages, occupied by the agent
and other officials. and two stores. where arti-
Giles of luxury, such as chewing gum. beads and
brass Iewelry. are exchanged for hldeS-no
longer the hides of buffalo, but merely the
skins which have once incloSed government
beef. Close by the agency Is the military post
of Fort \ ates. garrisoned by four companies of
Infantry and two troops of cavalry About the
agency the ''trampled heritage of the field has
been so etfectuaily trampled that it has ceased
to exist. ana a very light Dakota breeze. which
l. equivalent to u hurricane elsewhere. fills the
air and the lungs and nostrils of those who
breathe IT with fine, penetrating sand This
Is in the summer In the winter the pow
derry snow, almost as dry, takes the
place Of the sand, and the blizzard
RACES Several miles to the west of the
river lies Allow range of hills. Hill and prairie
are covered with curling buffalo grass. The
few scattered trees-stunted cottonvoods
growing along the banks OF tine occasional small
streaIls-bear as fruit tine dead bodies of In
dams, wrapped in beads and bUckskin and
lasIel u the highest limbs 1t is not an exhll-
aratIa- landscape. and when prairie fires have
laid black patches on all and plain the aspect
l. absolutely mOur1fuL IL Is singularly testi-
tate of color. except on the day succeeding the
issue of ratiOns, which occurs on alternate sat
urtiays- Then the tepees Of thousands OF In
lot H-raa 81
sgGaws into strips apparently thicker than
sheet Of paper. is hung on lines 10 dry and
hutters ike crimson rags in the wind.
INDIAN HOMES
Many of the 5000 Indians who are fed at this
agency live at a distance of from twenty to
seventy miles. and among these are most of the
chiefs whose names have become famous out
side Of their own territory. The home of the
Eie Sitting Bull who was probably more widely
known than any member Of his tribe, is about
twenty -hVe miles from here But he was person
OF SreSarIOus tastes. fond Of Sioux politics and
not hampered by domestic cares So almost
any day when the weather cold he could be
seen squattlng on the floor of the traders store
In a circle Vi his intlmates around the stove A
long clay pipe was handed from one to the
other, each taking puff it passed. Bull
however, did not keep 1t long enough to inter-
rapt MS How OF conversation, and, judging
IRON the chuckles Of apD-eciatlve laughter
seemed TO be a successful wit.
LEADING SIOUX WARRIORS
Sitting Bulls importance in his tribe has
been very gr ,atly exaggerated by his friends in
the east an 1 b. himself everywhere. He loved
TO pose botI as a warrior AID an orator. but as
matter OF fact, being a medicine man. his
INJECTIONS were more spiritual than military
As Tor his preienslOns to elOquence. they were
not well founded L once heard him speak
Il a he h.. I.,.la
the most wearisome proiixity. lie began his
remarks with illusions 10 the commencement
o. the world and the original intentions OF the
Creator toward all His creatures, particularly
OF the large designs He entertained concern
ing the destinies of the Sioux nation He
gradually descended to the present time and
generation and dIiated on the fact that the
Sioux desire food OF a more delicate quality
than the beef and bacon of every day.
TN the same occasion Eunning Antelope
made speech He is regarded as the silver
tongueG orator of the Sioux. whose persuasive
eloqaence has touched the heart of the white
man anu sWayed his own people in the midst Of
many "a Crisis Perhaps the interpreter did not
do hIm justice. or possibly the subject under
discussion did not move him to put forth his
best, but did not find him impressive He
spose with the same dlffuseness and inability
to come to the point which characterizes the
forensic efforts OF all the Indians whom have
heard discourse.
Gall Is the real leader OF the Sioux nation
anu Is, Oetleye, a man Of considerable ability
He differs from Sitting Bull In not being in
love with the sound of his own voice and sell
dom adds q IDLY 20 debate. In appearance
lie Is OF about medium height. inclined to be
stout, and bears positively Notifying re-
semblanee To Benjan Franklin, which acct
deat gives his feathers and blanket an air of
incoRgrulty.
lsain-in-ihe-Face is invested with gruesome
interest He Is said to have carried out a
threat previously uttered TO eat the heart OF
Capt Tom Custer after the famous battle of the
Little Big Horn He conspicuous because
Of = very lame leg, his knee joint having been
shattered in that same tight
HOLY GHOST.
There Is one garruloas old man noticeable
among the loafers about the traders store by
reason Of his pointed gray beard. . very un-
usual ornament on an Indian His name ia HOLY
Ghost and if you ask him how he came bv so
imposing n title he will tell you that IT was
bought for him by his father. 1t seems that in
the old times when some Sioux brave especially
distinguished himself by pre-eminence In muir
der and his name became a terror to the white
man as well as TO the Gros Ventres or other In
dams against whom the stronger Sioux were
const~ lily arrayed. that name assumed a
marketable value and became a negotiable. niece
OF property. some ambitious young buck