The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1892-07-07
AMONG THE DA.KOTAS.
A Womans Unique Experiences
with Indians
Habits and Customs ~ tho Coppcr-Col-
orcd Children OF the I'lains-Their
Weakness for Stewcd Dog
A Farewell Dance.

Farewell Dance.
In our residence Of fourteen month
among the Dakota Indians, whom w
had been taught to look on Us altogeth
er barbarous, my sister and ha,
unique experiences in finding that som
things about us shocked their ideas O
the fitness of things as much as thci
customs did ours We thought a fade,
calico bag good enough TO send over tin
Prairies for our mail, and every te,
days our two camp policemen carried
that bag to and from the agency. On,
day one OF the huge fellows said with ,
serious face that we should have q pret
T, ty bag, and he turned to his fellow DO
| liceman to ask If that was not so. The
other man nodded his head with suct
vigor that it was plain the matter had
been subject Of modification to both
and that they had consulted how
to bring the grievance to our notice
without hurting our feelings. The
Dakotas dislike much TO say anything
not altogether mplimentary, and we
knew the effort it must have cost to ex-
press themselves on this subject. We
made smart bag of red flannel, picked
out in black. When Cut-Foot strapped
it across his shoulders over his tidy uni
form, he was genuinely happy.
Large bustles were worn among CIV
Iized people when we went among the
Dakotas, but we had to abandon them,
We would have had no influence over
our charges ii we had kept those
bustlcs on.
The dogs eaten by these people are
quite different from the dogs Of which
thoy. like civilized peoples, make
friends and companions. They have
square, boxlike bodies and heads, and
scarcely any tails. They seem to fat
ten as readily as pigs. A small tepee
near the family tcpee is put up for the
dog family. The flesh of these dogs is
looked on as a dainty, and Is eaten with
ceremony, and the women bring little
tin cups to take some of it to the chill
dren at home. For one OF the weekly
dances in camp, one dog is considered
sufficient, but as many as forty are
killed for great feast. The odor Of
the stcwed dog is very unpleasant and we
had to throw open the windows, even
In severe weather, after the school
children had been regaled on that dish.
The Indian school at the agency was
kept by the agents pretty daughter.
She had often observed one Of these
dogs that seemed to have more sagacity
than his fellows. He came every day
to school with the child who owned
him, and during the exercises he sat
on hn MI 1otf 91I~
with the children in the games at
recess. She said to the dogs master
one day: Your dog is very fat"
"ies," was the boys answer; 1--WE will
eat him next week"
One day there was knock at our
camp schoolhouse door. One of the
children, little Amos Black-bull had
brought his dog, one of the edible vari-
ETY.. as present to us, and had tied
him to the step. OF course Amos was
thanked. but his present was not &C
ccptcd.
The Iudian children, like white chill
dren. initiate life in their play. The
girls carry their dolls on their backs,
secured by the shawi-for the smallest
maid likes little shawl round her
shoulders, or thrown over her head.
When the dolly is supposed to be fret
full. the small mother shakes herself
from side to side, as she has seen her
mother do to hush real baby. Their
doll houses are tcpees, constructed Of an
old rag, held down against the force Of
The wind, like the family tepee, by turf
laid round the edge. Besides this, the
dolls have what is known as a root
house in that severe climate. It Is q
hole dug in the side of hill, with
roof of turf, in which are
stored such provisions as would be
spoiled by freezing.
The Indian babies were alarmed by
our white faces when first we went
among them, and the mothers were
mortified by their screams. But with
he assistance Of a spoonful of sugar or
; bit Of hardtack. which they like as
much as white children do candy, we
we're soon on good terms
The Dalsotas, unless they have been
corrupted by bad white men, are
strictly and literally truthful One has
o be carcful'not to make a mistake in |
alking with them. When they asked
VOW many sleeps" (nights) before we
meant to do any certain thing, we had
o be sure OF the number for fear OF |
hooking them by not keeping our
word. One Is not allowed to change
mes mind about engagements,
ither. On one occasion we had |
rome the rounds of the camp |
nviting all, old and young. to
ort OF eptcrtainmcnt--a reception |
70 called II, for want of another name.
IN the day appointed was seized with
! fever, and NY sister decided that VIC
vo.id have 70 postpone our treat. So |