The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-04-27

AMONG THE SIOUX.
A WOmans Experience During The Pine Ridge Troubles.
BY EMMA C. sICKELs.

his utmost efforts. Such course would be
consistent with his whole career of treachery
and disorder. This conviction was borne out by
subsequent events. ] was determined to see
Little Wound, carry to him the messages of
peace with which / had been commissioned,
and learn his grievance.
After much difficulty in obtaining horses
started for Little Wounds camp with two of
my former pupils-yOung men-members of
Little Wounds band. My only safety lay in
my defenseessness, going to the camp as a
friend. attended only by two of his followers.
| found the Chief with few of his men at
log house near his camp, suspicious and des-
perate preparing for self-defense with guns and
arrows. | should not have respected him had
he not under the circumstances, taken meas
ures to protect his band, who were in hourly
expectation of an attack by the soldiers. The
girls afterward told me that their mothors lay
all night trembling in fear.
told the Chief that had not forgotten that
when my life was in danger, because Red Cloud
wanted to burn down the school-house and
kill me, he little Wound) had brought his
men and saved our lives. ] had heard that
now my old friends were in danger, and / had
come with messages from the great men in
Washington, who wanted to know what the
trouble was, and what cOuld he done to stop it.
He said that his people had been sick; that
they had but little food, as the crops had failed;
there was II o I6eu lot tuo POultSI luStedu oi tue
payment of 100000 which had been promised
that year, in fufillment of the treaty they had
been compelled to sign, there was 100000
pounds less of beef than before, and all the
people were in great trouble
told him that had read in the newspapers
that he was making war. He replied that
Red Cloud had been getting the Indians into
bad ways and when it was being found out he
told all the men who made the papers that /
baA 10 at
grandson at Carlisle which, he said, made his
heart bad" 1t read:
DEAR GRANDPA: When ! am reading in
the newspapers it makes me shamed about
what you doing in ghost dancing"
! asked him TO tell me about the ghost dance.
He explained that lone white man had said TO
the Indians: There is one religion, that is, to
sing and pray but that way does not help the
Indians There is another religion-by way of
ghost dancing, which would help all the In
dams l thought if anything would help the
Indians / would look to it and see, but have
found that the ghost dancing does not help,
and | have put it away"
The keynote of despair was struck in the
words repeated by Yellow Hair, Little Wounds
Lieutenant: "All the white folks think that
we are all bad" This was repeated over and
over by different ones during the interview.
! replied that bad white folks aud bad In
dams had been keeping the others apart and
getting them into trouble, but if now the best
people of both races could be better acquainted
and work together we would have the trouble
stopped. / had brought words of peace. /
would tell every body about the hard times the
Indians were having and we would work to-
gether to stopit. / would write in the news
papers, and l would take back their words to
those from whom had come.
! left the camp and went back to the Agency,
to fluid that there my return had been given up,
in the belief that my errand had been fatal.
Their fears were nearly realized the follow
ing day when / made my next visit to the
camp The mischief-makers made me the sub
ject of their efforts, tanning the flames of dis
trust and suspicion.
l found Little Wound and his men on the
alert, ready with guns and knives. / told the
Chief that l bad fulfilled my promise, and
wanted to talk with him again.
He went into his tepee, and heard clank-
ing sound. | called him and he came out, fol-
lowed by seven men with guns and knives.
We went to little knoll not far away and held
another conference. told him that had been
thinking about the trouble that his people were
in, and wished that all the white people knew
about it. Would he like to go to Washington
and tell those who were there? Little Wounds
face grew black. / could see the men tighten
their grasp upon their knives, and knew that
my lie was in the balance.