Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1894-10-27
THE STORY OF CHIPITA

man on the cracker-boX. Il We lived
here in Decatur now Tor % years,
'thout Il dav oil, in full sight OF the
government reservashun, and I'm free
To say that the uncivilized son OF the
forest is the only kind take any stock
in as rule. Ell you'll look up on
them bluffs around this town, and see
the neat little cottages government has
built for the wild red men, an take
notice that not mothers son of 'em
lives there, you'll see how much they
'preciate civilized life. The first thing
they do is To board up the windows
and shut off the chimnevs. So tibet it
they did take notion to live in them
the smoke would make EN- feel nj
home. We amt in it with the red
man when il comes 10 gcttin' govern
ment rations, tepces an blankets, an
SIGH"
but they once owned the very land
that we are now building our magniti-
cent modern cities upon" said the man
from Boston, who was waiting Tor the
stage.
Owned nuthin.' II was their loaiin
ground correct enough. but they didn't
pillow nor SOW nor reap nor build houses
20 stories high, did they? ] recon
not. They ct the wild plmms that fell
inter their mouths and shot enough
game to keep EN- in vittle>. IN they
tore round and scsilpe'l each other
when they couldn't reach white man,
and pow vowed generally. | amt no
patience with sich talk. I've been
postmaster, express agent, livery stable
keeper, deputy sheriff. stage driver and
grocery man here for quarter OF Il
century. an | know all about the good
points of an lnjun. an there's mighty
few. You lis' civilize em an they'll
Quito the whites in pure cusse'lnes:.'
"Are there any civilized Indians
here" asked the man from Boston.
Not To hurt. stranger. not To hurt.
That minds me of one case. though.
that were very iniere>tin'. The stage
is late, an I'll have time To tell it if 81
he would like to hear me.
1t would give me great pleasure. |
have much sympathy with the Indians.
They are To me types OF the ancient
Romans, and doubt not were once a
glorious people"
"IIum. Mebbe. | amt disputln'
We, stranger, but there amt much
galory for me in nation tibet eats dog.
Amt never been able to keep dog
since | lived near the reservashun.
Howsumever, thet'> neither here nor
there. think il would make likely
study, and | wunder So few folks are
interested, but the most of my friend,
want 10 get rs far from an lnjun as
they can, specially if they hey likely
hair 10 lose.
But now about civilizing 'em,
have seen Il lot OF stuff tellin' warns
about lnlun schools, and there's Il
woman Twin here now who was /:
teacher, an she made out that e1
scholars they beat the whites all I,
pieces. Mebbc, But now | want tc
tell Won some of the customs of thes,
ere redskins The school people com,
around gittin' little girls To be taught
while learniD' in the lniun schools, an
Il bargain is made Injun fashion about
their comm back. Cause why? Tn,
little girls are bcIrothed, as we call it
in their papoose days to the littl,
braves, an when they grow up they'r,
expected to mary EN-. Its Il contract
twixt an tween parents. an Their,
amt no discuun,in' it.
Now I'm going TO tell you how il
works. Their was little gal AT III,
reservashun who was betrothed b,
her folks to one of her own tribe
which were the Chippewas, or as the,
cali themselves, the Ojibwas. Well
that gal went oil to one of them lnlur
schools on: in Colorady somewhere
an when she was growed-up Mr.
lnlun sends word To her he was read,
to he married, an 'cortlin' 10 III,
pledge back she comes and marie.
him. She were fixed up ALFRED fine
an was han some. too, an he was {:
blanket lniun with long hair. an eat
dog with the rest. lie took her To 8
government tepee, and over the door
he writ welcome with black Goa
like this:
"SHAwAINDACGooZ
That means good luck in their par
ley. lie had some wooden plates an
he cooked the !ust meal. an wher
hipita, or Mrs Naungizzle, for thai
was his name, were done eatin.' Sh,
SAYS:
where's the finger bowls
Whats the matter with wipin' yer
hands on yer hair. Chip, the way
We was brung up says her hus
band in his own tongue, an that
ended their honeymoon. As soon Il,
he went to the lodge, she writ pink
note sayin' she was goin' back to
teach in the school, an he needn't
foller her, thank you
"And did he follow her ?" asked the
Bostonian.
well, he jist didn't She went one
way an he went tn other. an neither
one 'em showed up for bout three
wears Then Mr.. Naungizzie comes
home dressed up in plaid hand me-
down suit. with WELLER shoes an blue
tie. Lord, il would have killed YOU
to see him, an his hair cut poppydoor,
an he.sent off for Chipita, an stranger
she come. But when she looked at
him she nearly tainted. Ses she
You make me tired and she made
him dress out in mocassins an blank
ets hafnro she ,youll S,,oal IA hin,