The morning news., 1894-09-21
Colonel JnO. Milfedge,


ular about his dress. A pair of leggiugs,
a cotton shirt and blanket compose his
wardrobe, to which is added a hat when
he goes visiting. He does not appreciate
trousers, and when pair is presented to
him he cuts away the upper portion and
uses the legs for leggings, ornamenting the
sides with fops of frayed cloth These
Indians are inveterate gam blers, and
play monte, poker and game of their
own with hundred points that would
bother the famous "Cavendish" to under
stand. The big chiefs commence gam
bling as soon as they get their govern
ment allowance, and they never stop uu-
Til the majority are penniless.
NO SCHOOLS OR MISSIONARIES.
The Kickapoos have no schools within
their reservation. There are no mission
aries there. But for the efforts of gen
tie Quaker lady, Miss Elizabeth Test,
who has successfully conducted a small
school in the Kickapoo country, the ris-
ing generation would be exceedingly dull
IN the matter of education. Miss Test
has been seventeen years among the Iu-
dians teaching the little pappooses the
primary steps toward an education.
She finds the work very thankess and
burdenSOme, and will soon take her
leave TO other and more congenial fields.
Last year she started in with nineteen
reluctant little Kickapoos, who came TO
her fresh from the lodges of their fathers,
wearing nothing but speckled shirts. leg
glngs and heavy crop of hair. The lit
tie girls were transformed into little
brown, black-eyed creatures, with shin
ing faces, clean print dresses, blue aprons
and clumsy boots. with their matted hair
smoothed back and held in place with the
old-fashioned round rubber comb Tho
BOYS were uncomfortable in coarse
clothes, heavy boots and cleanliness.
They would prefer TO loaf and play IN a
breech clout and pair of mOccasius
1t is considered a disgrace among the
hlckapoos to possess white mans knowl-
edge, and parents try to keep the fact that
their children are at school a profound
secret. On prairie knoll in the southern
part of the reservation stands a lonely,
rough board building. which was con-
str1cted by the government for a school
house, but it has never been used. Near
the center of the reservation on plateau,
which is adorned with a cluster of fine
old oak trees, is sacred spot where the
hlckapOOs bury their dead. 1t does not
look like graveyard. 1t looks more like
collection of wood piles. The graves of
the men and women are kept separate
and all are covered with piles of split oak
rails to prevent the wolves and coyotes
from digging up the bodies, which are
buried in shallow trenches. When a buck
dies his squaws repair to the graveyard
with blackened faces and, sitting on the
grave, wall for him. The noise thew
make is hideOusly weird and it is kept up
for several days.
PREY FOR DEPUTY MARsHALs.
The average Kickapoo regards this city
as the dwelling place of satan. No won
der they shudder when the word
Guthrie is mentioned in their pres
ence. United States deputy marshals.
who live on fees, have made life a burden
to the hickapOoS. An industrious mar
shal can easily gather up load of Kicka-
poos and cart them off to ail Each one
means fees TO the extent of $50, if he con-
victs them, and that is not a difficult lob
for deputy marshal.
The kickapoo country is rich in timber
The settlers who are fortunate enough TO
secure these lands will reap a rich har-
vest. Pecan, wild plum, hickory elm
red oak, post oak, jack oak, bur oak,
white oak, walnut, chitam persimmou
cottonwood and mulberry grow in pro-
fusion Wild birds and animals seem to
hold full sway in the Kickapoo reserva-
ton Thousands Of meadow larks fill the
air They hang to the stems of the golden
rod and pour out their tinklipg songs in
one grand chorus. There are red birds
and robins, wild canaries and the darting
scissor-tails with their pretty song and
beautiful plumage.
There are many game birds, including
the quail, prairie chicken and wild tur-
keys, on the reservation. OF the wild
animals th0re are the gray wolves, tim-
Der wolves, coyotes, wild cats, ,catamounts
and occasionally In the stiffness Of the
night the cry of the panther can be heard
in the dense forests along the Canadian
river The woods are full of the frisky
gray and fox squirrels, and as they play
fully leap from tree to tree they keep up
chatter that is confusion
Soon the Kickapoo reservation will be
opened TO settlement. and when that
time comes the sun Of this curious Indian
tribe will have nearly set. They are not
able to cope with the white mans civili-
zatiOn, ana whisky. With only so acres of
land apiece they will soon be out of the
race. Not a drop Of white blood courses
their veins, and in this their history is
full Of interest. Their final demise will
be hastened by the influences Of civiliza-
tion.