The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-03-24
SITTING BULL DINED OUT
HOW HE WAS ENTERTAINED IN HIS
FIRST SUIT OF CLOTHES.

Young Clergyman Put Bau spirit III
the Meat and Potatoes.
It was back in the seventies when a
camp of civil engineers constituted what Is
now the well known city Of Fargo, N. ID.
My husband was among the number, and
l. with our little daughter, had recently
joined him.
heard an unusual commotion outside
the tent before rising in the morning, and
peeping out, saw party Of eight or ten
Indians, full blooded Sioux from the Mis-
souri, valley, on their way to pay visit to
the Great Father" in Washington.
Among them was the willy, keen witted,
merciless savage who afterward became SO
famous-Sittiug Bull They had left their
native haunts clad only in their native
garb, but at Bismarck two or three of them
had succeeded the evening before they left
in inducting themselves into some of the
cast oil clothing Of Fort Lincoln soldiers,
Over these they had thrown their own
blankets, so Sitting Bull had not discOy-
cred the change until the next morning,
While openly scOiIing at such degeneracy,
luG lulGlpttNGA dNNbAlAIh4N AhN NANhA NSAN
us the chief was secretly chagrined at not
having procured such gorgeous raiment
for himself and upon his arrival at Fargo
he declined to be presented to the poten-
tates of the Northern Pacific railroad until
properly attired.
HE GOT THE CLOTHES.
As lie was resolute in his desire TO have
white mems clothes Il contribution was
levied on different members of the encamp-
ment, the result OF which, although salts
factory to him, struck the rest OF us as in
expressibly ludicrous The only pair of
trousers whose waistband was suited to his
girth belonged TO Il very short man, and
gave to their present wearer that laugh
able appearance inSeparable from abbrc-
waited neither garments. As no ordinary
masculine sock WAS long enough to ill the
gap between shoes and trousers, Aunt
Venny, the huge old negro cook, was call
ed 10 the rescue, and pair of snow white
stockings were given to him. There was,
of course, some difficulty III giving these
the smooth, unwrinkled appearance de
sirable, but the ebony aunty got round tue
difficulty by fastening hose and trousers
together with those useful little articles
known as safety pins
One of our brawny teamsters contributed
q shirt. Flannel shirts were in general
wear among our engineers, and white
one, commonly known US u boiled one, was
AL almost unknown luxury. However,
one of the men resurreCted one long
buried hidden in trunk, and TO Sitting
Bulls great satisfaction, he was instructed
as TO the approved manner of entrance
and exit. \ vest was not TO be found, and
il seemed for a time that civilization as
represented by u coat was for him still in
the dim future. But here again his good
genius in the shape Of the fat old negress
intervened. A coat having been found
whose only objection was its extreme mar
rowness across the back, this ingenious
woman energetically ripped the center
seam and inserted broad stripe of vivid
red, cut from heavy blanket. A stove
pipe hat polished TO the last degree was
found, and thus equipped the famous chief
tain made his debut before the presiding
officials Of the enCampmeut.
The wives of several of the officers had
been at various times residents in the camp,
but Just then ! chanced to be left alone
with my little girl to represent our sex.
had been warned Of the impending call,
but had been told nothing of the change Of
raiment, and when this astounding toilet
appeared before NE, the keeping Of the
muscles of my face under control, and
maintaining a gravity beiitting the Occa-
sion, was the great triumph Of my life.
My little daughter was not so fortunate,
t1tt fn
ious burst of mirth, causing her father to
instantly seize and bear her ignominiously
from the tent.
Iproudly felt that | was acquitting my
self very creditably during the interview,
and as had been instructed to invite the
chieftain to dine with US in due form and
state, did so.
AT THE DINNER TABLE.
Among our guests that day was young
eastern Clergyman, making his first trip
over the prairies. He was a very jealous
youth, strongly imbued with the mission
ary spirit, albeit sadly lacking in expert
ence. soon saw he looked upon the meet
ing with these Indians as a special proyi-
dence, and burned with a desire to turn it
to account in their behalf spiritually Still
no opportunity seemed to offer, and we
took our places at the table.
The young Clergyman rose from his seat
and, with arms extended over the table
loudly invoked blessing upon our feast
Despairing of any other chance, | suppose,
he deXterously interwove a petition for the
conversion Of the grim old savage before
him, making in all rather lengthy pre-
amble
The old warrior evidently regarded this
devout exercise as some sort Of incantatiOn
by a medicine man Of the pale faces, de-
signed to affect food for as our minister,
in his eagerness to offer a suitable petition,
wildly waved his hands over the various
dishes, Sitting Bull glanced suspiciously
from one article Of food 10 another, then to
the faces Of the white men, and finally sank
sullenly back in the unaccustomed chair.
When at length his plate was filled and
sent round to him, no glowered over it,
muttered and grunted, but made no at
tempt to eat. In distress beckoned 10 the
halfbreed who served as interpreter and
who hung about the tent awaiting his turn
to eat, After series of grun;s exchanged
with the savage, the halfbreed Informed us,
bEcdJ Cnlcl say WulLC ultulClnt nun put
bad spirit in meat and potatoes. If chief
cat, maybe he be weak and never travel to
sec the Great Father"
A long examination ensued, and at last
our grim guest fell upon his long delayed
dinner with fierce appetite. Irlgret to say
however, that in the training Of his child
hood table manners must have been sadly
neglected The only possible use he could
see for fork was to reach forth with his
grimy hands and spear various articles OF
food which appeared to him desirable.
At the close Of the meal the perscvering
little minister was on the watch for his op.
portunity, and, as we were now better pre-
pared, decent silence ensued, and we
bowed our heads with due reverence for
the return of thanks. The poor man opened
his mouth and had uttered but word or
two Of adiuration when Sitting Bull rose
and with one stride reached him, placed his
hand over the parsons mouth, and with al
emphatic mo, no. once enough; no more