Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-09-12
children we're marching some bays. il

children we're marching some bays, in
passing called out, *Squaw, squaw,
blanketty squaw." A change came
over Tonquepah, quick as lightning
she drew herself up to her full hight,
her eyes flashed fire, and tearing the
rose from her breast she threw it on
the ground and tread it under foot,
breaking ranks she left the group and
walked proudly to her room. No n
followed her, no one said a word about
the matter, her teacher we'll knew the
child was at war, within herself, the
savage and the civilian we're fighting
for the mastery.
After Tonquepah had been at school
three months, Sacalac called one day
to see her. The proud Sioux seemed
afraid that his child might be learning
to forget her father and despise her
race, but when he, tall and straight
as an arrow wrapped tightly in his
blanket, entered the school, and little
Tonquepah met him in the reception
room, also in blanket a dark smile
spread over his face. The father and
daughter chatted, together, and then
the teacher, invited old Sacalac to
visit the large assembly room where
the pupils had met. Tonquepah
rejoined her class. The girls Of the
school were all neatly dressed but,
Tonquepah mingled with them still
dressed as a savage. They sang several
song in the Sioux. language, and recited
dialogues, much to the delight of the
old ioux warrior present. The school
marched and counter marched dis
playing their neat personal appear
ance. but little Tonquepah did not
look happy. When the exercises were
ended, the teacher called Tonquepah
aside and spoke to her for a few min
utes, after which the child disappeared.
Sacalac was taken back to the recep-
ton room, and told that Tonquepah
would join him in a short time, which
she did dressed in elegant style, and
led into the room by her favorite
teacher. She entered with q flushed
face, that gave her a queenly appear
ance while her dark eyes shone with.
lustrous pride. Marching up to her
father, sitting on a sofa with his
course blanket folded around him, she
stood before him transfixed between
fear, hope and pride. The old Sioux,
when he beheld her, and the fullness
Of the fact that this is. Tonquepah
took possession Of him, appeared to
pass through q terrible ordeal. The
Indian is never emotional, to him
nothing dare be q surprise. Death
life, heaven, hell must be to the true
Indian as simple matters, but here
the old warrior arose to- his feet, he
looked, and looked again, his eyes.
filled with tears, he groaned in spirit.
For once the Indian was lost, then as
If gathering himself he reached out his.
hand. and said to his child, TONGUE
pah, it is best, now you are the most
DcduCAAuA Al GuO oOAOOAs yON - y
Sioux, however"
Never again did Tonquepah don the
blanket. She became q bright scholar,
and today is more dearly beloved by
the Sioux nation then any Indian
maiden who ever dwelt among the
whites. Sacalac is proud of his
daughter, yet he is SO thoroughly an
Indian that nothing could induce him
to lay aside the blanket or accept.
rations at the agency. The white,
race he says is a race Of women,.
it is not made for the chase or the
field, therefore he is content that his
child should reap the rewards that
belong to her sex He quite often
comes to the mission to see her teach,,
and never fails to remind her that she,
is a Sioux, and must uphold the
grandeur Of her race.