Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-31
GODDESS OF CRIMPS.
SIZE SHOWED THE SQUAWS HOW TO
WAVE THEIR HAIR.

and Carried the News TO the lndlan
Camp-Amusing RecolIections Of q From
tier Army Onicer's Wife.
"Children are alike the world over" Is
an oft heard remark. So is woman, say I,
when 1t comes TO longing for the beauti-
full, for what she considers personal adorn-
ment. In recalling my early married life,
away back in the sixties, spent in the
heart Of an Indian country, hundreds Of
miles from the nearest railroad, a comical
scene comes before my vision. My hus-
band, an army officer took me, BRIDE
from comfortable, we'll appointed Michi-
gan home out to tumble down, forlorn
little one company post in the wilds OF
New Mexico. Shall ever forget the day
of my arrival, after long days ride in
a rickety old stage through scorching sand
beds and miles of "buffalo grass" and
sagebrush, with dry, hot wind blowing
every step Of the way and fairly boiling
the very water In our canteens?
The sun was setting when my husband
exclaimed, "There is Fort st. Annie" l
saw by the aid Of strong fieldglass tat
tered "Old Glory" which the wind threat
ened to soon sever from its long, slender
pole, and under it's folds sentry on his
the houses, which saw not and said so,
whereupon Captain J. pointed to the right
and said, "There is our house" Ye Next
cansl That upheaval on the side OF the
bank from which q rusty, cracked stove
pipe peeped2 That "our houseY
But was a bride then, and many happy
days were spent in tho "dugout" house,
and was not at all idle, though my house
hold duties were light in that humble
abode, consisting Of one room or an apol-
opy for two for / partitioned 1t off with
a large gray government blanket, behind
which was the bedchamber. cut a small
hole unbeknown In the blanket by the
bed, through which often peeped into the
drawing room at the late callers and If on
sufficiently intimate terms carried on con-
versation at my end Of the line, reclining
In state, glancing from my observatory
now and then to see the effect of my re-
marks upon our callers seated there with
my good captain on the upholstered can
die boxes and the three legged stool-the
stool that found on tho prairie bcdded
deep in some sand and sagebrush, relic
Of some camping outfit gone to no one
knows where.
This small post was in tho center Of an
Indian reservation, and the post trader
did large business with the braves and
their consorts. l. being the only white
woman in that vicinity, was naturally
never falling source of amusement and
keen interest to the squaws of the COM
munity, and my comical recollection, pre-
viously mentioned, is connected with these
wild eyed, wondering women.
In the day Of the crimping pin was
standing before a cracked hand mirror,
a. 10
dams, who were pleased as monkeys over
them, twisting my long brown hair in and
out of the crimping pin. My maid u
buxom dumpy squaw, stood gazing at
me, giving vent to an occasional grunt and
protruding her upper lip. She also hap
pened to see me take down my crimps,
when she fairly shook with delight and
admiration and made excited gesticula-
tions, which amused me greatly, as l dis
covered she wanted her hair done In like
manner. To braid horses mane and
have 1t wave nicely is an act, but nothing
when compared to coaxing crimp into In
dian hair. An hours work saw the task
done, however, and my Indian maid wait
cd in feverish impatience for the morrow's
dawn, before which l made her understand
those pins were not to be taken down II
she wished her hair like mine.
The morrow came at snail's pace to her,
and with 1t Singing Bird, smiling and ex-
pectant. The ecstasy of that poor, simple,
lately captured Indian squaw as one pin
after another was unfastcned and the blue
black masses of wavy hair fell over her
head and shoulders was worth an artists
brush. / admired and praised her. but not
more than she did herself. No court beauty
was ever moro bewitched by herself than
she. Crimps or no crimps, the breakfast
had to he prepared, but no other labor
would Singing Bird do that morning, not
until she had gone to the Indian camp
and sutler store and shown herself. What
was tho verdict of her lady friends? They
all, each and every dusky, horsehaired
squaw of each and every topee on that arid
plain, returned with my vain Bird, asking
that their hair be made cheap good" like
white squaws and Singing Birds.
had heard of fashions spreading rapid
ly, but never like unto this, and the au-
thor Of 1t tool Horrors, those 80 or more
heads to pull and twistl l saw no way
out of the appalling dilemma and calling
the source of all my trouble sent her to
the post traders with a note begging him
to send me post haste all the hairpns he
had in stock. The labor was great, and
the heads were many, but Singing Bird
soon acquired the art and was of great as
sistance as she put up nearly as many
heads as I, and such lot of friZzly heads
as there were in that agency the next day
for many days, In fact No matter what
their deprivations might be- their heads
We're wavy. 1t mattered little II the moe
casins of their lords and masters were
worn out and beads dropping off for want
of diligent wifely attention, that wife's
hair went in pins every night
shall ever remain as being set apart
the goddess of crimps in the minds of the
squaws of that section, but fear me am
remembered as teacher of evil ways by
the heads Of those tepees.-J. Williams in
Detroit Free Press.
lawson and the Bottle.
Cir Wilfrid rn.-r lint hn