The evening times., 1896-10-21

aud far betw cen. Under such circumstances
you viii understand that housekeeping is
a very different question from that of our
many-roOmed houses, Nth all the advan-
tages aud facilities OF civilization But the
squaw understands INA king the best OF it
all. She clea ms house frequently and very
effectively. Having selected a new patch
OF ground. she has the tent moved to II and
pitched inside out. Thus the side that be-
fore as washed by the rain and beached
by the sun is now inside, and the soiled
side " i'll in its turn. BE- cleansed. The earth
floor is clean. and il only remains to have
the household belongings swept and trans
ferred. 1t is all done very quickly and
50 easily as to fill With envy the civilized
house cleaner. who struggles with scrub
brush and pail.
This, you see, is impossible when they
live in log huts. and it is in the cause Of
cleanliness that they often move back into
their tents. The houses in Thar region are
made OF unpeeled logs, With the inter
stices filled up " ith mud. These are what
the whites live n as we'll as the Indians.
They have dirt floors. Inca 81 OF heavy rain
the mud becomes softencd and pours in
over everything, which is very trying to
the careful house life, as yoI may imagine.
Most people seem to know absolutely
| nothing OF Indian nature" continued Miss
| Fletcher. My observation show them 10
| be very affectionatc in their home circle
| and perfectly devoted to their children
| Often have seen bold warrior walk the
| floor all night. trying to soothe fretful
| child, so as TO save his ife They make
| good husbands. for if they do not behave
| the wife has the privilege of dismiSsing
them They are merry people. too, in pri-
vate life, aging all manner of harmless
tricks on one another and having no
| end OF jokes
THE sQUAW's POSITION.
| "A great deal has been said about the
| wretched position Of the Indian woman in
| old times but a. matter of fact size waS i'll
many wa - to be envIed. She was the toiler
| it Is true. but IN woInan's lap all the peace
fuI arts ana industries Ufthc world have had
| their birth Her labor gave her importance.
| She tanned the skins raised 'hc grain and
made The tents But the, were all heTs
| Her rights Were regarded as sacred
| Her COUNSEL was sought on all grave Occa
| surs and her voice carried weight. HcI
| position WAS really one OF great dignity.
| There WAS a reason why the men did not
| labor They were warriors and hunters, and
must therefore. be ever ready % wICd off
| the stack Of an approaching enemy. ii
! ratisued with huuseLuid and field iabor
,lIey would have been useless i'll emcrSen
cIes. As hunters they must work nard tc
provide their families with food.
AT pres ent the Indian woman lis in very
sad position. She has lost her old place .'nC
has not found a new one The men ars
,Isurpinc her duties and with then tine priv
ilcees. They are il q transition state
which always means suffering An OLD
warrior came to me one day with tears In
his eyes and begged me to save the ln'iian
women We don't want To see them de
graded to the position held by the wive'
Of ehc white men he SAID.
The greatest misery exists among the
native women of Alaska. The whites nave
gone among them, robbed them OF theiI
religion leaving them only the supersti
tions and running the young giriS. Ihere
is no marriage ceremony among the indiahs
but the white man must be held by CERTAIN
laws and restrictions, or he VIII not do Ms
duty. Therefore have the men gone among
the Alaskan Indians and taken TO hve Wlti
then. the native girls, only Ia desert then
and their children when the fancy taxes
them TO return home. This Is true oil OH
| GERS in the highest positions, as wen as o.
| the toughest element
There is a saving among the ihoiah'
that The white man is like the turtle
WHO leaves his eggs to be hatched by th'
sun and takes no heed Of his children. IL
| the Indian. this is incomprchcnsi,ie. Ih
result of this conduct is that Alaska is rui
of r.,iueh women with fatherlesS Children
LOVERS GIFTS.
The Indian women look with pride upor
| the cu stoyu that makes a lover gave Naludpi'
| gifts to the father of the gifl ne wants
marry. They say it shows his appreciated
1 of the treasure he seeks Ia MAKE his OWL
In ne sense is it Il sale. Itis expected 'hat
after the young people begin houscketpihe
goods To an equal value shall bcpresentedt u
, them by the girls parents II Is only d NAV
ter of CUSTOM
After b.inp among the Dakotas and oma
| has for same time, Miss Fletcher came
| washington 10 heg certain favors ior 'het
| from Congress She was successful, pe
wns asked to see the reforms she advocate
' carried out personally. This she DID, IL
ing among them altogether Tor lourtee
vo,rs she administered for them at on
| tine n million and half acres MIS-
Fletcher says the Indians are much MOI
pe:.cea,dy inclined than The whites oil
has belDe,i to have educated a great man
: of the children one of her former pr
tepes is Mr. La Ficche one of the cicve
est gentlemen employed in the indian 81
reau He is now preparing d very van
able work about his people.
While on the plains Miss Fletcher W;
.dnvinp thre,. horses.' as she expresSe
il. She w Us doing government WORK, MAJ
ing archaeological researches and DON
nhiIantbropic work at the same time ~
left them only after q serious Illness. VINO
aitacked her as a result oil her hardsiiii
+ and has left her somewhat lame Tor III
She now holds u fellow ship at darNai
, College. and has there n superb coiiecu'
!, of Indian trophies She is unable 10 q
s du;.e the severe climate of Boston for III
length of time, and so keeps her BONE
: washington, making occasional trps
$ rho confer of learning. y very lovely bon
: Miss Fletcher has too, on Capitoi ni
J, surrounded by garden sweet with mar
{ flowers and shaded by fine trees, She
quite alone in the worii
! E--
+ S,os To Baltimore and Re ST
D turn via Penna. X. X.
: Tickets will be sold Saturday and sunda