The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1897-03-06
THE INDIAN HUSBAND.
He Tends Eaby and Is an Example Go
P~aIefnee Fathers.

PaIefaee Fathers.
It is interesting to hear a white wom-
an declare that Indian women are not.
80 badly treated by their husbands as
is believed generally. Miss Alice
Fletcher, who is one of the
most eminent students of eth
nology in the country, defends
the Indian in many respects in which
he has been subjected to sever eriti-
cism. She first became acquainted
with Indian and customs
when she took part in the opening of
Indian mounds in different parts of h
! country, from Florida to Maine. Then
she made up her mind to live among
them, so tina she could obtain q cor
rect knowledge of them in their most
irtimate relations. She took up her
abode with the Dakotas, some 20 years
ago, and learned more about Indian
nature from close observation than any
other white woman in America.
With regard to the habits of the In
dams, and the superstition that they are
dirty in their persons, Miss Fletcher
says that she has found them neater
and cleaner than white people SO sit
uated would be-
Indians have no stationary bathtubs,
with hot and cold running water. They
lave to carry every drop they use from
some reel in the neighborhood. Hence
they are not so ready to wash as they
might be otherwise. They are far away
from civilization, living in one room, or
tent. Every article they use In their
domestic economy must be brought
a long distance, and is therefore cost
~ and hard to get The Indians have
no money and no way of earning any.
As O consequence they do not buy many
cooking utensils.
How does the sqpaw clean house?
She does it frequently n effectively,
according TO Miss Fletcher. She selects
a new patch of ground where she thinks
1t would be pleasant and convenient
to pitch a tent Then she has the tent
removed to it and pitched, inside out.
Thus the side that was before washed
by the rain and bleached by h sun
is turned inward, and the soiled,
smoked side that was the walls and roof
Of the old home Is exposed to the rain
and sum, and In due time becomes clean
enough for another reversal. The earth
floor is clean, and it only remains for
the household belongings to be swept
and transferred. This is the moving
is done, and there is no cranky
landlord to find fault with the state OF
the old home, or demand rent In adj
vance for the new.
Talking about the behavior of Indian
men TO their squaws, Miss Fletcher
declares that the husbands are affec-
ticnate In their home circles, and par
ticularly af~bectionate to the children.
A bold warrior will often walk the
floor all night, trying TO soothe a fretful
child, while the wife SAUNDERS calmly,
Just as we hear of their doing In white
American families. The Indian is a
good husband, as a rule, because If he
does not behave himself h wife has
the privilege of Diminishing him, and
finding some one else to take his place.
Indians + a merry people in private
life, In spite of all that is said of their
imperturbable gravity. Your Indian en-
joys a joke as much as anyone, and
there are plenty of jests among them
selves IN the security of their villages
ava from Caucasian observation.
1t appears that the Indian woman is
not In as good a position now as she
was In the old days, on account of the
ways of tho white people obtaining a
hold among the red men. Miss Fletcher
say That IN old warrior came TO her
che day with tears in his eyes and im-
plored her to save the Indian ONE
Said he:
I'VE don't want to see them degrade
to the position held by the white wives
of the white MENU. Y. Press.