The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-04-13
Stories of an inland State.

1t was in his power to punish Misty
Dawn and punish her severely and he in
tended 10 do so. About sunset next even
ing, true 10 her promise, she called upon
him on the matter of pronunciation.
He motioned her TO a seat sternly and sat
down opposite himself.
But he could not find it in his heart to
reprimand this woman. Something within
him told him while she might be his Of
ricial charge still there was an irrepressi-
BILE conviction that she was his equal be-
fore God. that harshness would fall on bar
rem ground and that he must persuade
rather than force.
So he said kindly: misty Dawn, how
would you like to read other books besides
Shakespeare
Misty Dawn was overioyed.
Then she fell TO talking rapidly to the
Agent, who had never before seen chat
terbox among the Indians, and who per-
mitted her to chatter on, stopping her fire.
quently to correct the pronunciation of
word.
At last Misty Dawn approached the sac
red subject of savagery. She had felt
superiority to her own race. She did not see
anything curious IN that, curously as the
Agent looked at her as she proceeded.
Misty DAWN the Agent said at last.
THE difference between a savage and civil
liZed nation is too hard for me TO explain.
Civilized or savage, we all come to COM
mon end. We, savage and civilized alike,
are such things as dreams are made of and
our little lives are rounded with a sleep
Misty Dawn's eyes sparkled and she
clasped her hands before her.
81 belong to one race; you another. My
race is the stronger: hence it is more civil
lized. We set the standard. We say to the
other races: Our clothes are the right
kind. Drop your blankets You can not
say your blankets are warmer and more
comely for we are the stronger and can
force you to wear our clothes. We say to
your race: Come. your God is myth.
Take our Coo who is not While both
Gods are invisible and guess-work, you
must obey because we are the stronger
Misty Dawn, You must never say this to
any oneI l would lose my place for such
an expression. Then our race says to
yours: You must throw your many wives
aside and have but one, because one Is
best though half the world today is poly
gamous-that is many wives to one man.
That is right" cried Misty Dawn i'm
petuously.
Where did you learn that?" asked the
Agent surprised.
Misty Dawn is most solemn. There
shall be one man for one woman. Misty
Dawn's heart tells her that. Is the man
then so great that he can cut his love in
half and not diminish it Shall -
Misty Dawn" interrupted he, true to
his purpose. Those is in diminish are
short So diminish -
Shall the women then she continued
not noticing him, give him all and receive
but moiety in return
"Misty Dawn" he said laughing. "You
are probably right But 'moiety' isn't used
any more. But, Misty Dawn, if you were
the stronger race you would say to US:
Here, bid your wives take off their corsets,
for they are inhuman.'
What" asked Misty Dawn with curl
Gus accent on the word. lis corset?"
Don't you know, Misty Dawn? Doesn't
Miss Ames wear one?''
The young girl shook her head obviously
''She IS sensible. A corset, Misty Dawn,
is a short garment full of long bending
bones, narrow in the middle, and women
bind ii around their waists to make them
slender there. II is cruel, murderous but
the white man says it is pretty and the
women wear it,
THAT is most wrong" said Misty Dawn.
but remember, the Indian. Has he not
like vanity?
Perhaps he has. But Misty Dawn. What
we are trying to do, we white people, is TO
make you Indians civilized.
And give us corsets?''
perhaps, but more than that. We want
to rid you OF polygamy."
MANY wives?''
"Yes"
THAT is most excellent"
$50 indeed il is. But we must sometimes
be harsh. We must educate the Indians
We must keep them in school That 1 have
tried TO do. Black Eagle takes his children
out Of school 1 try to make him put them
back. You have prevented me-
misty Dawn sees now" she said rising.
1.-The Indians shall come back to school,"
When she left the Agent recalled with
amusement her determined manner. He
would watch for the outcome.
Misty Dawn at dawn the next day was at
the wigwam of Black Eagle.
"Papooses must go to school, she said
Black Eagle and his wives looked at her
in establishment.
yes" SAID Misty Dawn In English. "I
have fed YOU. I will feed you no more You
will die, Cor you will not have to eat. Get
me the children"
The three Indians addressed stood silent.
You do not thank Misty Dawn, then?
She asked this. And does a good Indian
forget?"
Black Eagle turned with that abruptness
IN nd haa Ly fr+ tbo
wigwam.
Presently he returned. Three little Indians
shufiei behind him.
Misty Dawn's black eyes beamed with
triumph. She had not expected so easy a
task.
The morning sun, as a great bubble. lift
ed slowly above the eastern mills. It's yell
low rays fell on the young girls raven
locks and made them glisten brightly. 1t
struck her face and painted the transpar-
ency Of her white cheeks. marbled the high
forehead. the graceful clean-cut nose, the
patrcian outline of her face.
WHAT a contrast between her and the two
red. stupid squaws, in their blankets,
standing loosely and bent. their bare
breasts dropping low, their stomachs pro-
tubing, the black lank hair falling on their
low foreheads and their mouths large and
distorted.
Misty Dawn felt the difference though she
old not see it, being a part Of the tableau
the morning sun revealed. She looked the
ht,le Indians over critically. Then she
1rew forth from her shavl-she had dis
carded the blanket-a little comb and be-
gan 10 pet the children and comb their hair.
The squaws smiled broadly.
Then she took them tS a little creek aai
washed their faces and taking them back
20 the w;gwsm babe them put on their