The Irish standard., 1898-05-14

and the Smithsonian Institute at Wash
ington had prepared some books in the
Sioux language but they were imperfect
compared with the books afterward
printed by the Abbot.
Sitting Bull, Red Cloud and Spotted
Tail had returned from Washington
shortly before the visit of the Abbot
to Dakota, where they had refused to
sign a treaty hastily prepared by Gen.
Sherman. and at Standing Rock as we'll
as the Red Cloud agency, there wero
mutterings among the Indians of going
on tho warpath. This did not deter the
fearless Abbot. He went forth on the
trackless prairies, amid the ficrcenoss
Of the blizzards of the Northwest, Wis
iting hundreds of wgwams. Although
the white man was looked upon With
suspicion. he WAS not molcstcd. His man
ncr indicated that he was friendly He
shared the hardshirs of the Indians,
who soon, instead of looking upon him
with Indifference or disrust, began to
regard him as a friend. He devoted
every moment of his time to a study OF
the language. lie was a liguist OF much
ability, being perfectly familiar with
Latin and Greek. rs we'll as all Of the
principal modern European tongues, bat
it was no easy matter for him TO carry
out his cherished undertaking of writing
Il Sioux grammar and dictionary The
Sioux lacks the sound Of +, l., V, but has
peculiar sounds of its own. and it is
exceedingly difficult to learn.
In less than six months tho Abbot
could preach very well in Sioux and in
nine months he was so eloquent in that
tongue that Indians came for many
miles to hear him preach. No family ties
admonishcd him to have care for his
personal safety, and when he slept on
blanket on the ground at night he hal
no concern lest he should be scalpcd he
fore morning. At night he had friendly
Indians repeat to him in their own
tongue the name of objects and things
All of this he carefully recorded and
stored away and in one year he returned
to th" monastery In Spencer county,
Ind, to prepare his grammar and die
| tonary. The magnitude of THIS undor-
| taking was only exceeded by the diff
| Guilty he had in gathering the nfurma-
| tion. He prepared the two books in the
| college printing Office and while doing
| so taught several brothers in tho order
| the Sioux language in order that they
| might accompany him on his mission
when he returned. He went back to the
| Standing Rock agency in 1878. to remain
J permanently. having resigned as Abbot.
He was accompanied hy several brothers.
| After this he Travelled East ON a col
| lection tour to obtain the necessary
means for the subsistence of his mis-.
sion Ills second visit to st. Mcinarh was
| for the purpose of taking with him
other assistants, consisting of one priest
and several Sisters of the l,cnc-
dlctinc Order from Ferdinand, Ind. Thcs
sisters, and brothers knew the Sioux Ian
glInsc thoroughly before they SET foot in
Dakota. and their work was made COM
paralivcly easy among the savagrs,
who looked upon them with fricndIInns,,
even upon their first visit, because they
| spoke their own tongue. They were en-
ablcd to establish schools, and their sue
cess was and is today the wonder of
all who have had dealings with this OK
cccdingly hostile tribe.
Sitting Bull became the fast friend of
the Abbot. Many stories are related Of
how he took his life in his own hands
and faced the infuriacd Sioux, but the
mldnoss of his manner ana the indie
scrbablc candor that bcnmcd from his
conntcnancc nearly always Gained them
Indian history probably docs not tell
of Il more gruff. cruel, daring and war
loving chief that Sitting Bull, yet he
bore strong affection for the Abbot, and
through him negotiated terms of pcac,
with the federal troops. It is related
that on two occasions when Sitting Bull
was so mOrOsc and cnragch as tt
threaten death to anyone who came int
his presence, the Abbot calmly approach
ed him and mildly upbrai1ing him fol
his folly and licrccncss, finally brought
him around to pcacCablc terms.
The work begun by him is still, car
ricd on by his followers. And yet peo,
pie will say there are no heroes or mar
tyrs in these modern times. This kindlS
Abbot was as much a hero as Marquette
He Travelled almost constantly from For
TOttcn to the boundary line of Daknt;
touching the British possessions Tbs
heat of summer or the terrible cold O
winter had no tcrrOrs for him. He kn"n
nothing Of leisure. and it. was no won
der that in less than twenty years mi
life ended. lie did not rens" to Iabo
with the Indians even after being adj
vanccd for the purple by the pope
The fearless missionary wHs so mod
est that he is known to have waahct
dishes and performed ether mcnial wOri
while at the head of the Monastery q
st. Mcinrad Several Louisville boys. nov
grown to manhood, attended his college
On certain GccasiOn ono of llcm re
, aics, the Abbot ordered {, brother It