St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-01-15

OInycIUuS. I'm Out yoaa Sha 0uN
take her young and coeducate her
yourself.-Bill Arp. in Atlanta Consti-
:ution.
GHOST DANCE OF INDIANS.
Chief Little Wound Explains lta
Significance.
Indian logic has always been difficult
t. overcome by the whites who have
to deal with the government wards. but
the most embarrassing position l was
ever in. said DIR. McGillicuddy. FORM
e. agent at the Pine Ridge agency. was
when we representatives of the govern
ment sought to treat with the Indians
in their religious uprising at Pine Ridge
in 1890. The story of the outbreak has
never been told with such clearness as
at one of our conferences.
There were assembled at Pine Ridge
agency. in December. 1890. few days
prior to the famous Wounded Knee
battle, several government officers and
the Kiyaksa war chief, Little Wound,
now leading chief of the Sioux nation.
Little Wound was asked if he blamed
the agent for the coming of the soldiers
to stop the ghost dance. He answered
nc, and then said:
"My friends. over 60 winters have
passed over my head. / am too old to
dance. Now that you have asked me
about things l will tell you. The holy
men have for many years been telling
us that ages and ages ago you white
people became very wicked; you lost
the right road and denied your Great
Spirit. He finally took pity on you and
sent His SON from the happy hunting
grounds to save you and bring you
back and show you the way TO live. He
was called the Messiah. We are told
that He lived with you over 30 years and
worked hard to save you from your
wickedness. But you had lost your
ears; your brains were in whirl and
you would not think right. You threw
Him away from you. and finally nailed
Him up on great wooden cross, stuck
spear in his side and killed Him. and
He returned to the happy hunting
grounds with tired heart. il was told
at the time that He would come again
some time. and that when He did come
the hearts of the people would be good
That would mean plenty to eat and
there would be no more war.
"A few moons ago n young north:
ern Cheyenne warrior came to us. Tie
said he had come, after many days jour
new. from the far west; that near a
great lake shore he had met the Mes
siah-a tall white man with golden
hair and beard. blue eyes and a good
tongue. He said he had again beer
sent by the Great Spirit; that all thu
people would be happy now, for th.
Great Spirit had taken pity on th'
world; there would be no more war
the buffalo would come back, and We
would be prosecuted no more. but woult
all live together. and when the greer
grass came in the spring he would visi
the different tribes of men and teacf
them how to live But he said that many
people had denied him and at last killed
him. Now he had arranged certain
| signs and a dance by which, when HI
should come to tribe. he would know
whether they would receive him. Thos'
signs he taught to the Cheyenne ant
told him to teach to the people.
"Now. whether this old story of tht
holy men and what the Cheyenne told
us is true do not know; but got m!
young men together and told then
that If it was good thing we should
have it. but If it was not ii would fal
to the ground of itself; and told then
to learn this dance. so that il the Mes
siah does come he will not pass US by
My friends. this is all we know abou
the Messiah and the ghost dance"
After a few moments the old chic
turned to me and said: "You lived will
us many years. We trust you. vii
you tell me if this that has been told u.
about the Messiah is true-that He viii
come. and by His coming will bring
back the buffalo. make us a strong peo
pie to live on the land the Great Spiri
has given us? What is the white mai
afraid Of? Why has he brought the sol
diers here to deprive us of the dance
After robbing us of our game and lands
does he now want to rob us of our Grea
Spirit and our religion?"
A few days later came the battle o
Wounded Knee. resulting in the dealt
of two officers and IS men of the regula
army and AS Indians. Two days sub
sequent the Brule Sioux. under the lead
ership of Little Wound. surrounde'
Gen. Forsythe and the Seventh cavafr
in the canyon Of White Clay and he'll
them until they were rescued by tn
Ninth cavalry. under Col. Guy v. Henry
The second coming" had again bee
deferred.-N. Y. Times.