The Press., 1898-08-18
THE FOURTH WITH THE SIOUX
 INDIANS.
Sioux City, Aug, g. 1S9s

Sioux City, Aug. g, 1898.
 Shortly after my arrival in Sioux City it was my good fortune to make the &C., quhintance of Lieut.. Morris H. Leitner, 8 former instructor at the St. Paul's Epis- copal mission, on the Yankton reserva- tion, and at his suggestion we arranged for an overland trip from Sioux City to the Yankton Indian agency at Green wood, South Dakota, distance of about 160 miles.
 The Fourth of July is an exceptionally good time to visit the Yankton Siouxs, as they are all gathered at the agency for . good time, although the majority do not understand what the day means; nor do they know anything about the declara- tion of independence.
 We left Sioux City, bright and early, on the morning of June 18th with a con- plete camp outfit, consisting of blankets, cooking utensils, guns, and about a i've days supply of food, although ws expect cd to make the distance in about four days.
 Our trip took us through the "bottom lands" of the Missouri, some of the rich est farming country in the west, and also across several miles of open prairie. The enormous corn and wheat fields were of 8 great deal of interest to me, as were also the western methods of cultivatirg and harvesting.
 A "tenderfoot'' in this country causes considerable fun, and consequently there was quite little fun at my expense. I have always taken a great interest in h. dians, and as gave my idea of them 1t furnished a great deal of amusement for Lieut.. Leitner, who would say, Wait till you see them, my boy" had always thought of the Indian as the noble but oppressed red man, and think that sent iment prevails largely in the east, but my ideas in that line were greatly altered. The Indian of to-day is practically the same as the Indian of 90 years ago treacherous, indolent, deceitful, and in- describably filthy. Everything is SUD- piled them by the government, and their
 
 them.
 We reached the reservation about noon July 2d, and about 3 o'clock we crossed the old government trail over which Gen. Custer passed with the Eth cavalry short ly before he was killed. On nearly every high hill I observed a number of poles stuck in the ground, and was informed that these were the graves of noted chiefs who had gone to the happy hunting q, rnd." These graves are visited every pight n the s.good Indian, !" who comes to get the sticks of candy placed on them by the friends and relatives of the de- parted.
 We arrived at the agency about 4 p. m., and was rather surprised to find such a beautiful little place so far from a rail- road center. The buildings consist of those of the government (about 15 in number, including a government school, ) Presbyterian church and parsonage, and an Episcopal mission school, chapel and rectory. The agency is beautifully situated on the banks of the Missouri, 30 miles from 8 railroad, but is in communi- ation with the outside world by a stage line running to Armour, s. D.
 We went directly to St. Pauls school, where we were very cordially received by the matron, Mrs. Johnston. The mis- sion was founded by Bishop Hare in 1873, who acted as principal of the school until February 1874, when he was succeeded by the Rev. Henry Young. Among the nnames of the visitors at this school are Alice Longfellow, Col. Roosevelt, Sitting Bull, and Gen. Shafter, who at one time was in command at Fort Randall, 15 miles north of the Yankton agency. On Sunday morning we attended service at the chapel, the service being read in Dakotah by the Rev. Joseph Cook. Lieut.. Leitner spent nearly all day in meeting his former pupils and friends, and they were all glad to see him, as he is very popular with the Indians on this reserva. tion. The Indians had been coming in for a week, and had selected for theil camp a table-land about one mile from the agency. was told on the morning of the Fourth that there were 17O0 In. dians on "the hill"
 The days celebration began with pa rade of several hundred of the Indians, iI war-paint and feathers, mounted upon ponies, and each one carrying an Ameri. can or Cuban flag. About 10 o'clock we reached the camp. It was truly a won. derful sight, one long to be remembered Not house in sight. The tepees were pitched In the form of an oblong, about and miles long and mile wide.
 During the morning we listened to ad dresses by the agent, Major Harding Rev. Joseph Cook, Chief Bean and Johr Gassman. The master of ceremonies was Phelix Bruno, who is 8 remarkably bright Indian. The first part of the af ternoon was spent In riding around tho camp and seeing the pony and foot races The Indians are great lovers of pony racing, and some of their little animals show 8 remarkable speed.
 Outside of every tepee could be seer poles covered with "ierk-meat," ]" and also four or five small puppies running about entirely ignorant of the fact that they were soon to be killed, singed and made into soup. had always supposed that Indian "dog soup'' was more talk thar soup, but when one sees four dogs fec protruding from kettle he begins to be lieve that 1t isn't 'stenderfoot" story af ter all.
 During the afternoon met quite few of the Indians, and some with whom ii connected little history. We were in troduced to Chief Running Bull, the onl, Indian living who signed the treaty cedint the land where Sioux City now stands tt the United States. Running Bull ha,