The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-02
PALEFACES SQuAw WIVES.
n PHASE or DON EsTIC LIFE IN TIE
INDIAN TERRITORY.
Their DsminntisE ssutinrpt De That sr Grnti-
tudc-Tbe Chiidreu % Nised HsrrinEes-
nndiens Elevated apd whites Degraded.


Prom the Boston Etentno Tronsertpt.
McALLisTER. Dec. 2l.-After a long residence
in Indian Territory and n careful observation
Of family and domestic life as II exists here. I
am thoroughly convinced that the Indian
woman who becomes the wife OF n white man
always makes n good and faithful wife. and
manifests a devotion to her husbands happi-
ness and comfort which we seldom sec equalled
among women OF the Caucasian race, no matter
what their nationality. The Indian woman
married 10 a white man seems TO think that she
must be her husbands slave. and her gratitude
to him for having made her his wife and for
treating her with kindness and consideration
are unlimited.
White men who come here and become owners
OF large tracts Of land are compelled for their
own safety to marry Indian women-they must
have Indian wives TO AFFORD them protection,
and some Of them even get rid OF their white
wives in order to marry Indian women for that
reason. No white man married to an Indian
woman in Indian Territory darcs to ~ill.treat or
abuse her In any way. A man would be an ut
terly heartlcss brute who could maltreat a crea-
ture SO loving. faithful and devoted as an Indian
wife, but IL such a wretch should venture to
manifest any unkindness to his Indian consort
her relatives and friends would put him out OF
the way jus. as surely MS that he had been born.
For this reason the white husbands Of Indian
women in this Territory are always kind and
good. and l almost wish that relatives and
friends OF married women belonging to the eau
casian race and dwelling further east were
equally prompt to Rvcnge the wrongs they SO
often suffer at the hands OF those who have
sworn to love. cherish. and protect them. Mar.
ried life on the Atlantic coast would be n great
deal happier II such were the case.
The Indian woman who 10 chosen In marriage
by a white man is so grateful to him that in
every instance she will try with all her heart
and soul to be what he would have her. She
will try TO learn and improve herself in every
way. SO that she may be a credit to her husband
and q source OF JOY and pride rather than Of
regret and modification. when she sees q lady
from the States she will examine carefully
every article OF her dress and ask her all sorts of
questions about the manners and customs, the
ways and fashions of the effete East. She Is
more anxious 10 be stylish and fashionable, il
possible, than any society woman in our East
ern cities.
McAllister, the place from which l write. is
the richest man in all this part OF the country.
He has the finest residence in Indian Territory.
and his wife is an Indian, squaw. 1t would
in such a case. Here we would shy that MIR.
he MsA term By Is w @af6'f Ind IS IS a %e'' tssisp lnsi l ls
polite society in Indian Territory, Mrs. McAIlis.
ter is a tall; handsome woman. OF commanding
~ 80 " hHS
friendly disposition. and I never saw a better
housckeeper. She regards servants rs a nui-
sance and refuses to employ any. She has three
children. Two sons and - daughter. and she
mothers make no distinction IN Thai m tier be.
tween BOYS an! girls. On washdays one of Mrs.
McAllstcr's sons helps wash the clothes and
Tkc children OF Indian mothers by white
fathers always treat their mothers with the
greatest respect and regard their white fathers
as superior beings. toward whom. they show
generation and respect. Susie McAllister. the
and as str light and graceful AS a pine tree. II
you saw her with her hat on you would think
that she was only a very dark brunette, but with
her hat off her Indian blood shows itself in her
hair and her high cheek bones. She is very
pretty, as we'll as highly intellig nj and accom-
plished. She has been at a hoard.n school in
Missouri and plays very well upon the grand
piano which her mothers drawing
Mr.. McAllister takes his children with him on
Vi their fsther they Visited the !" Worlds !, r Fair
in 1898. Mrs. McAllister never went East with
her husband but once. and that was a good many
went to the Planters House. but they were re-
fused admittance because the proprietors be-
lieved Mrs. McAllisicr 10 be a ncgress. For
tunately Mr.. McAl!is;er met in the hotel lobby n
travel ny man who was well known o III. as
the fact that it was milan and not negro Hood
which gave the dark tint to Mrs. McAllister's
promptly assigned them, and the hotel people
did everything possible to atone for their Infor-
| tunate mistake, Out the young VIE VINO, ike all
Indians, is OF a yer, sensitive nature. had been
SO deeply wounded and mortified that she has
steadily declined TO company her husband
outside of The Indian Territory ever since.
As everyone knows who has ever examined
the beaded moccasins and other similar work
done ny Indians, Indian, women are very apt at
learning TO use the ncell =. They can DO readily
taught 10 make their own dresses and even their
hush ,nd's shirts. They have no taste in dress,
however. and seem perfectly aware of the fact.
A Young white dressmaker. who came here from
money, assures me that the Indi n wives of the
wealthy white residents Will cheerfully pay any
other day that soon after her arrival Mrs. Nc
A~llister requisite her TO make some dresses for
her daughter. ~ will pay you any price; she
Indian women are very fond or going to
church. and Il you want TO be in the social swim
festivals. They wear dr. sses OF expensive silk
and satin. nd the %gaudiest bonnets Imaginable;
which In point OF style LOOK as though they had
once been the unday.eo-to-meeting wardrobe
Of good old Noah's wife and dsughtcrs-in.iaw.
dian Territory reg I'D as Indispensable to every
occasion, and that is a white apron. No matter
how rich and expansive n dress may be. the In
dian lady thinks. it wholly incomplete unless a
large part Of it is concealed By q white apron.
Sometimes these aprons are OF muslin or linen,
and again they Hrc o! fine embroidery or lace.
Escemcl very odd to me Mt nr,t to see ladies
at church. wearing white aprons over rich
4f for an indiSnH lady. atMtf r. McAiiis,se qo who Slep Eseps
a genera store. his stock In trade comprising
Ta"cn,lS SYhG roSuaft rom San' i he Is EES East a . In aMIa srass
pattern. which WINS the most stunning thing in
that line ! have ever seen. II was OF light
green silk, and the front breadth had a land.
Bcape painted upon II In oil. II was a most
vivid portrayal Of meadows. trees. rivers, and
flowers, with mountains In tho background.
Every Indian woman who saw IL would
have given her two eyes 10 possess IL. but as IL
was ALREADY made UP. and was not n very large
size, 1t Was not very daughter OF Lo who could
wear it. There was one Inlian wife OF a wealthy
white man whom it fitted. and her doting
husband bought il for her at a fabulous prize,
and she wore it in triumph; with a broad, bright
crimson sash about her waist, TO n church festi-
val, where she was the observed OF all observers.
the admired of all admirers. and the cnvied OF
all the enyious.
The houses in which Indian wives live with
their white husbands arc usually Of franc, and
have little or no ioundttion. Tho poor Indians
who live in the country in wigwams and huts
occupy their time principally in catering to the
better classes in the settlements. bringing in
fruit and berries in the spring, summer and
fall. and game during the winter. Indians OF
that class are very worthless and dirty. For.
tun 'tely. they wear buckskin, which il n rom.
plcte protection against vermin, otherwise they
would be covered with them. as do not believe