The Press., 1898-02-24
NORTH DAKOTA LETTER.
Oberon, N. D., Feb. 9. 1898.

Peter Bear is Christian Indian,
member of the Grow Hill Presbyterian
church on the reservation. This church
has meeting house, plain frame struc
ture. The interior l have never seen. 1t
is seven miles from here, and quite by
itself on the prairie. There is log house
near it-a parsonage-w which the former
minister to these Indians used. The
present pastor, young and single, prefers
to be at the fort. There is not much of
a settlement near the church. In sight
OF it, however, perhaps a mile away, is
another meeting house which the Catho-
lies put up. Peter Bear is a deacon, /
think, in the Presbyterian church. He
has every appearance of being a nice
young man. He is stout built and has a
pleasant face.
About two years ago he came over to
see me, and to sell me some pictures for
the benefit of the church. At that time
he proposed to bring the Presbyterian
choir over and sing native pieces for me
in my morning services. did not under
stand at first what he intended, as do
not understand his mother tongue. |
took him over town to some one who
could talk Indian, and found he wanted
to sing for the benefit of his church. /
said he might, and he might come along
the next Sabbath, although it was COM
munion Sabbath. The choir came, three
young men and two young women. One
woman who was to come, was denied the
privilege at the very last by her father,
who wanted her to go that Sabbath with
him to his meeting. The choir gave us
three hymns, and did very we'll indeed,
though the girls were so excessively mod
est they would hardly lift up their heads,
and would not face squarely the audience
Had they been little bolder they would
have given more pleasure. There was a
splendid turn out to hear them. The
whole service was impressive. One young
man was baptized and came into the
church.
had arranged to give the Indians din
ner before they should go back on the
reservation. Two young men and one of
the girls came to the parsonage. We
gave them seats with us at the table.
One Of the men is educated and a pleas
ant talker. We got along nicely The
young woman could understand every
thing and could talk, but would not.
Here mention popularity of the In
dians in this matter of speech which we
witness every day. When they can talk
English they will not. In trade, when it
would be for their advantage to talk so
as to be understood, they will not. They
hold tenaciously to their own language,
and will use no other unless compelled
to. ...ghe children in the schools are
obliged to use English They have to
learn it and use it, but away from school
they fall back on the native tongue and
persist in its use. So this young woman
at our table, pleasant and we'll hammered,
would not be drawn into conversation
because it was carried on in English. We
gave them five dollars and seventy-five
cents to be used for church purposes, but
we found afterwards they appropriated
| 1t to their own personal use.
came in one day from some outside
work, and found Mr. Catch Bear and
Miss White-Eyes Girl waiting for me to
make them husband and wife. Pious
Big Shields and John Elk were with
them. They had no license, and hest
tated to marry them; but after some ex.
animation, and being assured that IL
cense was not required, they were Joined
together, the joint being as good as l
could make with John Elk for interpreter.
To my surprise they offered me three
dollars. | found afterwards they should
have license, but the marriage would
hold any way.
Just ten days later came home from
an outside appointment-it was the Sab |
bath-and found an Indian party at the |
house waiting for me to perform mar
riage ceremony. The men were all in the
house, but the prospective bride and her
little boy, two years old, were out by a |
farm wagon, in which they had come. |
They all belonged to the reservation, and |
the men are we'll known in town. They |
were Charles W. Shields, INTERPRETER. |
Job Twohearts and Samuel Tiwaste, who
was widower and was now waiting for
second wife. He was forty-three years,
and the woman was seventeen. She was
widow | will give her name and the |
Interpretation OF it as near as Mr.. Shields |
was able to render it in English, Tun-kan-
kei-egotan-kewin "Sitting-W -With-stone |
girl" The native name l have in the
handwriting of Mr.. Shields, which is, /
perhaps, better than my own. The name,
| suppose, is an allusion to the Indian |
habit of sitting before stone idol in wor-
ship, Mr.. Shields, who is an educated
Christian Indian, gave me to understand |
Mr.. Tiwaste had no license, and / hesi- |
tated to marry him. But Mr.. Shields |
gave me the practice of the Christian In |
dians on the reservation, and that H. |
cense was not necessary, and after con-
sulting an outside party l concluded it |
would be safe to go ahead So the wo- |
man, who had remained all this time out
by the wagon, was called in. Now there
was another hitch quite unlocked for |