Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-05

Remnant of the Sac and
Fox Tribe of Indians

where the laruer was, out was CreulDly
informed that on the ground behind the up
pinned blanket would be found a little flour
and some lard and that almost their only
winter diet for old and young, sick and
well Is a raised -four cake fried in grease
with dried sweet corn. This is occasionally
varied with a dainty feast at times, when
some unlucky dog strays amongst them and
is weak enough to yield to their caresses.
There was until quite lately another fes-
tive chance that was daily and carefully
watched for. Two great railroads bisect the
reservation and every day carry hundreds OF
cattle and hogs across their grounds. If
hog became suffocated or a steer got sick
or crippled feast of fat things followed In
quck order, not quite so delicate and tony
perhaps as the dog feasts, but often, 1t Is
said, the aroma was reaching and power
full. But this practice is now abandoned
through fear of the criminal law.
Primitive Costumes.
Living thus, in single room not larger
on an average than Sx12 feet, all ages and
both sexes, within touch both night and
day, even the most advanced and best
dressed woman wearing nothing but skirt,
dress, blanket and pair Of stockings
and moccasins, the great mass of the tribe
having no ambition above the satisfaction
of the simplest animal wants. crushed in
spirit and without the power of self-c control
except where the fear of the white man in
spires It, we should not look for a high
grade of morals among these people, and
especially where temptation is strongest.
Marriage as the term is generally under
stood is wholly unknown amongst them.
Their marriage is simply mating, and
when the quasi husband sees fit he does as
did Cato and Mark Antony in the days of
C0f md chn hot
was his gceth and he taketh unto himself
another dusky bride, who has perhaps her.
self just been hidden depart: or peradven-
ture his heart still clings to his first es-
poused and yet goes out unto another. In
such case there is no grass widow, both
are happy in his confidence and affection,
for, as in the days Of the psalmist, David, so
on the reservation there are no murmurs
on account Of divided manly love- But few
of the younger braves are now living with
their first wives. One young buck not yet
20 years old was pointed out to me, who is
now living with his third squaw, and he
does not look like very enterprising fell
low either. Another husky fellow, one Of
the most trusty and enterprising of them
all, is happy in the love and confidence Of
three gentle mates, all living peacefully in
a single room, with their flock Of little chill
dren. On the theory that there is no evil
without mixture of coed, it may be said
to the credit of this system that there Is no
despair when a squaw is taken by the
wrong buck or vice versa. Time and a
pony will make all things even. There is
no bleeding and breaking of the heart. The
pistol, the knife, the poisonous cup, the
blighted maiden, the lorn old bachelor,
the ninetyday divorce count, the destruc-
tive judgment for alienated affections, or
alimony all these and many kindred and
dire calamities they know not of.
Some Progress.
Some CT the younger members of the
tribe have progressed beyond the wickiur
and live in board houses. On my winter
! visit l called on the best sample of thi:
l kind, one James Poweshiek. He had
3 story house about 12x20 feet, with
: stoveppe running through the roof. Befor,
e the door stood a good lumber wagon. A
A the barn was small haystack and a Grill
S OF about 200 bushels of corn, and severa
. chickens basked in the lee and sunny sid
r or the haystack Inside the house a sleep
d ing platform four feet wide and two fee
o high with touseled blankets and othe
things extended across one end and one sid
= of the ROOM A soft coal heate
t, and a wood cook stove roared away in tn
e vain effort to keep up with the incomin