The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-12-16
HOW The LOVER SUED
WiChita's Initial Case Of
Romeo and Juliet.
HOW THE LOVER SUED
And How He Secured the Con-
sent of the Old Man.

The first courtship and marriage IN
Wichita took place in the north division
Of Riverside park, in about 1856. A tthat
time the first village appeared at this
point. It was the Wichita Indians VII
lage which preceded the civilized city Of
today.
The wichitas. shortly after the war.
came north from the territory and To-
Gated near the junction OF the two rivers
here. J. R. Mead and William Matthew
son were acquainted with the village and
the Indians. and after Wichita was quite
a town remains OF the Wichita tepees
were still visible.
That the game Of love went on while
the Indians had their village here goes
without saying. and from letter re-
eeived from Major William z. Doyle.
who was in this section in those days,
it is easily imagined what took place
in the way Of Cupid's art under the
sycamores and walnuts ana elms which
stiu tower above the banks OF the river.
Major Doyle in his letter. is descri6-
ing an actual custom 50 set in the tribe
that it must have occurred time and time
again on the banks Of the river here.
He writes
''The usual method Of counting among
the Wichitas was for the young
warrior to commence by casting
sheep-eyes at the girl he had set
his heart on If he observed that she
looked at him favorably. he commenced
more assiduous attentions. Fully painted
and with a hawks or eagles feather
sticking from his scalp lock, he selected
a suitable place to squat near her tent
with his back against a tree If conven-
lent. Then he produced his lutte. a crude
hickory bark or cane whistle, with three
holes in IL. on which he fingered for
hours a most doleful tune, If it was any
tune at all. All passers-by observed
him. but they looked upon the affair as
a very serious and regular proceeding,
and he left his position with the self
satisfied appearance of regimental
drum major on dress parade. To the IN
itiated it looked amusing TO see a savage
painted buck, wrapped in his blanket
souaning and footing lugubriously on a
little whistle 1t required skin to make
the love whistle whose tones had to be
soft and plaintiff as those Of a John
Thomas cat warbIing Sweet Marie.
After the buck had made several sittings
without any dishwater being thrown
over HIM he approached the aunts of
the girl on the mothers side, and made
them little presents to boost HIS suit and
let him know how the girl took his adj
vances. If they reported favorably, his
next move was TO tackle the old man.
OF course. that individual knew what
was coming. and invited the sutton to
sit down, and then produced the pipe.
whereupon they smoked in silence 1t
was the ceremony, after the pipe was lit
by the host and a few puffs taken, TO
point the bowl TO the north, south, east
and west before passing it to his guest
The charge was composed of tobacco
and dried ripe sumach leaves rubbed up
together in a cedar mortar. While the
girls daddy and the lover were smoking
soIemnly, passing the pipe backward and
forward. the girls mother ana step
mothers, sisters and stepslsters, to say
nothing Of some cousins and aunts, would
slip quietly into the tent and take seats
away from the men, but where they
could conveniently see and hear all that
was going on. Unfortunately, on such
occasions. many Of the small girls, heed
less Of the signs and warning gestures
made by the women, would come in the
tent to see what was going on, and Of
course some OF the camp dogs had 10
be present at what appeared to them 20
be a festal gathering. for a chance OF
bone or fight The little girls. 0beying
the signs Of the women, when they found
themselves in the presence Of the two
warriors. solmenly getting ready for
business, settled down quietly. But the
dogs! These rufians. not understanding
the sign language, and the women fear
ful to attract attention not daring 20
speak to them. thought they had a far
field. So after sundry reconnoiteriIgs
and growlings. they generally began
grand march around the FIRE hole with
necks bristling and tails erect bucking
up to each other and bullying until one
ouick-tempered canine takes hold of an
other. when instantly the whole drove
Of ours are mixed up IN q fearful strus-
gle, growing. swapping, bowling. and
the old chief yeus ont: ''Yay-ay-ayl
What are eli the dogs and children do
ing here2 This is no buffalo SHINING
Put them OUT" II requires number
of the women to put the children and
dogs out, and then the tent flap IS or
dered closed. The females thus 0sstsi
aattsn themselves Al the sides ~ TIE
tent. or crouch 10 the ground - listen
under the edges
The old man opens the conversatlon ~
some story Il which he is ire hero. and
after a great deal u Dragging about
himself. 10 Impress RS hsarer ~tth his
greatness ana fhe honor it mut b. 20
become q rlembe- e his tauliy. sv
the Young MN show The sgit7r fa-
tails how BE wishes - saks a wife as p
IS man and "a warrior. end that he
finds his hosrs daughter 2 very n5cs
girl and he ks coed dead - bag
]. don't DO 90 brag aput her o- saow
toe much sve that was-d enhance tha
price Bat what makes him go anr
to marry thls E be De- has
heard 80 much 1a1k about Ser fat1e-
being sach ars anE shi
that 81 warts So SIS AZ hls FEET and na-
aim talk u var ard rote eeee
-rat ss bT bis ar8 H %
ample b. uar base oEUs3- %
and a r-ai~ef1 - u 81 ~
chHsreu. se1E tam t
e-eu Hr-salrz 81 wise m
z-d following
tracks ~ ce fhsf s to
man u--le 1 - ga
game ana asur t
~ u f-e a1r
warrior - hare q mearsr w s
s--rr.r ard pony rrfesH-e ~ ut