Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-11-29
GOVERNMENT FIELD MATRON.
Mrs. L. W. Quimby, Indians Field Matron in
Washington, writes some Pertinent Facts
REGARDING Indian Work.

After years absence we return to
SkOkomiSh reservation and once again
make the rounds Of house to house
visiting. Our first visit is to see
poor woman who had been afflicted
with rheumatism for four years The
day following, her husband moved her
in farm wagon three miles to a little
cabin, previously prepared, hoping
thus to be near kind neighbOrS who
would share his labor of love in nurS-
ing her. The toilsome trip proved too
much for her enfeebled condition and
in few hours heart failure ended her
sufferingS. For three days thereafter,
Indians from all quarters of the
reservation repaired to the house. A
big fire was built out of doors around
which the Indians were gathered,
some talking, some knitting, some
preparing food, while the coffin was
neatly made, covered with black cloth
and finished with plated handles by
expert carpenters. The women had
meantime ''laid out" the body in the
house and covered it as it lay on the
bed springs with white sheet. The
boarded presents that for months the
sick woman had been preparing
baskets, calico for aprons, dresses,
shawls, bedding, chickens, ducks and
medley of things, were given to
friends. Among the more valuable
presents were five horses and wagon.
1t is the custom of the SkOkomiSh
Indians when one of a family dies to
give away their possessions and it
often impOveriSheS the surviving ones
to degree 1t is the understanding
it will return or ''be made up to them
sometime" as one relative remarked.
Very early on the third morning after
''Shaker" services of prayers, singing,
chanting and bell ringing, they tenn
pOrarily buried the body to await the
coming of distant relatives. when
another burial service was performed.
At the first one the resident mission
airy arrived at the grave yard in time
to Otficiate in the exercises. The final
Obsequies were held in the little
Shaker church on the reservation by
the leaders of the tribe.
Most of the Indians have become
converts TO the Shaker religion which
! bv the way bears no resemblance to
the dignited. quiet sect, designated
/ Shakers in the eastern states. The
Indian ShakeriSm is a curious mixture
of Catholicism, witchcraft and the
pregnated with superstition and
mysticism, yet withal God-fearing,
deeply reverent, sincerely devout.
A visit to the school shows marked
| increase in attendance and higher
average in studies.
The women prove by their daily life
the falsity of The charge that "Indian>
are always lazy" At one home the
woman had Just returned from a days
berry picking with thirty quarts OF
| luscious whortle berries. Another goes
to the white settlement three mics
away to wash three days out Of seven.
One is laundreSS in nearby hotel
one earns living for herself and two
aged relatives, by washing. A number
we're hired out to neighboring farmers
digging potatoes. The aged women
nearly all do more or less at basket.
making. The writer bought one for
$500 thai represented three months
work of an old woman who worked as
she felt inclined. 1t is a typical
SkOkomiSh basket. woven from coarse
grass. colored with native dyes and
having row OF dogs around the top
i (thev resemble the wooden toys found
in No1h's Ark boxes or in bakers
c0nfectiOns). Only a few OF the old
women now make them. the younger
basket-makers initiating the Makahs
or KletitatS baskets.
We visited one house where there
we've ten in the family. We found the
mornings work done, beds made,
dishes washed, children Jidied for
school md the mother buSily peeling
AMI quartering apples to dry, while
her huS and was Just starting to town
with load of baled hay for sale.
At anol her home we visited, three
children unCer five years old were
playing in the yard aid a fourth live
days old was wrapped in swaddling
clothes lying on the bed as the mother
prepared dinner.
The fishing season is keeping the
men busy with their nets. ride of
few hours on one of the SOunc
steamers evidenced the value of the
catch. At one landing an 1ndiar
brought 700 salmon as the catch o
the previous "A hours; $500, 1.7O