Washington sentinel., 1901-06-22
TIE I,Tz SENTINEL

HLEICLAk. WElE NAANA AAA~A ~sNN~a
during the voyage in the 62 halt
cannibal Ogowes from the Congo
region, who had quarters in the
steerage and were on their way TO
the Exposition at Buffalo under an
exhibitors contract for six months.
BY permission Of the ships officers
small parties of passengers were
frequently made up and took tour
through the steerage in order to
see these strange blacks who were
out into civilization for the first
time.
THE nine women Ogowes were
especial objects oil interest, their
rather primitive and decidedly
scant attire attracting a deal OF at
tention and comment until, about
the third day out, the cool weather
compelled them to wrap up more
warmly, and then gunnY sacks,
rugs, pieces Of carpet and old sails,
rubber blankets and pea jackets
served to conceal their decidedly
picturesque costumes. Upon hear
ing that these black women were
uncomfortable from the cold, many
Of the saloon ladies secured access
to their baggage and fairly deluged
their Congo sisters with gifts Of
second best golf capeS, Eton jack
cts, petticoats, skirts, shirtwais's,
old hats, storm coats, steamer
rugs, gloves and ribbons,
zone young girliro Wheeling,
on her way home from a two
years course on the violin at Ber-
lin and Leipsic, ished iull fedged
evening irock out or her trunk-a
pink tarleton, decolletIe and short.
sleeved - and presented it to one
OF the three wives Of Chief Oben-
daga who are accompanying him
on his Pan.American trip, the
other So being obliged to stay at
home and keep house during his
absence. Mrs. Obendaga there
upon shucked off her combination
costume OF gunnY sack and golf
skirt and eagerly donned the pink
evening gown, in the presence Of
all hands, her shiny black arms
and neck forming a striking con-
trast to the delicate pink fabric.
A young craftsman returning to
his home IN Philadelphia after two
years work on the Trans Siberian
railway, gave the chiefs wife pair
Of green goggles, and in order to
make the outfit complete another
passenger furnished her with pair
of tennis shoes and a much soiled
pair OF white kids that came above
the elbows, but had to be cut open
and then laced up with black shoe
strings in order to admit her fat
arms. Thus rugged up Mrs. Oben-
dsga received her dipper OF coffee
at meal time, and refused to take
of her gloves when she peeled the
potatoes or knawed a hambone.
a prouder or more satisfied woman
could not be found aboard La Lor-
raine. and she was the Constant
envy of her eignt black compan.
ions, while provoking renewed ad-
miTation from her husband.
And the chief himself was not
forgotten A job lot OF wine
stained waistcoats, golf coats, fancy
hose and back number silk hats fell
TO his lot, and he persisted in wear
ing two and sometimes three waist
coats at once over a loud pattern
iancY shirt, whose tails he allowed
to hang down outside OF his trous-
ers. Thursday night there was a
rather lively company in the
ships smoking room and some
young blood slipped away quietly
and got Chief Obendaga from the
steerage and enthroned him on a
card table With cipar box for a
crown and bottle OF Bass ale in
each hand, He was intensely in
terested in a game of poker going
on at one OF the corner tables, and
hnally, when Young Halstead
Todd, OF St. Stephens, N. B., stood
pat on a pair Of deuCes and drove
all hands out on a hne bluff, Oben-
daga drew out from somewhere
underneath his shirt a handful Of
French coins and expressed a wish,
through the interpreter, to sit in
"He was permitted to do so, and
nearly all the men among the cabin
passengers crowded around to
watch the play. The chief knew
the game thoroughly, with the ex-
ception Of the passing the buck
and progressive acks' features,
but quickly caught on to these,
and played rather cautiously Tor
about 20 minutes. Then he dis.
covered three mines in his hand and
made everybody put up ten francs
apiece before the draw. There were
two Frenchmen, a Canadian and
two Kansas City young fellows in
the game when the chief went in,
and Todd the Canadian, was the
OllY winner at that time. On the
draw Todd took one card, Hilder
brand, OF Kansas City, took one
card, the chief two cards and the
other three players drew three |
each. Todd hit it of for a franc, |
the black raised it ten, one French |
man stayed, the next two dropped |
out and Hildebrand raised il O
francs. Todd stayed, and the black |
came up with 50 franc; Hide |
brand set him back another SO;
Todd tell out, and the black |
doubled the raise. The contest |
was now between the Congo chief |
and young Hildebrand. and the |
play was hot back and forth, the |
spectators evineing much interest, |
even excitement. Hildebrand |
raised so heavily and persistently |
that the black was twice forced to !
partially disrobe in order to get
at the coin in his body belt-but |
he never changed counlenance.