Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-01-07
CORRESPONDENT DESCRIBES IN.
DAMS, OF OKLAHOMA.
HARD SUBJECTS TO POSE
Have Superstition That Picture Elk
tracts Part of Their Spirit-Artist's
Trials in Alleged HoteI-Aicohol
the Popular Drink With the
Reds.

Writing from the Sac and Fox agency
IN Oklahoma, says: l arrived in
Shawnee, Oklahoma, some three years
ago expecting to have an easy time
getting the Kickapoo Indians to sit foI
portraits, but l found them to be the
most difficult Indians | have yet had
to manage. They have some two or
three villages, the most important to
which | went being sixteen miles from
Shawnee. This village is composed OF
some fifteen houses made as the ma
tives built before they came in contact
with the whites. They are oval in
shape, covered with a sort of willow
and make comfortable homes. The
1nd1ons would have nothing to do with
me, and wouldn't sit for a portrait un-
der any consideration. They are very
superstitious. They say when their
picture is taken part of their spirit
goes with it, and no argument of mine
could convince them differently, but,
by the help of their agent, Mr.. Bently.
succeeded in getting two to pose for
me; still, it was hard work. One of
them became frightened after sitting
for three days and would not return
so the picture could be finished
The Kickapoos are hard workers
They have farms and work them, too,
as well as pick cotton for the whites.
They all wear modern dress, but still
cling to their old custom of wearing
long strings of beads fastened to the
back of their hair. Nearly all of them
have their hair cut and the majority
of them speak English. They have no
chief, except squaw, and she seems
to have as much influence over them
as male chief would. / am told that
in the History of the Kickapoo Indi
ans squaws have acted as chiefs as
the Indians in general haven't conf
dence enouh in the squaws to have
them act as leaders, but that they
were given to them simply to wait up
on them. I don't know what an
Apache or Sioux would think of the
Kickapoos if told their chief was a
squaw. The chances are he would call
the whole tribe lot of old women.
Part of the Kickapoo Indians are
still in old Mexico. The Kickapoos,
suppose, got their names from being
such kickers and so hard to manage.
Brisk Business at Shawnee.
Shawnee is a thriving town Of some
5000 inhabitants. The principal prod
uct seems to be cotton. The Choctaw
Railway passes through the town and
all strangers who patrOnize this road
are surprized at the great amount of
business it does, both passenger and
freight.
Shawnee derived it's name from the
Shawnee Indians, who live all around
the town but are too civilized for my
purpose. 1t seems funny, but my ex
perience among the Indians is that
the more civilized they are and the
more they mingle with the whites the
more difficult it is to get them to pose
be depended upon-especially is this
true in gambling with cards. They
will cheat, while an Indian who has
lived away from civilization will not.
While was in Shawnee an indian
came to me and asked if I could give
him some medicine that he could pour
on pack of cards so that at will ne
could change the spots. An uncivil-
lied Indian would never ask such a
question. The only time such an In
dian asked me for medicine was IN re-
gard to pretty Kiowa squaw with
whom he was in love. He asked me ii
| could make some medicine for him
that by his taking it the squaw would
love him.
From Shawnee came to the Sac
and Fox Indians, whose reservation Is
thirty-two miles from the Kickapoos
and Shawnees. The Sac and Fox are
a well-to-do tribe, live in good, com
| Portable white mems houses and are
thrifty. Every man, woman and child
| receives each quarter $42. 1t seems
| the Sac and Fox Indians have been on
friendly terms for great many years
and in all their wars with other tribes
| have always banded together; hence
the name Sac and Fox. They look
alike and have the same customs
They are large in stature and power
| fully built.
| keokuk a Fine Old Chief.
Chief Keokuk, who is "a years old
! lives here in a fine, comfortable house
of four or five rooms which is kept as
neat as any white woman's house. He
! is thorough white man. dresses neat
! ly, with shoes we'll polished, and is {
devout Christian, belonging to the
Baptist church and leading in praye
every Sunday. Keokuk is the son o
old Keokuk after whom Keokuk, Iowa
was named. Keokuk sat for portrai
for me. He has a profile very simila
to that of Henry Ward Beecher. H
was boy when the Black Hawk wa