Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-08-01
cANNIBALS ON EXHIBITION.
How the Chief Played Poker on the
French Liner La Lorraine.

How the Chief Played Poker on the
French Liner La Lorraine.
Saloon passengers on the French
liner La Lorraine. in from Havre last
Sunday" says the New York Com
mercial, were much interested during
the voyage in the 81 half-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 pas
sengers were frequently made UP and
took a 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 of interest, their
rather primitive and decidedly scant
attire attracting a deal of attention
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 car
pet and old sails, rubber blankets and
decidedly picturesque costumes.
Upon hearing that these black women
were uncomfortable from the cold
many of the saloon ladies secured &C.
cess to their baggage and fairly
dulged their Congo sisters with gifts
20
Jackets, petticoats. skirts, shirtwaists,
old hats, storm coats, steamer rugs
glove and ribbons.
Zone young girl from Wheeling, on
her way home from two-years'
course on the violin at Berlin and
Leipsic, fished a fullfledged evening
frock out of her trunk-pink carleton,
decolette and short-sleved-and pre-
scented it to one of the three wives If
Chit Obendaga 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 thereupon shuckled 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 striking contrast to the
delicate pink fabric. A young drafts
man, returning to his home in Phila-
delphia after two years work on the
Trans-Siberian railway, gave the
chiefs wife pair of green goggles,
and in order to make the outfit COM
plete another passenger furnished her
with a 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
shoestrings in order to admit her fat
arms. Thus rugged up Mrs. Obendaga
received her dipper of coffee at meal
time, and refused to take off her
gloves when she peeled the potatoes or
gnawned a hambone. A prouder or a
more satisfied woman could not be
found abroad La Lorraine, and she
was the constant envy of her eight
black companions, while provoking
renewd admiration 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 wearing two and
sometimes three waist-coats at once
over loud-pattern fancy shirt, whose
tails he allowed to hang down outside
of his trousers. On 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 steerag5
and enthroned him on a card table
with a cigar box for a crown and
bottle of Bass ale in each hand. He
was intensely interested in a game of
poker going on at of the corner tables,
and finally, when young Halstead
Todd, of St. Stephens, N. B., stood pat
on a pair Of duces and drove all hands
out on a fine bluff, Obendaga drew out
from somewhere underneath his shirt
a handful of French coins and ex-
pressed wish, through the inter
| prefer, 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 exception OF the
'passing-the-buck and the progressive
Jacks features. but quickly caught on
to these. and played rather cautiously
for about 20 minutes. Then he dis