The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-03

early fiction than they are the rum-soak-
ed beasts of burden of modern fact. They
are to all intents and purposes on the
same plane with white women of educa-
ton and refinement, except that some
strain of the wild, strong Indian blood
runs in their veins and gives to them a
tinge of richer color, a brighter eye, a
more lissome grace than their white sis
ters possess, and it is an undoubted fact
that where they come into social compe-
tition with the white girls, the latter go
to the wall-and become wall flowers.
Reckoned in fractions of blood these III
dian beauties are more Caucasian than
Of aboriginal American. All of them, how
ever. are Indians, politically and socially;
they hold firmly to their membership III
the tribes. Many of them are one-quar-
ter or one-eighth, or even one-sixteenth,
or one-thirty-second Indian; but the RED
strain is the stronger and shows, IL not
IN some lingering richness OF coior OF
In the moulding of the face, still In an
all but indefnable fascination and grace.
the heritage of a forest people. Among
them one may find perfect blondes, with
the Indian strain still salient and paipa-
bic. And although they have succumoed
to the corset of an alleged CIVILIZATION
IN almost all cases they have tner less
trammeled ancestresses to thank Tor the
blessing of well-nigh perfect figures. And
one other of Womans best gifts they pos
sess; clear and low voices, with not
trace of the cultural intonation which Is
common to all original Indian tongues.
Raised amidst scenes of the oloouless
conouests of their race by the whites, they
look without concern upon the destrueron
of tribal customs and the thinning anu
dying out of the old blood. To this last
,4~sI, for cn
that one of them marries an Indian mat
such an event is commented upon in the
territory as a remarkable thing.
Before the middle of last century a
Cherokee woman one day met a hunter
in the forest. She became frightened at
his white skin and fed, thinking him an
evil spirit. But .he was fascinated by
her beauty and pursued her into camp
where he learned that she was the
daughter of a friendly chief, so TINS
hunter laid siege to the heart OF the
dusky belle and finally gained her consent
TO marry him according to tribal Gus
toms then in vogue. This hunter ana
his squaw raised a half-breed child whlch
was a great curiosity to the redskins.
But as the years sped by other hunters
invaded the domain of the Five tribes
Of the Indian Territory, and married oth-
er dark-skinned beauties. Inter-marrlage
In the Cherokee Creek, Choctaw, Chick
asaw and Seminole tribes has fiourished
to such an extent within the last quar-
ter-century that the full-blood element
Is now on the verge of extinction. Inc
old men of the tribes are becoming alarm
ed, and have passed laws against inter-
marriage. Some of which are very Sc
we're; almost prohibitive in fact. Inc
Young Indian women object to these
laws because they do not want, as a rule
to marry the men of their own tribes.
The Chlcxasaw are the strictest re-
Eardlng inter-marriage. A law recently
placed on their statute books requires any
white man applying for a license to marry
Chickasaw girl, first, to produce EVIL
dence that he has resided in the ChicKa-
saw nation two years, next to furnish Gre
dentals as to his good character, and
third, to pay $1,000 for the marriage IL
ceuse. This must be done If the ceremony
IS performed according to the Chickasaw
laws and the girl is welded according 10
tho custom of her people. OF course. the
GIN has and sometime takes the prlvi-
i'sa Of clipping, at the cost or losing her
fe1t in the tribal lands and money, ana
Vi disgracing herself In the eyes or her
relatives. Her "head-rght" is something
worth considering. A right" in the
'hickasaw nation is valued at from five
10 ten thousand dollars, and in the Cher
okee, Creek and Choctaws nations from
S1"o to $1,000 The inter-marriage laws
OF an the four nations named are about
tne same, excepting that of the Chicka-
saw nation, charging 81 900 for a license
"iille the others only ask SO
There is good reason for these laws.
M3ny fortune-hunters, attracted by the
wealth OF the Indian maidens, have In
-Ae past married into the tribes and
salned control OF large tracts OF land.
g'lered outlaws and raised bad families.
mere were few happy marriages and
uot until the wise men OF the tribes met
Nn4 passed an act making every W mite
man show his credentials before a H.
,-Nse was Issued. was there a betterment
oI These conditions. The character Of
a.l applicant was carefully examined
f,i9It 10 MAS admitted For several