The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-10-24
AN INDIAN DANCE.
A Former Princeton Lady Writes En-
tertainingly About Visit to
An Indian Dance.
Charming Description of the Wild and
Wierd Customs of the ASSN
ibOine Indians.

She is a Norwegian by birth, but
one of the early pioneers of Montana
Mr.. 2. is an American of German
descent. Acie, boy of fifteen, is their
only son. Mrs. c., their daughter, is a
charming bride of seventeen, who lives
just a few rods from her parents home.
Mrs. G.. is the wife of a veteran COW boy,
her husband having traversed the
plains from Texas to Canada. Now, I
suppose you will imagine Mr.. G. to be
a wild, lAwless fellow, who carries guns
and knives in his belt, and is ready to
shoot at the least provocation: such,
anyway, was the idea first had of COW
boys. Now, you will be disappointed
when tell you that Mr.. G.. is a quiet,
law-abiding citizen. During fifteen
years life as COW boy, he has laid
away good part of his earnings, and
has now a comfortable home, a half
section of land, and good bank
account. He is an exceptional COW
boy, however.
Mrs. c.. and her brother are true
children of the plains. Both are
experts in the saddle. Both can speak
the language of the Assiniboine Indians
as Auently as the Indians themselves.
There is not feature of the plains
they are not thoroughly familiar with.
They know every ''brand" for humid
reds OF miles. If they see man on
horseback, they can tell you as far as
they can see him, whether be is a
white man or an Indian. This they
determine by the way the man sits in
his saddle. Acie can take mans
place IN the "round-up," and is only
out done in skill as a rider by the
''broncho buster" himself Now that
you know the family who know the
Indians so we'll, let me tell you of the
Indians as found them.
a few days after my arrival at the
ranch, I was talking with Mrs. P. when
the door was opened and squaw STEP
ped in without ceremony or invitation.
She saluted Mrs. p. with "how,' to
which my friend answered her in the
same way. Then she told Mrs. P. that
her heart was sad. She had seen her
girl that she loved very much, go away
to the happy hunting grounds. She
had cut her arms and pulled out her
hair in her grief for her child. Then
Mrs. P. gave her loaf Of bread and
some meat, and she said she would cry
no more [ learned from Mrs. P. that
such was customary, and the squaw
would surely keep her promise.
The Indians had a dancing hall
where they had dance every Friday
night. Yes, wanted very much to see
an Indian dance. If you, who read
this, wish to see how the Indians are
progressing in civilization, go to an In
dian dance, then I am sure you will
make up your mind, as did, that the
Indians are as savage now as they we're
four hundred years ago, and that never
will they adopt the ways OF the white
man, whom they despise. Had the
Indians the advantage in number over
the white man, they would scalp them
as numerically as they did the pio-
neers of long ago.
Well, Friday night came. The night
was dark and cloudy, still we were not
daunted by the elements, but started
out bravely to face the savage. We
drove four miles up the river. We
stopped at the home of Mr.. G. Mr.. and
Mrs. G.. had both been employed at the
Indian agency-Mr. G. an industrial
teacher and Mrs. G.. a seamstress.
They had bought ranch and some
stock, and were now living on their
ranch. The G's said they had not
heard the drum that evening, and
maybe the Indians had not gotten a
big tissue" that day, and therefore
we're not in the mood to dance, and
Payton would go over horseback first
and find out. Payton started and we
visited with Mr. and Mrs. G.. in the
meantime.
G's little girl put her doll on her
back, and wrapped a shawl around her
to hold the doll on, just as she had seen
the Indian women do. Then she
jumped up and down to put the baby to
sleep. Mrs. G.. is Quakeress. She is
charming little woman and an in.
teresting talker, and it seemed very
short time when Payton returned with
the news that the Indians were dane
ing, so away we all started-Mr. an6
Mrs. G. and the children with US, anc
Payton taking the lead on his white
horse. He had examined the crossing
and assured US it was safe, but that the
hill was so steep on the opposite shore
we would be obliged to get out of the
wagon and walk up. Well, we go