The St. Louis Republic., 1901-12-22


unrestrained song. The notes hung In the
hot air. Then they fell again until scarcely
| audible. 4 moment later the notes pitched
| though from q thousand voices. when only
| hundred had Joined in the singing
The Father will descend. he will descend;
The White Father is our brother. strssch out
W. xiii SSF ali hA9S: 3ils again.
AS in the ghost dance. all stretched out
their hands toward the West. Then. fac
smooth dancing ground, they joined hanGs
and circled from left to right moving their
feet high at each side step.
The dance went on in regular order 1or
some time. Then the eyes of some OF the
squaws and not a few of the bucks grew
CLASSY: and their bodies fell heavily in the
Dust. Here and there 4 dancer would leap
from the ranks and yell:
Il see the Father.'
Then he would fall. seemingly uncon-
scious.
The high-strung nerves of White Antelope
seemed more than ever steady. His thick:
open. the jaws set hard His body quivered
with religious frenzy he threw OF his
sacred white blanket and stepped alone
from the circle.
Brothers. the White Father who is our
brother. has looked with favor upon us. He
is our good friend in the lodge of wide
than any other White Father. He is of our
breed and our country. He will treat us
right. But he wishes to know II we are
yet brave and can fight. I am a young
man. l will do the sun dance test and show
our Father. our brother. how brave and
powerful We are. am done. My name is
White Antelope"
Approach of Medicine Man.
Two medicine men now came toward the
speaker One grasped each strong arm and
commenced rubbing hard small spot on
either breast. Like ski.lful masseurs they
kept up this work until the place the size
OF mans hand waS benumbed On each
breast
The soft chanting of the medicine man
naur to pass around the grounds. While
Antelope stood with head thrown back ut
tering an invocation to the sun. Directly
they drew their scalpels and made deep
incision on each benumbed spot.
Tho snews were drawn out and stout
cord was passed behind them. This cord
The reds crowded close S about, G and N, the
white visitors were warned to keep their
distance. Then the Indian started to move
His face was impassive, but the pupils of
his black eyes seemed to contract with
pain.
upon his whistle held tightly between the
teeth. lunge backward. trying meanwhile
to break loose from the pole He would be
drawn back like a gust of wind. the cords
swapping against the lacerated. flesh causing
For fully fifteen minutes this dancing was
hePl up. anu Hi was Stlll save tne stamp
Ing Of the dancer and the low beating Of
the drum. Suddenly the cords snapped.
White Antelooe fell backward. The test
trine. They were At to receive the blessing
OF President Roosevelt. That Voc N the
beginning Of the series Of the festival:
When the Indians were called together a
week later Lone Wolf took his place in the
center and addressed them as though he
were President Roosevelt, The Indians sat
upon the bare ground With their blankets
wrapped about them and RTunfod in
to his words.
Lone VOLTS Speech.
MY people. am one Of you. want you
to hold this dance. and 1 will bless you
with With many good acts ! vii! keep the pale;
Craze Upon your lands unmolested Your
children shall be educated and make brave
men and good women. You wust learn to
You must work. and l will bless you /
will see that you are treated fairly"
:, This and many other speeches of SIM
ilar nature were delivered all of which
seemed to meet with great favor. The In
dians are in the notion now to go to work
and farm the allotments which were given
to them in August.
The words Of Lone Wolf have done much
good. coming, as the reds firmly believe.
from the White Father. when thew ali
know by reputation as a ranchman and
and on Christmas Day the festivals of wild
fellowship will end with dance at which
fires will be built around the circle. all OK
the old warriors will have stations of hon
or. ard for two whole nights and one day
between the dancing will be kept up with
out stop.
The old men will recite some of their
deeds of valor while on the warpath the
young young men n will go through imaginary bat
and praise OF the White Father who at all
times was the guest of honor