Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-11-26
THE INDIANS
THANKSGIVING

W Atl1G INV Va eAAAF1E A3h
"a ervation Indians as 10 college
towns where great football
games are scheduled TO occur, says the
New York Times. Especially Is this
true In the southwest. where the In
dams have had an opportunity 10 be-
come thoroughly civilized OF Late years
The white people hBd no more enjoy.
mont ID this day OF universal good cheer
than DO these same dusky redskins.
II Is day Of feasting. playing and
gambling. with big dance at night.
Such sport only comes once q year to
them nowadays, when they have had
to forsake the scalping knife for the
plow. Their wild nature rebeiled Mt
the idea Of work. and II has been with
much difficulty that the government
agents have made farmers cut Of the
young braves day OF rest and
amusement Is considered good for their
better nature. and the government au-
thoriiies are willing that Thanksgiving
day shall become a fcStai time for the
reservation wards Of the nation.
The Kiowas and Comanches. who
have but recently been placed on al
lofments. will have forsaken many OF
their Wild plans Of amusement this
Thanksgiving. owing 10 the fact that
they have been cut OF the free list Of
beef issues. They have arranged 10
draw grass money on Thanksgiving,
and a goodly portion Of this win be
spent Ia purchasing food for a grand
feast AT night they VIII take part
In green corn dance. at which pray
ers will be offered to the Great Spirit
for the good crops which they have had
the past season. The spirit Of thank.
fulness pervades the Indian celebra-
tons
The osages hold = big feast at Paw
huxka. their capital city. All members
of the tribe are invited to take part In
the festivities At the beginning and
end Of each meal-and there are many
the aged missionary who lives among
them Is invited TO deliver short pray
or thanking the Great Spirit for The
good things which the agent has sent
to them. The food Is cooked by the
squaws. and. while IL could be pre-
pared In a much cleaner and more
tasteful manner. the cooking IL an Inn
proyement over that of a few years
gone.
The Apaches and Cheyennes are in
the habit Of holding pony smoke.
Often the OsaEes indulge in this ex-
pensive festival il pony smoke Is
friendly meeting Of two tribes and Is
especially appropriate fer the occasion.
The tribe giving the smoke Is sup
posed 10 bear all Of the expenses They
provide the best game and vegetables
In the market for their guests. and at
the end OF the first days meeting they
present good pony TO the bead Of
each family visiting them. As a tribe
consists Of from 800 TO $50 families,
the expenses soon mount high. The
osages. being the richest reservation
Indians there are today, can better af-
ford to hold pony smokes. and, com
bincd with their feast day. they gen
orally invite several hundred guests
from the Poncas, Tenkawas and sur
rounding tribes. Those accepting the
ponies are supposed to return the gift
with equally expensive ones later on.
but few of them can do so.
The Poncas hold every Thanksgiving
as beef issue day. II the agent does
not come forward and present them
with a herd of cattle for this occasion,
they mortgage their property and buy
cattle OF some neighboring ranchnen.
A beef issue is the most typical Of the
redskin and also the most picturesque
Of Indian Thanksgiving celebrations
For years the government has forbid
den the issue of beef after the manner
Of an old time Issue. but on special
occasions they are allowed the aInuse-
ment of killing their own meat II is
said by the government officers who
succeeded in having the practice stop
ped that beef issue tends TO make the
| Indian wilder and more difficult TO
csvilize.
A hundred cattle are turned loose In
| q large pasture. The young men OF the
tribe are mounted on mustangs and
have shining field guns With the good
| wishes Of the squaws and medicine
men ringing In their ears they ride out
| to XIII the cattle. The beasts have no
chance for life whatever. The chase
| Is accompanied by an undue amount
| OF wild yelling. while excitement grows
| intense In the camp. The smell OF fresh
blood makes the squaws wild. as II
were. After all OF the cattle have been
shot down then the killers give sig
nal which means that all of the tribe
are at liberty TO rush forth and secure
their portion. A half beef Is awarded
to each squaw. The beef is cleaned
and cooked on fire ON the open plain.
while the medicine men dance their APP
prevail and the warriors sing Ia their
gee. The feast follows. with more
dancing. and the whole day Is thus
spent. ending late at night with a final
gorge.
False Faces