The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-01-05

/ II Freachss thesors spots-heols The ra1c places
! goes 10 Nesedf0f dasedse-Gc as G6dlIn and
tonic - the l1fOie system 100 az 0rltgglSts or
/ BIZ mail Aanyon. 4el0 York and A.iLGde, ,DAaf0-
! side. therefore he construed the mean
ing Of the Indian lingo to me in compre-
henslve English The drums and Indian
flutes played in 2 spirited tone Hal to
/ our Chieftain," aud White Eagle. the
noted chief Of the Ponca tribe was es-
corted bv the guards of honor to the cen
fer Of the ring All the Indian women
clad in gala col0rs sat upon the ground
forming a large circle around the old
chief. The bucks remained standing just
behind the squaws, making an outside
ring. Silence prevailed throughout the
camp and only the occasional wall of
some papoose broke the stiffness. White
Eagle was arrayed in his chieftain garb.
Upon his silver mounted breast plate was
pined the scalps of two white men and
four Sioux Indians that he wore as
badges Of honor. prenoUncing him war
rior of worthy note. His long, white hair
hung unbraided about his beaded neck
less. making him an excellent type Of the
American red man. His speech IN part
was Is follows.
Brothers and sisters. 7 am glad to be
with You again upon the dawn Of this
new year. You, brothers of neighboring
tribes are welcome TO Join us in our
friendly feast. We are peaceable In
dians now and must obey the laws Of our
land. The old fighting days are past and
gone. the bloody tomahawk is buried and
the bow-arrow is layed away in the ar
chives midst other munitions Of HOSTILE
ties The paleface is our master on
earth. Wen. do we old men remember
tho bloody days when with bow and
drawn arrow we Iayed in wait for the
white man and fought hand to hand with
the treacherous Sioux. But. friends,
those days are gone forever; we must
subject ourselves 10 peace. We are
gathered together upon the beginning Of
this new year for a tribal rejoicing We
should make this a happy occasion for
ere the next New Year dawns Some Of
us viii be lifted from this earth by the
Great Messiah ana placed upon the buf-
faio neld in the happy hunting ground
where the deer and antelope frolic and
the pale face never cometh. Now all
members of my tribe must bring forth
some token Of good VIII and choose the
visiting brother or sister who he desires
shall have his gift
White Eagle waved his hands over all
the camp and blessed each and every
members present. The squaws sang
Great is our Chief and the address
Of welcome closed
This likely vas not the exact words
used by the Ponca chief but it was the
exact meaning of his speech told ne wore
for word by my interpreter The flute
band played an appropriate air and the
Ponca Indians began to nle into the in
closure with the presents that were in
tended for the visiting tribes. Attached
TO a high mast was large silk flag
( bearing the stars and stripes and under
this floating emblem the present We're
( to be given and received
The give-away song was started by the
bucks, the squaws joining in the chorus.
Mean Bear was the first giver. He led
two ponies under the flying banner and
called the Indians name that he wished
to make glad. This noted worthy came
! briskly forward, raised his hands. bless
/ ed the giver. grasped the halter ropes
/ and thus Mean Bear and his ponies soon
! parted. This was the routine that was
gone through with for two long hours.
and when the gifts were all bestowed the
visitors were almost covered with pres
I ents, and the Poncas looked as though
] they felt repaid to see their guests made
/ happy.
Knows-th Country presented a Kaw
with a silk lined fur overcoat and cap
Crys-for-Ribs led in two ponies. one
was blanketed with a fancy bed spread.
( The other carried a fine Navajo blanket.
Big Snake sang n Cheyenne war song
/ as he marched proudly into the ring
/ leading by a fancy bead bride a prancing
dapple gray stallion upon whose tail was
secured fifty yards Of blue ribbon.
+ Stamped in the glossy hair upon either
4 side of this stylish animal was the print
Of a hand that had been dipped in blood
+ This was 70 remind the old fighters of
/ by-gone DAYS. All the old bucks and
/ their wives Joined i'm q war song and
when the Pawnee chief came forward TO
receive the gray charge he made short
speech thanking Big Snake and pro
+ claiming that the Poncas We're royal
entertainers
White Eagle presented White Horse,
! the Oto chief with smoking pounch
ancd with Kinney Knick. a choice weed
that the Indians smoke. attached TO the
pouch was a bead match safe ard tom
/ ahawk pipe. One pony that was given
/ 70 Pawnee woman was covered with a
red silk shawl. Comes-fronl-War gave
an otto a spotted pony that had STRAPPED
/ upon his back one hundred pounds ot
! -four. among the thinss that were given