The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-13
Brooklyn Eagle.

GdsiSs
 To compare the handiwork of the mod
 ern woman, having every advantage of-
 fered by the highest civilization, with that
 of an Indian squaw would scarcely be ! fattering to the former in the opinion of
 many. A recent writer not only does this, but finds the work of the poor ignorant savage the more admirable of the two. After praising the exquisite sewing, done with sinew thread and needle of bone, of the Eskimo woman, 1 the wonderful basketry of the American Indian, the bark work of Polynesia, the loom work of Africa and the pottery of the Pueblos, the writer in question adds: | Compare these with the artistic produc- tions of our present generation of girls and women at their homes. I assure you the comparison is not in favor of the laborer's daughters, but of the daughters and wives of the degraded savage. In painting, dyeing, molding. modelling. weaving and embroidery, in the origination first of geometric patterns and then of freehand drawing. savage women. primitive women, have won their title to our highest admiration"
 In basketry the Indian woman has been pre-eminent from time immemorial; the wonder of 1t Is that the civilized world has been so long in discovering the beauty of this work. The general interest in basketry, now increasing at a rapid pace, is of such recent origin that a few years ago 1t was scarcely possible to find any literature on the subject, while a number of good works are to be had at present. Nevertheless. much yet remains to be said on the history of basketry, which, to the intelligent student, is at once fasci- hating and instructive
 It is to the savage that the modern basket maker turns for shapes, patterns and stitches of basketry at its best. Alas, that the work of the poor Indian is not consulted more frequently" one is tempted to exclaim on viewing the array of ugly modern baskets made not to be durable, not to be works of art, but simply to serve a purpose and to sell cheaply. To the Indian woman her bas- ket weaving Is a labor of love, into 1t she puts her superstitions, her religion, her ideas of life, of art. ofsnaAare E-Thus she makes of one basket, Unto which months of work are put, a sort of household treasure to be handed down to successive generations. studies his hobby conscientiously acquires knowledge of much more than baskets; he gets glimpses of the inner life of the makers of the baskets. This symbolism is one of their greatest charms of Indian basketry. Sometimes the basket itself
 Is a symbol but more often the pattern woven in is made symbolic. Snake de- signs occur mostly among those tribes given to the ceremony of the snake dance Birds are often represented and | flies, fish, trees and flowers. There is | spider web design and a mountain and | valley pattern; there are waving leaves | of corn and stars and sun. All of these l objects have impressed the mind of the l ignorant squaw and she seeks to inter- | prets them in the only medium open to | her; the basket becomes the poetry of her | humdrum life. The arrow head, the heart | shape and the spiral form are constantly | repeated as well as certain modes of rep | resenting the human figure.
 In Indian legend and ceremonial the has, ket has always borne a conspicuous part. | There are sacred baskets and meal l plaques used by the priests In charm | dances; there are medicine baskets and | baskets used in wedding ceremonials. In | the making of all of these certain rules and regulations must be observed.
 As to the materials which go to the making of Indian baskets. they have al- ways been determined by the environ
 ment of the makers and it is just here that the latter have shown such astonish- ing fertility of resource and invention. Yucca and hne grass appear in the bos-