Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-14

lady was telling. She modest as
she was good looking. But now that Pc
tow-ya no longer wanted to talk turned
to SAGA ja-wea, who spoke English, de-
lightfully favored with the accent and
imagery of her people. She is a type OF
the Indian girl who goes to school, tries
on civilization for while, finds it strained
and goes back to the free, uncurbed life Of
the blanket and the tepee
you have pretty name said l to th,
girl. What does it mean, Sac-a-ja-wea?'
1T means bird woman"
well, how did you ever come to get the
name
1T is like this: When an Indian child is
small it's father puts it out by itself 1t
sees some animal or bird or thing it likes,
and is named after it, because my people
believe that 1t will keep away bad spirits.
I saw bird. That's why they call me
SAGA a-wea."
What pretty name" said again.
Bird-woman dropped her eyes and did not
look up until l went on. You ought to be
very proud of your name, because was it
not a young Indian woman called just the
same as you who showed Lewis and Clark
the way to the Pacific ocean,
A shy yes was her only answer. Then
she dropped her eyes again.
Are you kin to her?'
Eyes, I am from her people, the girl
replied.
you know all about her, then don't
you?"
MY people have told me some and have
read some at school" answered Sac-a-jd-
wea, her shyness growing less
Cant you tell my friend broke in the
major, what you told me when 1 was out
and made your picture that day? 1 have
forgotten lots of it,
THAT wasn't much" said the girl.
Then I'm sure you'll tell me-" / spoke
up.
Sac-a-ja-wea's Story.
t'Well, my people say began Bird
woman, 'long time ago there were lots OF
buffaloes on the other side of the noun
tains. They used to go over there to hunt.
The Indians who lived there-they We're the
Sioux-did not want a strange people to
come over to their country and take their
food. But my people, the Shoshones, were
a strong people and went into the buffalo
country. They had war with the Sioux.
Every summer, nearly, they used to fight
Sometimes my people would whip the Sioux
and sometimes the Sioux would whip my
people When my people whipped the
Sioux they would take Sioux for prisoners;
when Sioux whipped my people they would
take Shoshones for prisoners.
"One summer my people catch lots of
bUffaloes. The Sioux followed them back
to the mountains. They fought my people
and took many prisoners. One of the pris-
oners was little girl named SAGA a-wea.
She was just little girl, but big enough
to know her name. The Sioux took her
people did not hear about her for a long
time.
Bye and bye, white man come one day
to the mountains. They had guns that
would shoot a long way and kill antelope:
they had a funny glass that they could
hold to piece of wood and start a
fire. My people thought the Great Father
had sent the white men. The white men
had found SAGA ja-wea at Fort Maudan,
on the Missouri river in Dakota. They took
her with them to show them the way. She
was a grown woman by that time and was
married. When she and her husband had
passed with Lewis and Clark beyond the
Great Falls and come to where three rivers
came together the Great Father gave Sac
a-ja-wea papoose. One day 1t got in the
river and Captain Clark got 1t out. SAGA
ja-wea always loved Captain Clark because
he got out her papoose. love Captain
Clark because he got out the papoose."
Perhaps the papoose was one of your
ancestors" said I.
That's what my people say" continued
the girl
1T was a good thing, too" added SAGA
ja-wea, for an Indian once started will
complete a story, that the Indian woman
was along because the white men came TO
a place where three rivers made the big
Missouri river. The white men did not
known which river to follow TO cross the
mountains, but the Indian woman showed
them.
when they all got to the top of the