New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-20
A PAP0OSE'S CHRISTMAS.
No Little Stocking for Baby Redskin-
Squaw's Love for Her Little One.

The cutest thing of human kind Is the papoose.
and because 1t is the child of Indian squaw let
think that it is born 20 a life OF neglect
AS long IL stays strapped its board it's mother
is its constant and loving companion. and. though
it has stocking to hang up Christmas Eve.
it has jolly Christmas s any white child
The presents merely placed beside the baby.
1t may receive a bright neektie. fancy cap
striped stick of candy. for Indians fond OF
color; but its gifts are more apt to be string OF
shells an elk tooth or the claw OF a bear.
The infant redskin wears stockings. because
it does not need them. Fastened 10 the board
upon which 1t is strapped are comforting flaps OF
skin which answer all the purposes OF clothing,
and the board takes the place Of many other
eessories Of infancy 1t serves the babys cradle
The squaW mother. instead OF rocking the baby,
takes him up. board and all. swings him in her
arms, and. humming Indian ditty. puts him TO
sleep and sets him upright against tepee pole 20
snooze. The board Is also the papoose's gO-eart.
1t has wheels; so tho mother straps II on 70
her back when she wants to give the baby
airing. II she rides a pony she ties the board TO
the saddle and logs along-the papoose dangling
at the side of the beast and looking Ike a little
live mummy.
This board is a creation of necessity. The Ind
Ian. following his WILL is nomad. Being the
go much forces him TO put up his things in
venient packages A baby buggy would be in the
way At best II would soon get broken The
Indian mother could not carry her babe IN the
way that the white mother does and make
days journey. Inc most convenient way to dis
pose OF the papoose is TO tie him on a board: and
ths Indian mother carrying her infant about is no
more bothered by 1t than graude dame Is by her
shopping bag.
In making this peculiar article Of the Indian
household the prospective mother spends much
tine and care. Girls make their baby board even
before they marry. and fathers in making their
daughters marriage settlement often provide this
article. The board is generally covered with buck
skin, worked with beads Of many colors in designs
OF leaves, flowers or animals. and the flaps and
head cover are ornamented with large. fiat beads
or shells. Sometimes however, the board is
simple in make, being merely few bent sticks.
The richly Ornamented board is mark of gentility
distinction.
In time of war the Indian mother takes the
PaPoose along and herself renders great aid even
braves make an attack the papoose being sIung all
the while on her back After the battle Of Wounded
mothers mother cold stiff body young girl papo0se. The
law exposed TO Ihs cold al Df5t S,5t ~ i ne pe
ping had kept ii from freezing. Finding the little
one thus, big hearted volunteer colonel from
Nebraska. who was a man of wealth, said:
BOYS. we've killed the mother. Its up to US to
right now; she shall be my daughter
So the colonel carried the little papooss back to
th re- railway Strapped to her board.
The Indian mother never whips her papoose. Is
want to weaken It's spirit. courage being a good
thing in war II it cries and she wants It to stop
she simply holds it's is said OF course thar
an Indian baby never cries. but that is a mistake
white babies nor does it exist in Individual cases in
such an aggravated form; but. nevertheless it Is
not unknown. One day group OF five sQUaWs were
looking at a circus parade in Western town. They
turned their five papooses around to the gilded
wagons go by, The horns began to bray tust as the
band wagon passed the squaws, and five Indian
babies began to howl.
The papoose, too. like the palsfaoe child. is ths
object Of much maternal pride.
Ruth how Is your baby2' said a white man
one day to, an Indian girl who had recently be-
come a mother.
Heap coed" was her reply. "IIs born same time
Rosie.s papoose. Roste'S papooSs got tooth
See, my paPo0se got tooth"
Ruth was a Catholic girl, having gone to the Kato
DreXel School. Tbs Sisters gave her a Christian
name, and she had named her papooss after the
late Pope. The gave Ruth bright silk neck
tie and she at tied It around the head Of Leo
with evident delight in the effect
=, The Indian mother loves her babe. but she wants
rior. and that is what both father and mother de-
sire. The mother does not want her child TO en-
dure the drudgery which she performs herself and
the father Is haunted If he Is only the father OF
sQuaWs -
The papoose never gets name until after II ran
walk. When IL leaves the board, II IL is a how he
is called merely Hats-Wol. which means boIr
while girl goes by the name Of Pe-te-lis Wbs11
Hatswol or Petelis gets strong enough he or she s
put out in the woods or hill, and the "a tbsr
keeps watch. II the child IS attracted by soma
animal or strange thing. something unusual hsn
pens, it gets a name Thus a hatswoI becomes