The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-11

But while many of the white mans ways entered into the makeup of the Six Ma tions Indian when he put white man $ clothing on his back, some aboriginal cus- toms still cling to him. Thus it comes about that when a Mohawk or Iroquois brave wants to summon his wedding guests he secures a purple grain of corn. passes quietly among crowd of his fel- lows and slips the grain for a moment into the hand of him whom he desires as a guest at the festivities
 The Six Nations bride has not yet fallen in love with the printed wedding card,
 even though her mother is deeply offended whenever any one refers to sher in the good old Indian way as squaw.
 Another striking example of the new
 Indian is found in California among the Diggers long considered the lowest of the North America red men.
 Many a Digger still lives on worms and grasshopper pies, but he is usually of the dying generation. The large majority of the members of the present generation have departed absolutely from the revolt ing ways of their fathers, and are living in the white mans way. This is true of as many full-blooded Diggers as of those that have white blood in their veins; and neither class Is small, numerically. These Diggers have been
 more successful in agricultural pursuits
 and cattle raising than their white neigh bnrs.
 This is especially true of the half breed descendants of Digger women and earl : California miners who, failing at gold
 hunting, took up ranching. There are wealthy men among them who tour Eu- rope and buy works of art to decorate their homes. which stand on sites where once their fathers grubbed up roots for breakfast
 It is a peculiar fact that these full blood ed and half breed families do not readily take to the luxuries of the white man in some respects. No matter how large and sumptuously furnished their homes may be, the bedrooms are always fitted out
 with almost Spartan simplicity. The men sleep on small hard cots, over which sheepsl1in or blankets are spread. No mattresses, sheets or spreads add to their comfort.
 An American who once spent week at the home of one of these Digger ranch CTS and wine growers says:
 His home was supplied with every civ- ilized article of comfort and adornment. The young rancher himself was college graduate and had travelled extensively. He could discuss literature as intelligent ly as he could speak on cattle raising. and his tastes were every bit as refined as those of his American neighbors.
 "One day an old Indian squaw appeared and stopped at the house for several days. Her hair was long and bedraggled, her face black and wrinkled, her dress con- sisted of an old Mother hubbard and 3
 blanket, and her bare feet were wrapped in cotton bandages in lieu of stockings. She could not even speak English, be- yond a few laconic expressions picked
 up from miners and trappers. She was a tyne of the old Digger squaw of years
 ago.
 'whos's the old Woman?' I asked.
 My aunt replied the young man.
 She came down here to rest up after a long spree. The tribes just had feast to celebrate the chiefs marriage. and they all got pretty sick on white mans firewater They don't understand tht art of mixing cocktails yet.
 Most of the new style Diggers, how ever, have severed all relations with their barbarian relatives and give their blank eted tribesmen scant courtesy.
 The Alaska Indians also have shown a remarkable tendency to adopt civilized ways within the last ten years. Tn Cali fornia there are many full-bloods from Alaska tribes studying in the public schools, and several have entered the State University, where they have shown remarkable intelligence.
 A Swedish trader named Sandalin has been instrumental in sending down to San Francisco numbers of children oi prominent chiefs, all of whom have be. come cultivated citizens of this country Others have come of their own volitior and have returned to spread enlighten- ment among their own people, and now the Indians around Fort Wrahgel. Kadiak and sitka are anything but barbarous