The Columbus commercial., 1903-11-03
A sQUAW's FINE COSTUME.
0rna mented with Elk Teeth n Single
One of which Is Worth the
Price of Pony.

sion abroad that the women OF TIE
tepees care very little for dress, for
they are merely dowdy, unclean
drudges, smelling of rum, and wearing
a soiIed blanket wound tightly about
their hips n lieu of something better,
and that their claims to personal beau
ty are something meagre. Like most
of the Impressions scattered broadcast
by sensational space writer's in regard
TO the much maligned red man, this
one is absolutely false, writes Florence
B. Crawford in Country Gentleman. II
is true the older and uglier squaWs are
the camp drudges to a certain extent,
but as to the young maidens Of the
tepees, that's another story! They are
comely and they dress magnifcently
on occasion. Their beauty is of that
vivid ithe-limbed, vigorous type
found alone in the forest people.
Among the Kiowa Indians are many
exceedingly handsome young squaws,
and as to their gala-day dress, no pale
face queen of fashion wears costlier or
more picturesque robes than does the
untutored daughter of poor Lo."
Consider the dress worn by the
young Kiowa woman as a typical ex-
ample of the gorgeous ''squaw dresses"
found among the better class of the
blanket Indians. 1t is valued at s1,400
"a conservative estimate-thOugh its
proud owner would not part with it
for all the gold a paleface might be
tempted to offer: first. because she is
truly feminine, though heather, and
is aware of the fact that it is vastly
becoming, endowing her with wild.
romantic charm, all her own; then,
the robe is a treasured heirloom hand
ed down from mother to daughter
through many generations All the
young women of her family have worn
it as a bridal robe believing luck at
tended them thus attired. A famous
"squaw dress" of this description that
had been in one of the Cheyenne fam
fly for 127 years and was ornamented
with 1924 elk teeth, served as the we'd
ding dress for over 40 Cheyenne
squaws; but sad to tell. poverty com
PEELED its last red-skinned owner to
sell it to a paleface curio dealer for
81 900
And of what material is this mar
velous dress made" an incredulous
paleface maiden asks, doubtingly, Wis
seed pearls fitting through her brain
"Buckskin!" is the startling answer.
But such buckskin!-tanned and
dressed only as an expert redskin can
do it. by tedious and repeated scraping
with bits of bone and shell, a process
handed down as well as the robe itself
and rendering the buckskin as soft and
plant as the most seductive chamois |
skin But buckskin, though not easy
to obtain. is not alone accountable for |
the high value put upon these squaw |
dresses. Like my lady's Paris gown,
the secret of its costliness lies in the |
which consists of row upon |
row of ivory elk teeth sewed across |
the front of the loose bodice Of this |
peculiar one-piece garment, as well as /
upon the flowing sleeves, which are |
merely an extension OF the bodice from |
the neck. The skirt is painfully scant |
and is profusely trimmed with heavy |
buckskin fringe and colored- bead en-
broidery. The moccasins are treasures
In themselves, their exquisite rainbow
hued embroidery done in beadwork |
rivaling the elk-teeth ornamentation
in beauty, if not in value.
The elk teeth that form the trim
ming Of these wonderful squaw dresses
are as valuable as the seed pearls en-
broidered upon the satin wedding
gown of the paleface bride, readily SELL
ing at from 81 to SO each In the good
old days elk teeth were not quite so
difficult to obtain, and it required a
good handful to purchase a pony; to-
day. owing to the rapid extinction of
the elk, one fine tooth alone represents
the value of an ordinary Indian pony.
Some of these costly worries are hand
ed down as relics, and bear the mark
Of some great chief long since gone to
the happy hunting grounds Hence
they are priced more highly than Jew
els or gold. Thus it is that the Kio-
va bellies robe is so valuable The |
number of elk teeth upon it sets the
value. Many of them do not have elk
-eeth sewed across the sleeves. and
only three or four rows upon the bod
ce
These squaw dresses are seen in the
most delicate tints, white. of course.
oredominating, though primrose vel
ow, sea green and deep cream are
avorite colors. These tints are OBJ
aimed from dies extracted from bark
Ind roots and herbs. When the much
handed down robe requires freshening
new coat Of dye is gently rubbed in
he absorbent bucksIin by th@ patient
ingers of some bent old squaw. who is
IN adept in the queer customs and
of her bygone ancestors. The
generation appear Indifferent
o the sacred institutions of the old
lays, and when the present supply of
quaw dresses has crumbled to dust
history will have to rely on limitations
o preserve these rare and beautiful ,
elies of disappearing people.
Odd Notice TO Correspondents. i