The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-07-01
THE KIcKAPoos TO MOVE.


 The Kickapoe Indians, who have been living about 15o miles west of here at Nacimento, State of Coachuila. for over fifty years, are preparing to move away. Adjacent lands have been taken up as pastures and posted, thus restricting their territory until they can no longer maintain themselves by hunting, as has ever been their custom. They are now negotiating for the purchase of 500.0e0 acres of land in the desert country west of Preside del Norte. There the hunt ing is good, but the country Is not adapted to either stock raising or farm- ing. and poor Lo will be permitted yet awhile to live the only life possible to him. Indians or at any rate the Kick apoos. do not seem to thrive under civilized conditions. About thirty years ago the United States sent d commis- sion to Naclniento to induce the great-H CT part of the Kickapoos, 412 in number, to return to the Indian Territory. There they were given every advantage
 cultivable lands, stock. implements, houses. and annuities-yet at the census taken last year the 412 dwindled to 1s4 On the other hand 175 Kickapoos had remained in Naciniento. These, living precariously by the chase, had accord ing to a recent census, increased to 475. notwithstanding an epidemic of small- pox had in the meantime more than de- eimated them. Between Indians civil lized and Indians wild on the plains there is just the difference between birds in cage and birds hustling free ly for living in the brush. Allotment in severalty of lands to these people, with it's attendant restrictions and obligations. means in time externnina- tion.
 No Kickapoo has even been Christian ized, yet they have deep religious feel- ings. Friday fourteen Kockapoos were given dinner at the Windsor by Indian Agent Nj. J. Bentley. Green corn, of which they are very fond, was served the Indians, but not one of them would touch it. MT Bentley said it was be- cause they had not yet given thanks to 1.-the corn god. This they do annually on 1 a stated day, and until they have thus thanked the god they will not partake lof his bounty.
 Speaking of their religion. MT Bent Hey said that they believed that the after life was ruled over by two spirits. ! the good and the bad; that the Indian who in this life was brave. skilful, and honest, would after death be taken ifl charge by the good spirit, who would tbestow upon him all the beatitudes that an Indian imagination can picture. But l the spirit of him who was mean, COW ardly, and untruthful would go to the domain of the evil one, his arrow would ever miss its mark. hunger and thrisl l would pursue him, and the joys oi squaw and papoose would be denied tc
 his tepee.
 | The Kickapoos are a pure race, never Ihaving interbred with white or black. This, again, is due to their religion 1 To explain their notion on the subject MT. Bentley related the reply of a I Kickapoo woman to proposal oi marriage from white man. She told | the paleface that he was fair to look EI upon and agreeable to her desires, but lthat his god was not her god, and that Itheir offspring would be neither Indiar Thor paleface, and, therefore, a spirtua orphan, to be denied in the amending life to come the protection of the good spirit. Love him as she might, sht Il lloyed yet her race more and refused his offer. Galveston News.