Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1904-09-21


which the Indian RabS Bunting
Grows aud rhri>cS-orsEsn OF rhi.
Queer CrSmped Cradle.
Fancy tiny copper colorcd papoose
bucl>led NJ saugly i'm queer buckskln
bag that resembles nothing in nature
50 much as the coy cocoon cradle OF
baby butterfly and then draw upon
your Imagination san further. pictur-
ing this odd receptacle swinging from
the leafy canopy of an Indian wicsiup
or brush arbor. ANA YOU have before
YOU an Indian baby and his wonderful
cradle.
Gorgeous yellow butterflies and
brown Kiowa babies are seldom linked
together in song or story yet in real
life their wrappingS while i'm the chrys-
alis state bear remarkable resem-
blance to each other
The cocoon cradle proper and its
various notifications as found among
the different tribes OF North American
Indians are constructed from the skins
OF animals. And right here we may
pause and trace the origin OF another
famous nursery rhyme 10 the Indian
cocoon cradle. for did not the father
of Baby Bunting 40 a-hunting to get a
little rabbits skin TO wrap that myth
zeal baby ing All fun blood Kiowa
babies are born into the pho-li-yO-ye.
or rabbit circle. and are taught TO
dance in the mysterious circle Of rab-
hits nG e..
belonging 10 the rabbit order OF the
kiOwa soldiery
Hence n rabbit skin would be very
appropriate wrapping for a Kiowa
Baby Bunting. though neither large
enough nor strong enough FOR his era
die. The red deer OF the forest. quarry
of the redskinned hunter. gives OF his
beautiful covering 10 make the cradle
that is To swing from the tree top. lit
orally tree tops cut from the cotton
woods and elms that fringe the clear
little streams ripping through the
Kiowa reservation and piled high on a
framework of poles TO serve as a sum
mer parlor' in front OF his fathers
tepec.
The crude deer hide is carefully
dressed 10y a tedious and secret process
known only TO these Indians. and when
finished is as soft and plant as the
most expensive channels skin. Then
loving fingers skillcully embroidcr with
quilts. beautiful beadwork designs up
on the delicately tinted deerSkm Kio-
wa cradles are more ornamental than
those OF other tribes. and Kiowa
beadworll now the popular FAD of their
palefacc sisters. Some OF this bead
work embroidery is not only very beau
tiful. but very elaborate The Sioux
sQuawS. who alone rival their Giowa
sisters. Oru@ .rut the cradles Of their
little ones with bands Of deersllin. up
on which are wrought I'm colored beads
gorgeous patterns of men. horses. birds.
fish and flowers. Instead OF wooden
framework they substitute a basket
work frame OF reeds and sometimes
they use seed ana grasses instead OF
beads
The Cheyenne. Apache and Conan
che Indians all use cocoon cradles pat
termed after the Kiowa cradles. but
theirs are not ornamental as elabo-
rately as those OF the Kiowas. In
truth. the grim and warlike Comanche
Of the plains wastes very little time in
decorating the receptacle Of his of
spring. \ stout piece of deerskin. fas-
tened TO an equally stout wooden frame
and laced up securely with rawhIde
thongs. sufiices his simple need.
The origin Of the cocoon cradle itself,
like that OF the redskins. seems wrap
ped in mystery, though we might with
reason trace this primitive cradle back
TO the Lapps of northern Europe, whose
babies sleep in little followed out af-
fairs swung down from the lower
limbs OF trees They are lined with
moss and Laced up, and in shape are
exactly like the primitive Indian CO
coon cradle from which the modern
cocoon cradle. beautified and improved.
has been evolved.
After the beadwork embroidery is
completed the deerskin pouch or bag
is fastened securely upon strong
board whose two upright handles, pro-
iecting above the headpiece or hood.
are strengthened by croSspiece at the
back. These handles are very con
venient when the mother is busy about
her many tasks; If it be warm weather.
baby is swung from the top OF the
brush arbor, his round, brown face
peering smilingly from out its trap
pings Of gayly beaded deerskin, his
bright little eyes blinking at the sun
beams shining through the leafy roof,
or the flames OF the nightly campfire
leaping up TO mingle with the moon
light When trading" at the agency
stores. the sQuaw props the cradle,
baby and ALL" against the counter
and goes calmly about the important
business of laying in supply for her
family in their tepee far ont on the
reservation.
Mother love fills the heart of poor
squaw as completely as il does that
OF her more fortunate paleface sister.
Her clumsy fingers fashion playthings
Of shells, odd shaped bones. carved
wooden beads, bright pieces of tin,
china or glass, which she hangs about
the hood Of the cocoon cradle in reach
OF the chubby brown fists Baby soon
learns to rattle these primitive play
things gleefully.
Strange as it may appear. the red
skinned Baby Buntings seem to thrive
In their cramped quarters but they en-
JOY as famous treat Il change to the
blankets upon their mothers backs.
when the toiling squaws are forced
TO go down to the scant timber
stretches along the creek to bring up
trewood and water for the camp.-Los
AnOolao V;r,ac