Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-30
she paints upon the top of her head where
her hair parts a red stripe

she paints upon the top of her head where
her hair parts red stripe.
The Indian girls marry young. Fifteen is
the usual age at which they become wives
Daughters are the property of their ia TIERS
The bucks exchange ponies for sweethearts.
Although many of the old families of Vir
ginia-among them the Randolphs, who are
descendants of PocahontaS-boast of Indian
blood. the humblest Indian girl considers
it degradation to marry white man. Ely
all the tribes it is held a mark of degen
eracy to possess the mingled blood of white
and red.
Their Marriage Rites.
Few Christian marriages are celebrated
the reservations. Most of the young wo-
men prefer to follow the simple rites IF
their race. These ceremonies are but two
The first one, naively romantic, is the be-
trothal. The lover goes by night to the
maiden's tepee and sings her a love ditty.
She comes out in the moonlight and joins
hands with him. Thus the engagement is
announced. .--..
The marriage ceremony however, Is more
prosaic. Two blankets are spread in the
middle of the tepee. The bride and groom
sit upon these and they are married. The
wedding guests bring presents and heap
them up between the couple.
When the Indian maid becomes a wife
she obeys and loves her brave. Lift the
flap of tepee and you will often see the
squaw. with look of contentment, tender
ly combing and smoothing her warriors
long hair. Her love rs not unreauited.
have seen the husband painting with great
care upon his squaw's head the adjoining
vermillion stripe. The red mother is de-
voted to her children. OF the little girl she
is fond. She fashions small boards and
flaps in which to tie up her doll papoose.
TO the little boy she gives the kind of care
that trainers give to their fine colts. In his
infancy she takes measures to make the
future brave strong and straight. She dis
ciplines him firmly. but gently; no harsh
word or blow must break his spirit.
The naughty reserve of the Indian war
rior appears in the woman a most en-
gaging modesty. A girl on the reserva ton
will cast her eyes down, and in pretty En-
glish. if she has been to school, answer a
visitors pryng questions. If given a little
present she will softly say. THANK you"
and however red the ribbon or the kerchief
may be, will lay it aside without looking tat
it while the donor is near.
They Are Very Shy.
This shyness. which is not bashfulness
nor awkwardness. but rather a sensitive
reserve, attracts one to the Indian girl.
remember how Ruth, when I asked her 20
come to Whirlwind's tepee with me, drew
back. begging to stay behind because ''she
didn't like to go before so many men" The
red maiden displays also in her love af-
fairs the worid-o coyness. Josephine
came to a white friend to ask him to write
for her letter to her favored brave. AS
she left to mail the letter her last words
were: Don't tell mother"
Has anyone ever told you that the Indian
woman has no sense of humor? Smile at
her and she smiles back. How much are
these moccasirs?' l inquired of a squaw
She knew that l only wanted to make her
talk. Although moccaSins We're sold for
much less. she twinkled and replied: Post
timpt''-S1o.G0 Yet, when one means bust
ness. the squaws are keen traders. The
merchants out west, who buy the suuaws
get the best of her in a bargain. She is
likely to hold out for more than the value
of her wares.
The worst trait in the character of the
sauaw however is her love of gambling
This vice is inherent in her race. The hus-
band teaches the wife to play cards. The
children look on While their mothers draw
around blanket in the tepee and follow
the chances of the game
The squaw despite her gambling is indus
triouS. She chops and carries on her back
the firewood. She does all the cooking. She
has not broled and roasted for centuries
in vain. Travellers in the northwest who
have eaten with these Indians tell of the
delciousness of the squaw's cooked salmon.
She Does the Work.
The Indian women make the grass baskets
that We see in Indian stores. They also tan
buckskin and make of 1t gloves and mocca-
sins. The celebrated Navajo blankets are
men not only do the light work; the men
leave all the heavy toll to Them If crop
is to be raised the squaw must be the la
borer: is a new tepee is needed she must
build 1t. To this nomad-wife moving day
comes with more frequency than tn the