The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-09-18
Romantic Story of Vice
Presidential Candi-
dates Wife
PET NAME "BRIGHT-EYES"
Chance to Obtain Education
One Of Her Earliest
Ambitions.

dlan maiden Minnehaha.
Mrs Tfbbles was christened Yosette
La Flesche, but was better known nv
the name OF Bright Eyes, the English
meaning OF her Indian name. In-stba-'-
the-am' -ba. She was a daughter OF
Joseph La Flesche. chief OF the Omaha
tribe Of Indians, and her mother was a
daughter of Ni-ka-mi CVoice Of the
Waters, a beautiful Indian woman of
Omaha and Iowa descent.
DR.. John Gale, surgeon in the Sixth
Infantry. married this beautiful Nj
ko-mi in 1875, or thereabouts, according
to Indian fashion. They lived happily
together, and she bore him two children
When the regiment was called away to
Fort LeavenwOrth DR.. Gale left the
Indian girl with her tribe. Later he be-
thought himself o. his children, and re-
turned. thinking to take the elder to his
people to be reared as white children
should be; but when he found that the
younger was dead he returned alone to
his post.
Her Father a Reformer.
a few years afterward DR.. Gale fourd
that he had but short time 10 live
and again determined to get his little
daughter and rlace her with his reIa-
tives. With difficulty he made his way
up the river and bribed an Indian 10
steal the little one from Ni-ko-mf. and
bring her to him at the steamboat land
ing. But the Indian betray ed the pior
to the mother. and she fed to tie forest
with the child. and lived there several
GAYS, until she was assured that thu,
boat was gone. Dr. Gale died at Ct
Louis on the trip back down the river.
but he made his friend. Col. Peter a
Sarpy' swear to look after the comfort
OF Ni-kc-mt ard her child Colonel
Sdrpy did this. and four years afterUra ri
he married Nf-ko-mi -
The little daughter of DR.. Gale and
Nl-kO-mi, called Mary, was the light
of the household until she was abo5ff
sixteen, when she married Joseph IA
flesche, chief Of the OmahaS La F1escha
was the son OF French trader and an
indian woman He was intensely in
terested in the welfare OF his people.
and instituted reforms. He labored f,5i
many years to secure for the Omahas
inc rights Of citizenship and government
PATENTS for their lands, once making a
brilliant plea for his people at Wash
ington.
His Iaborz bore fruit in 1887. The
Onahas received government patents for
their lands, and La F1esche cast HIS first
and last vote that November He died
In September. 1855. on his farm near
Bancroft. Mrs. La Flesche is stiU living
on this farm.
Precocious as a Child.
Seven children were born in the La
Flesche family, and Of these Bright
Eyes, who became Mrs. Tibbles. is the
best known. She was born in Bellevue.
Neb.. in 1854. When about eight years
old she entered the school on the
Omaha reservation. She could not speak
English, but learned with ease and
rapidity, and soon was considered the
star pupil. Her intelligence. beauty.
and winning ways made her a favorite
among the teachers, and one an East
ern girl, kept up a correspondence with
Bright Eyes, who attended the mission
school until she was fifteen years old
This former teacher, in a letter written
when Christmas was drawing near, ask
ed the Indian girl what she most desir-
ed. thinking she would ask for a string
of beads, ribbon, or perhaps a new
dress Bright Eyes declared that the
thing that she wished most in all the
world was an education. This desire
and the heartfelt language in which it
was expressed made strong impress
sion on the teacher. and she showed the
letter 10 the principal Of a school in
Elizabeth. n. ].
Took Every Prize Offered.
Arrangements were made whereby
Bright Eyes won a chance 20 obtain her
education. During the four years she
spent there she took every prize offered
Having been graduated with highest
honors, the brilliant Indian girl re-
turned to the reservation.
! Three years which followed were the
unhapp!est of her life. She had become
used TO the comforts OF CIVILIZATION, and
the squalid surroundings Of the reserva-
| ton caused her suffering. Her father
was very poor. No one was allowed 60
| leave the reservation without n pass
H. a. -
THE textbooks which she had brought
! from school and a copy of Shakespeare
won a IS a prize composed all the reading
matter at her command. She afterWafo
said that she believed she would have
/ gone mad but for that copy OF Shake
| speare.
! Al last one day. when porting over the
| rules governing the reservat ton, Bright
/ Eyes discovered n provision that any
! uIIalified Indian should be preferred
! over a white person for any position
4 in the Indian service. That moment she
] resolved that she would become teach
] or in the Indian school There were
| difficulties to be overcome. but finally
! she was permitted to teach for $50 a
month. With this she. fed. clothed and
| provided for the members OF her fam
| lily and the children she taught.
How She Met Tibbles.
| When the Ponca habeas corpus case
| came up, Bright Eyes was teaching
| Thomas II. Tibbles was one Of the coun.
! sci for the Indians. He was told tha
! Bright Eyes could give clear and effec
| tive testimony. They met, and he Eel
| in love with her. They were married
| in 1882. Bishop Clarkson Influenced Mrs
/ TIbbles to go East. accompanied bv her
| husband. on a occurring tour i'm behal
| of her people. She was an attractive
! speaker. and crowds fiocked TO heal
/ her. After hearing her speak Long
| fellow said:
! For years / have been endeavorinl
| TO conquer English, but If l could us,
] such exquisite English as this vounl
! Indian maiden l would feel that / haS
| mastered IT,
! The force Of her logic was underiable
and it is largely due to her that tn,
| Indians owe the Improvement i'm law,
relating TO them and their recop,nitior
| as citizens. For FIVE years she Iscture,
, in America and Europe
! After their return to America Mr. an,
| Mrs Tibbles made Lincoln Mob tbeh
home. and Mrs. Tibbles wrote ,o., ~,
| magazine articles. But hor bcsItb II
| ways delicate, became steadily, v-lrsa
and she died il that city on MAY p
| 1903. -