The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-08-09

treetops, cut from the cottonwoods and
elms that fringe the clear little streams
ripping through the Kiowa reservation,
and piled high on framework Of poles,
to serve as a summer parlor" in front
of his fathers tepee
The crude deer hide is carefully
dressed by tedious and secret process
known only to these Indians, and when
finished is as soft and plant as the
most expensive chamois skin. Then
loving fingers skillfully embroider with
quilts beautiful beadwork designs upon
the delicately tinted deerskin. KiowaI
cradles are more ornamental than those
of other tribes, and Kiowa sQuaws excel
in that marvellous Indian beadwork de-
signs upon the delicately tinted deer
skin. Kiowa cradles are more orna-
mental than those of other tribes, and
Kiowa squaws excel in that marvellous
Indian beadwork now the popular fad
of their pale-face sisters. Some Of this
baadwork embroidery is not only very
beautiful, but very elaborate. The
Sioux squaws, who alone rival their
Kiowa sisters, ornament the cradles Of
their little ones with bands of deerskin,
upon which are wrought, in colored
beads, gorgeous patterns of men,
horses, birds, gsh and flowers. Instead
of q wooden framework, they substitute
a basketwork frame of reeds and some
times they use seed and grasses instead
of beads.
The Cheyenne, Apache and Comanche
Indians all use cocoon cradles patterned
after the Kiowa cradles, but theirs are
not ornameted as deliberately as those
Of the Kiowas. In truth, tn egrim and
warlikeN Comanche Of the plains wastes
very little time in decorating the recep-
tacle Of his Offspring. A stout piece of
deerskin, fastened to an equally stout
wooden frame and laced up securely
with rawhide thongs, suflces his siln-
pie need.
The origin of the cocoon cradle itself,
like that Of the redskins, seems
wrapped in mystery, though we might
with reason trace this primitive cradle
back to the Lapps of northern Europe,
whose babies sleep insHttle followed
out affairs swung from the lower limbs
Of trees. They are lined with moss and
laced up, and in shape are exactly like
the primitive Indian cocoon cradle from
which the modern cocoon cradle, beau
tilted and improved, has been evolved.
The most popular pattern Of bead
work embroidery among, the Kiowa
squaws, like the famous shamrock pat
tern Of Irish lace weavers seems to be
succession of geometrical figures
whose design is carried out with vari-
colored beads upon d background of
solid beadwork in pure white.
After the beadwork embroidery is
completed, the deerskin pouch or bag
is fastened securely upon a strong
board whose two upright handles, pro-
jecting above the headpiece, or hood,
are strengthened by a cross piece at the
back. These handles are very conven-
lent 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 deerslsin, his
bright little eyes blinking at the sun
beams shining through the leafy roof,
or the flames Of the nightly campfire
Ileaping up to mingle with the moon
light. When trading at the agency
stores, the squaw props the cradle,