Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-24
A KAMSACK SUNDAY
When One May See Indians
at Their Best,
AND THE DOUKOBOHRS
QUEER PEOPLE WHO HAVE MANY
GOOD POINTS.
Willing to Work and Do Not Waste
Their Wages-Changes In the
Far Northwest
Copyright, 1904. by Cy warman.)

Written for The Evening Star by Cy Warman
! Kamsack, which is Joyful" in Indian, is
300 miles northwest of Winnipeg, by the
| Canadian Northern railway and it is here
| that the Presbyterian Mission is making
| over Indians, and the finished product they
| turn out is the finest type of American In
dian have ever seen.
| The "Kamsack' Indian helps to bring up
| the average and equates in a measure for
| the shortcomings of the cadaverous red
rascals who loaf along the main line of the
! Canadian Pacific farther south, and their
less attractive brothers below the line.
| Their reservation on the north bank of
| the beautiful Assiniboine is one of the gar
den spots of the territories, and contains
some of the prettiest quiet rural scenes In
! all this vide northwest.
| On one side of the river are the Indians
! and on the other the wide domain of the
| Doukobohrs
1t Sunday in Kamsack on both
banks. The mission folk were passing on
| the way to church. which is some three
| miles from the mission Behind the car
| . riage carrying the white people came a
democrat wagon drawn by a fine pair of
horses refined by an Indian under north
| west mounted police hat, wearing a boiled
| shirt. duck trousers and base ball shoes.
He had bit of red and white ribbon in
| MS DuCtOnnOle, MS wire sat DeSlQe MIN ana
in the other two seats his children-boys
and girls-alI well dressed.
All Speak English.
While the family were evidently of the
Astorbilt brand, others in the train were
well equipped, and clad in clean clothes
and wore glad smiles, If Indians can be ac-
cused of showing happiness in their
glances. Other Indians. travellers, hay
about all the morning. 1 had been watch
ing them as they brought their horses and
oxen to the well for water. The well was
only a water barrel under the railway
stand-pipe, catching the waste water where
the farm horse quenches his thirst. All OF
those with whom l talked spoke English.
and many spoke fairly good English, even
to these and those"
OF course there is little liquor drinking
among the Canadian Indians, but that is
not their fault The Amerind goes after
1t as naturally as the honey bee goes after
the sweet that is hidden in the heart of the
clover, but when he lifts the cup or the can
that makes trouble a northwest policeman
dashes 1t down.
To be sure many of them show the scars
of civilization, and many wild Juanita
bears the white mans burden. yet, on the
WnOle, the northern lnuldu uOlIB larry
well considering his associates While the
Indian Is dying out in the United States he
is increasing in Canada.
On the south bank Of the Assiniboine the
Doukobohrs have settled. and here in a
nearby village we see them standing or
sitting about in groups talking quietly.
The entire towns seems to be enjoying q
quiet Sabbath-sIeeping, as 1t were, in q
sheltered vale bathed In the warm northern
sun. The clothes of the men are clean
and so are the men, They are home from
the weeks work In the far-off fields. on
|. the railway grade and from the forest
Their weeks wages are also home, hence
the unpopularity Of the Industrious Douko,