The Elbert County tribune., 1904-01-28


dams to be the last of its kind that will
be celebrated by this tribe. The con-
clusion is due 10 the inroads civilian
tion is making upon Indian customs.
and is also largely due TO the fact that
nearly all of the younger members of
| the tribe are entering schools. and the
I influence of these schools makes them
drop their native habits and customs.
At one time 1t looked as II the cere-
mony would be declared of because
the groom refused TO attire himself in
blanket and red paint.
The contracting parties were Arthur
Bonniecastle. n full blood Usage. and
Angie Penn. The bride has small
strain of white blood Nearly 800
white persons and the Indians OF the
district were there.
When Arthur Bonniecnstle was eight
years old his parents died. and he was
| sent to the Usage Mission in Kansas
and later 10 the Carlisle Institute,
where he was graduated with high
| honors.
When the first cnll for volunteers in
the last war was made he enlisted and
saw service in Cuba. He went TO
| China with his regiment, and was the
second man over the walls of Pekin.
For this service he wears a medal Civ
en- him by the United States Govern
ment He was transferred to the Phil
| ippines with his regiment and served
there until nine months ago. when he
was honorable discharged and left the
service as first sergeant of his COM
pany. Six months ago he went to the
reservation. the home of his boyhood.
| To him all the manners and customs
| of his people We're new. and 1t required
some little time for him TO again ac-
quire the Usage language. although he
speaks English. French and Spanish.
He is the ideal type of 1ndian-tall,
| straight as an arrow aud Is absolutely
| honest.
Angie Penn's beauty is known from
one end OF the reservation to the other.
| There is not more beautiful Indian
woman in the country than she. She
| is seventeen years old and her husband
is twenty four. One day, while at the
| agency at Pawhuska. he saw the girl,
told his brother about her and in
| formed him that he was going to call
upon her This was one of the man
ners he had learned in the white mans
country. but II is not the custom Of the
Indian Henry Bonniecastle. the
| brother. explained that in order 10 Sc
! cure the woman of his choice he must
buy her. and also that he probably
would have to bid at nm auction sale
ngainst other eligible Young men on
the reservation. The young man said
this was like purchasing steers. but he
| left the arrangements 10 his brother.
| Among the Osages the lover never en-
tiers into the trade. but some relative
makes the purchase. under the direc-
tions of the lover. and then draws up
| on him for the expenses of the trans
| action.
The brother in this case went to Sas-
| sy Calf. near relative of the girl, and
| told him of the desires of his brother.
Sassy Calf at once assumed the role
| of matchmaker and sent out word
| that upon certain day he would re-
ceive bids for the hand. IL not the
heart. of Angie Penn. Upon the day
set four young bucks. all accompanied
| by their relatives. appeared mt the
home of Sassy Calf. A feast was
| served and the relatives of the young
men squatted in circle. in the centre
| OF which stood Sassy Calf. ready to
! conduct the sale. Previous to this. the
young men lad been allowed an op-
portunity of taking look at the girl,
but not allowed to talk 10 her. Each
made up his mind just how much Il
wife of that kind was worth to him
| and notified his relative how much to
bid before dropping out of the game.
Bonniecastle told his brother that he
wanted the girl and to outbid all the
others
The bidding was spirited. but Bon
! Necessities brother was declared the
successful purchaser. The proceeds
! of the sale went to the girls relatives
and toward defraying the expenses Of
the wedding The amount finally
agreed upon for this girl was $500 in
cash for the wedding feast. race
horse known as Hoodoo. and valued
at $3.50. and fifteen good Indian ponies.
valued at $3.50. The horse Hoodoo was
to go tG Sassy Calf. the matchmaker.
and the fifteen Indian ponies were to
go to the guests at the wedding.
The bride was not even told who was
to be her husband. All she knew was
that she was going TO be married. and
that IS considered enough for any In
dian woman. The order for the brides
tronsseau was given TO the Delaware
Indians. who live east of the Usage
reservation. and who are adopts lt
Indian needle and fancy work. 1t was
the most elaborate ever worn by an
Usage bride. and its cost was nearly
$150O.
During the preparations the bride
was not willing to be married. She
feared she was to he married to some
blanketed buck. and such husband
did not in the least suit her progressive