The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1905-12-08
Inherent Characteristics Hard to
Overcome-Prosperity Com.
ing Slowly but Surely
Miss ColIins-A Missionary and
Business Agent-The Messiah
craze-sitting Bull Tragedy
tBy FRED G. HUNTINGDON

(By FRED G. HUNTINGDON :
If nothing had resulted from our
trip through the west country other
than meeting and becoming ac-
quainted with the work of Miss Col
Inns it would have been worth while.
1t gives a man a bracing feeling TO
meet anyone who has unselfishly de-
voted his or her life tothe bettermenb
of a people. Coming as we did from
the world where the chase for the
almighty dollar keeps a fellow gasp
ing for breath about half the time it
was like taking a moral tonic to GENE
across a woman, away back there
amongst those Indians, who has
earned their confidence, gratitude
and devotion by giving up her life to
them and for them. | cannot begin
to tell the story of Miss Collins work
among the Indians. 1t would require
another series. Of articles as long as
those that have preceded this and, be-
sides that, the work will be done by a
writer capable of handling the sub
ject. l may say, however, that Miss
Collins went to the Sioux on the
Standing Rock twenty years ago and
has lived among them, practically
alone so far as white people are con-
cerned, ever since. She was sent as a
missionary but has been more than, a
religious teacher to them.- She has
become their business agent, their
trusted confidant, their adviser, their
friend and their helper in times Of
trouble and distress. Speak Of her to
an Indian and watch the quick smile
that would come. Let Miss Collins
go with you anywhere and notice how
different your reception. She lives in
a small house at Little Eagle, the site
Of one of the government schools for
the Indians on the Grand river, but.
goes about from district to district in
all seasons and in all kinds of weather.
Miss Collins is now a gray, almost
white, haired woman whose face shows
the kindness and love of humanity
that has kept her among a strange
people for. thirty years, as she spent
ten years with another tribe before
going to the Sioux. She will need no
monument when the time comes for
her to lay down her work for it. has
already been built in the hearts of
four thousand men, ome and
children.
THE LITTLE EAGLE SCHOOL
The school at Little Eagle is one of
a number maintained by the United
States Of which but little is.kpown off
the reservations. A number of sub
stantial frame buildings have been
erected there, a picturesque spot on
the Grand river, and, if / remember
rightly, about two hundred boys and
girls are in the school. They are
given text hook instruction but the
practical work done is of the greater
importance. The boys are taught
farming, mechanics and the like and
the girls are instructed in household
WOAhS SCW4IS obu SOOhllS. OlOWly
tut surely schools of the kind are
working a great change in the habits
of life of the Indians.
FINE CORN AND VEGETABLES
Mr.. Hall, the principal of the
school, showed me through his garden,
or rather where his garden had been,
and gave me some samples of field,
sweet and pop corn that they had
raised there this last summer. 1t was
fine and would compare in yield and
quality with any raised hereabouts.
1t was grown without irrigation and
on the upland. Alfalfa has done we'll
there and he showed me several large
stacks of it. In the vegetable line
they are as successful as could be
wished. This brings to mind the fact
that IN Indian agricultural fair was
held this year at Ft. Yates and, so l
am told, it will be continued from
year to year hereafter. The Indians
this year took great pride in their ex-
hibits and when we were there we
were told that they began to plan for
their next year exhibits as soon as
they saw what a fair was to them. 1t
is hoped and expected that much
good will result from the interest in
the fair that will be stirred up. 1 am
Informed, too, that the exhibits this
year compared fayorably with those of
any Of our western fairs and I do not
doubt it. Mind you, everything ex
hibited was raised from ten to q
hundred miles west Of the Missouri
in a country supposedly unfit for
man to live in. We know not oul
own state.