The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-01
RRAYERy OF INDIAN WOuEN.
instances in Which They Have Displayed
Courage and self-Sacrficc.

While the popular belief that the Indian
wife is merely an unreokoned quantity in
the affairs Of her tribe and nation, slave
and drudge for her warrior husband. has
some foundation, the rule has many eI-
ceptions, says the Los Angeles Times,
That the squaw should perform the most
Of the daily labor about the camp and wig
VAN, while the brave takes his ease. in
order 10 he fresh and strong for the long
hunting trip or tho hardships OF the war
path Seems in accord with the natural
fitness Of things in Indian philosophy; and
the suuaw performs her task willingly and
without a mu1nur.
But let her lord and master assume too
arbitrary a hand or heap too many indigni-
tics upon her. and there Ii Immediately
such domestic war in the camp that he
il not likely soon to forget it. Never will
the writer forget an instance Of this kind
which he Witnessed one night in the upper
Columbia River country, about six years
ago. He had pitched his tent near an Indian
encamprnent. in plain view and within
reasonable earshot Of the rcdskin hand,
and along in the evening his attention was
called TO the fact that some unusual com
motion was going on among his neighbors,
The light of several campfres made every
thing plainly visible. and, sitting upon a
convenient log in front Of his tent, he OBJ
served a highly interesting and rather
amusing spectacle.
One OF the warriors had incurred the
dspleasure of his patient squaw and was
rnanfuly irving 20 bluf the matter out,
with an overawing sternnees and dignity
-. l. Il att,sa.
az a noted brave and the lord and master
of his household.
But the more he tried 70 overawe her
the fiercer and more defiant became the
wrathful squaw. until, suddenly drawing
a long. wicked looking knife, she lcaped
into the open space in front OF the circle of
wiRwams and throwing her blanket from
her shoulders stamped it into the ground
with spiteful impetuosity. Then, squaIing
herself like a Roman gladiator she pro-
oceded 20 hurl such a mighty and ecathing
TRADE Of abuse and defiance at the who'e
Indinn camp that all withdrew 10 a Ie-
apcctful distance, not one venturing 10
ape ak or to make movement while she
had the floor.
For two hours abe stood there pouring
forth her long pent up emot ions in the light
of the camp fires, hor sinewy form and
wrathful countenRnce making weird
picture Of ferocity. For two hours, with
out moments intermiseion: and such
tremendous and scorchinR harangue from
human lips the writer never expects TO hear
again.
Finally, she brought her pyrotcchulc
oratory to mrid and wonderfully inn
presive climax; then. gathering up her
epurned and bedrnggled blanket, she strobe
to her wigwam with n tread comparable to
that Of an untamed lioness. Not another
word was heard from Mr.. Brave and a
modest respectful silence enveloped the
whole Indian camp for the remainder Of the
night.
m point Of personal bravery the squaw
il often far from being the inferior of her
lawful maze. The annals Of tie West are
full Of instances Of her courage. Many
times during the fierce Sioux wars, in the
Black Hills region, attachments Of war
riorH were saved from destruction by the
bravery and stTatagem Of some OF their
squaws. One Of theee occasions was when
gentle eyed, pleasant faced maiden.
IouIe, aiterward the wife Of Sitting Bull
saved the great chief and a hundred Of