The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-12-31
HUMOR OF THE INDIAN.
MIR. Leupp Tells Some Good stories
Of Redskin Wit.
From the Boston Transcript,

From the Boston Transcripts.
Mr. Francis f. Leupp, the Commits
sioner of Indian Affairs. in his address
at Harvard on Monday evening conibated
the view that Indians are solemn. serious
minded persons, without perception Of
humor or love OF fun. On one occasion
he found reservation at which the In
dams were overriding an amiable and
conscientious superintendent waking him
up at all hours of the night, and breaking
in upon him at mealtimes. with trifiing
affairs that could be attended TO just as
well in business hours. Mr.. Leupp, when
the time came, gave them a lecture on
the courtesy they owed to the superin-
tendent, or agent, as he is generally
called, the commissioner saying that this
officer needed time to eat. time to
sleep, time to be with his family,
and in somewhat eloquent climax, some
time for rest" Thereupon an aged IN
dian, Of striking presence and great dig
nifty, arose to interrupt the speaker with
this explanatory statement: The last
agent that we had here never did any
thing but rest"
On another occasion an Episcopal bishop
was travelling through the Navajo eoun-
try accompanied by an Indian guide.
When night came on the bishop consulted
his companion as to the best means of
hiding a pocketbook. watch, and other
valuables IN his possession. Tie Indian
promptly ridiculed the idea that there
was any necessity for doing this, bring
ing forward this convincing proof Of the
soundness Of the recommendations.
There isn't another white man within a
hundred miles" Mr.. Leupp thinks the
Indian essentially honest as a people, In
spite of all the legends TO the contrary
which finger in frontier settlements. he
told OF a bill which was in Congress some
years ago. backed by many philanthToplc
bodies. 10 appropriate 500 for the relief
OF a tribe which was then IN sore distress
through the failure OF its crops. Ii had
! been reduced 10 the necessity OF eating
its ponies, which is an Indians last re-
sort While the bin was pending, two OF
the wise old leaders of the tribe wrote 70
Mr. Leupp urging him to use every atom
/ of personal influence that he possessed
against its passage, saying that they pre-
ferred TO endure their present suferlngs
rather than to run the risk OF pauperizing
their young men. He knew of few other
peoples in the world who would have this
degree Of ruggedness.
But, perhaps. Mr. Leupp's best story
shows the emphasis which the Indian
puts on politeness II was customary al
/ A certain reservation, when payments OF
tribal funds We're to be made, for the
SUPERINTENDENT to ask, as each Indian s
name was called. II anybody had any
claims against him, which could then be
paid, and the balance turned over Oh
such an occasion an elderly Indian put
/ in a claim OF s., 10 which the younger
brave made no dissent 1t was accord
/ ingly taken out of the allowance in tbs
customary way. A few moments later
the young Indian was discovered, a few
/ hundred feet from the agency, beating
most numerically the man who had pre-
sented the s. claim. When he was called
10 account for his behavior. he replied
( that the elder Indian had made false
charge against him. that no such amount
! had been due. why did you not say
so2" asked the superintendent
What, tell him he was no; telling tnf
| truth? 1t would have been so very i'm
pOlite.'