The Washington herald., 1907-12-18


lof him-descended upon the Capitol yes
terday. No war bonnets bedecked their
heads. nor did blankets swath their
sturdy forms. Nay. the habiliments Of
the paleface clothed them. and the derby
had displaced the turkey feathers.
But stay! DO not presume that the
romance OF the past has entirely deserted
the aboriginal owners of this western
empire which the crafty white man
wrested from them by various kinds of
shell game. three-card monte. and high
finance in real estate. For behond, the
names Of these ruddy braves, who are
OF the tribe Of the Omahas. are thus
tHnslated into the tongue Of the pale
face: Hacenekah-White Horn, Kawtha-
bah-Two Grow; Eshebashea-Wav
Grain; shongeskah-Whi Horse: Dade-
tah-Plenty of Wind
They came to see the White Chief Of
the Omahas. who is none other than Sen
/ ator Burkett. Of Nebraska. lie is held in
the estimation Of the tribe second only
to the Great White Father himself. And
a careless visitor. who opened the door
OF the Senator's committee-room without
knocking. thought he had happened upon
an amendment to the famous Babel Incl
/ dent. Gathered about the long table were
the Omaha braves. and at the top. hold
ing counsel with his children. sat Chief
Burkett.
Plenty of Wind a TRIker.
Plenty Of Wind naturally. was doing
most Of the talking. Two Crow got in
/ two or three crows every now and then
/ White Horn blew occasional gutteral fan
fares across the board Waving Grain
used much gesticulation 10 add force 20
his remarks. whatever they were. And
/ White Horse, whom a sacrllegious under
sachem Of the White Chief described as
"pious old duck" sat silent and solemn.
now and then nodding afirmativeIy as
some other member Of the delegation
chewed of a wad OF choice Omaha and
handed II 70 the Senator. Meanwhile. Il
is understood. he was repeating his
paternosters.
The delegation came over 10 the home
Of the Great White Father and bis leu
tenant Chief Burkett. 90 discuss a GER
tain bin introduced by the Senator 10 pro-
vide for the adjudication OF certain claims
made by the Omahas. They brought
along a lengthy series Of demands from
Congress and the Interior Department
Wherefore the pow-wow with the White
Chief
Senator Reforms Two Tribes.
But this was not the first pow-wow
Big Chief Burkett had enjoyed with his
young men Of the Omahas Both the
Omahas and the Winnebagoes. whose res
eryation is within the. Senator's state.
view him as their emissary to the Great
White Father Not many months ago,
when he made an extensive visit to the
reservation. the Senator. in driving over
the place. noticed a lot Of little houses.
about a foot high and having shingled
roofs. and was somewhat concerned when
he found that they were scattered about
so promiscbously that his hurrying driver
could not avoid striking some OF them
with the wheels OF the wagon with the
inevitable result that the little houses
were demolished
What is the object OF those struc- /
turcs?" asked the Senator.
Graves. sir" replied the caTous driver.
Hum-m-m." mused the Senator. And
he began 20 think Big Chief Burkett
Is too busy man TO think 10 no purpose:
so during the past summer he again Wis !
tied the reservation and announced that I
he had come to hold a council with the /
chief men Of the two tribes.
His scalp Feels Nervous.
Under a big tree. as when Penn con-
ferred with the Indians OF Pennsylvania. /
the Senator sat himself upon his crossed /
legs on little platform which had been (
erected for him. and about him in big
semi-circIe sat the seventy chief men of /
the Omahas and the Winnebagoes. in all I
the regalia Of the occasion. The pipe OF
peace was brought and gravelv passed
from one TO another OF the Indians. each /!
Of whom took a long Whit Finally. Il
came 70 the Senator. but, however much 4
regard he has for his red wards he 4
couldn't just make up his mind 10 smoke 1
the tribal pipe. SO making a pretence Of /
touching it TO his lips. ne passed it on.
Then he began TO address the braves.
leading up gently 10 his desire to have
the tribes select a certain plot for a Gem
etery instead of using the whole reserya-
ton for that purpose. He was touching
on an old tribal custom. and he could
feel the sharp edge of a knife running
around his scalp-lock as he spoke. But
the Senator IS a master OF the art of
putting disagreeable things pleasantly.
and when he had finished ne waited sto-
ically TO see whether his audience was
going to agree with him or scalp him.
Grunts Bring Him Relief.
For some minutes the braves sat in
stoiid silence Then some one grunted.
and that was a signal for a chorus of
grunts from the seventy braves. A big
chief got up from his place near the CEN
ter of the semi-circle and advanced slowly
until he had trayersed half the distance
between himself and the Senator. who.
taking his cue from the chief. had mean
while advanced to meet him. SoIemnIv
the big chief held out his hand, and sol
emnly he and the Senator shook hands.
One by one the chiefs came forward.
until the Senator's right hand gave him
a slight Indication of what 1t means to
be President on a reception day. Then
the biggest chief Of all informed the
Big White Chief that his words were
good and that the Indians would estab-
lish the cemetery.
The Senator caressed his scalp, took
long breath. and dismissed his children.
He had won