The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1908-11-26
AN old INDIAN ROMANCE.
Blackbird, Chief Of the Omahas,
and His FaYOrite Wife.
Beautiful Indian Girl, Who Was
Married to the Old. Chief
Against Her Will, Was A.
tracted to Her Death by Young
Brave.

From the Omaha World Hearsld.
About she old chief Blackbird Of
the Omahas there have been told
many amazing tales. Stories OF his
cruelty, OF his justice and of his su.
thority over his tribe are many. One
of his descendants on the Omaha
reservation tells OF the old chief and
II iavorite young wife OF his.
"They tell many tales OF my grand.
father that are not true" said the
Omaha. They tell Of his having
been buried sitting on his iavorite
horse. This is not true. The old
chief died OF smallpox and one OF his
wives, In fact, think his Oldest wife,
died OF the same disease. He was
buried In the usual manner on a
mound that they call Blackbird Hill.
They killed his iavorite pony and lett
food on his grave, after the manner
OF the Indian; but he was not buried
In sitting posture on his horse.
"This Is the story Of his iavorite
wife, a beautiful Indian girl, who
married the old chief much against
her will. She had a lover among
the braves, but such was the terror
with which Blsckbird inspired his
tribe that neither she nor her lover
dared protest against her marriage
with the old chief
"He was very indulgent with her.
Not one Of his other wives dared ap.
| proach him or speak before he ad.
dressed them. But this favorlte
young squaw had all the privileges
of a child. He took her with him
constantly and bought her all sorts
Of finery from the traders. One of
she finest OF these presents was q
pair OF gaudy garnet earrings, OF
which the young wife was very
proud.
She displayed them with triumph
TO the old squaws, who had no such
adornments, but who were forced to
restrain their Jealous wrath because
she was the iavorlte OF the chief. So
great was their fear OF him that they
bowed in enforced loyalty TO the ia.
vorite wife, although their conversa-
lions in private might not have
greatly pleased the beautiful squaw.
THE REJECTED SWAIN 5 RETURN.
"Once his wife, the chief supposed
that she, too, would bend In fear and
trembling to his commands. 1t new.
er occurred to him that the rejected
swain would dare make love to the
wife OF the powerful Blackbird. But
love will break through all ressric-
lions, and within q few months the
rejected sutton was clandestinely
meeting the squaw at the spring or
In the corn patch that was planted
in front Of she chiefs tepee. Some Of
the older wives knew OF the meetings,
but dared not brave the wrath oithe
chief BY telling him.
"On one OF his frequent absences TO
settle disputes between warning fac
lions OF his tribe, Chief Black bird left
the young wife at home. When he
returned he sought her Immediately.
In his hand he held one OF the garnet
earrings which he had found on the
path In the woods as he came home
thinking eagerly OF his iavorite and
OF bis delight at seeing her once
more.
"But when he stepped into the big
tepee and asked for her, a strange
silence prevailed Not one OF the wo-
men dared tell him that his iavorite
had been gone for two days and that
her lover was also missing. They
sat with heads bowed low and lis
tened mutely to bis demands for his
young wife. His rage at their silence
became so great that he transgress
ed one OF the sacred customs OF the
Indian and addressed bis mother-in.
law.
"Now, no Indian will address bis
mother-in.law, even though she may
have been an inmate Of bis home for