Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-28
The MoRrlnq RARApE

nute-walking announces. without appar
eht EFFORT. but in a tone that reacbes
every one. the different givers as thew
appear and take their places in line Hero
40 aIsed-nlm. thrifty man from Bob
cat creek. whose son died of tuberculo-
SIS last August. He killed two heeves
Iast night and they are here cut in 1OO
pieces. for the friends of the Young man
a ne also mas a lOo-pound sack of sugar
nfty pounds OF coffee 80 pounds Of
bread and 100 pairs of moccssins to ,,,.,
10 'hose who knew and loved his son.
Scout a Gift-Taker.
Alfred Goes-among-them rides into the
lineup gorgeous in beaded moccasins,
leggings. coat and shirt that his mother
aud sisters have been six months making
He strides a docile pinto pony that is
decorated with heavily beaded saddle and
bride On his head and descending
down his back is ar easle-feather war
bonnet. the handiwork of his father. AL
fred has literally paid his folks for their
work on his regalia, and Will presently
decorate Capt. Spear with ii. and will
then invite him TO mount the pinto.
which he will declare is henceforth the
captains property. This old scout is a
great gift-taker. having recently made
a successful visit To the Arapahoes. re-
turning with several good horses and Q
wagon.
Shoots-the-island now comes staggering
under load of beadwork that she will
give to the children. She is repulsive to
civilized eyes, but to these Indian chill
,dren she seems angel of light
And here is Wallace Egna. with pony
that he intends to give TO an orphan boy
who is visiting i'm his camp. Wallace's
son George stand near, crying. Good
voice asks him:
why do you cry?'
The pony that my father is giving to
Charley Spotted-bird belongs to me-"
Shame" cry the bystanders, and Wal
lace sneaks away
Old man Eat-a dinner comes with a
pony to present to his friend Tobacco
pouch. Several bystanders cry out:
''Oh. what sorry brute that is! Eat-a-
dinner is giving away the worst horse he
has Then Stinking-feet slips out and
gets his best horse. Applause greets him.
More Givers in Line.
Thus the line lengthens At last Ed
ward Cp-the-stump comes along horse
back, but driving before him a span OF
work horses. elegantly harnessed. He
will give them to old man Elk-tooth. Jes-
sic had not been long In her fathers tent,
yesterday. after her victory over Annie
Strong talk, when Edward put i'm an ap-
pearance. II took almost no time To ar
range their engagement.
But here comes Jessie herself She is
going TO give away something. too. Good
and she replies:
Il shall speak for myself when the
time comes" Whereat. many old people
shake their heads. and some mutter:
She has no pride" Ii is considered a
mark of pride for young folks To he reti-
cent. And this dread criticism Is the
principal reason for the reticence of the
Indian youth. But in Jessies case her
old teacher. Miss Rooster. from the
boarding school. has more influence than
the old women. She rides up just behind
Jessie and is doubtless prompting her for
the speech she is TO make. Indians are
nearly always glad to get others to talk
for them and girls are especially timd.
Jessie will be helped by the romantic
old-maid teacher No doubt they have
rehearsed the speech for two hours.
Now comes the speeches at the presen-
tations. Good-voice is the willing proxy
of those who are freer with their property
than with their words Most of the gifts
are received with acclamations. OF course.
those gifts that benefit the greater num-
her receive the louder praise. Edward
Up-the-stump gracefully says:
Il give this good team and harness
to Mr.. Elk-tooth who will be my fathers
in-law. l love him very much, and will
treat him good
Jessie Gives Self Away.
Now Jessie. say your Words comes
in loud whisper from Miss Rossiter. AS
old man Elk-tooth drives off the team,
leaving Edward sitting on his saddle
horse, Jessie turns bashful,y toward him.
ard says-not very loud but many catch
the words:
Il give myself To Edward I'p-the- stump.
I have nothing else Ia give. Then she
adds Minnehaha's words: Il will &" with
you my husband. They RID" I" where
a missionary is standing. and are made
zone.
The give-away is over. ard now many
of the givers are beggared. old man
Runs-above who was Very liberal TO
the visiting Crows. has just an old worth
less pony left. Others who came here
in great state Will ride home in their
ents of all this lareess will quietly appro-
pirate il and never think Of the nnpov-
ershed 9iVers. On account of the i'm
providence of many. the agents on some
of the reservations prohibit the give
away. Instances are in evidence W. .e
tho people met c;andeStinely, and carried
out their program. Notwithstanding the
agent orders TO the contrary. The conn
munal system. on which AN Indian relies
i'm times of distress. may be responsible
for this attendant improvidence: for Moth
ing is trtler than that an Indian ire
quently beggars himself in order make
a big show at the -giye-away. On his
return home he is thrown upon the gene
raj community for support No stigma
of his generosity? To civilized eyes he
sits at the firesdes of his more thrifty
brethren gloolning over his miSfortunes.
while the fact may be that ne is reminis-
cling over the splendor of his brief strut
on the halbaric stage of the Indian
'give-awaH.'