The Falls City tribune., 1909-03-05
AN INDIAN STORY
II. E.Lemmon Writes a Little OF His
Experience

To IHG /72OHHe,' read tDe de-
scription of The Wayfarers' visit
to the home of the old chief of the
| Sac and Fox Indians with much
interest aud pleasure, as it remind
ed me of a visit | made at q later
date to his home on the bank of
Lost Greek rear its entrance into
the Great Nemaha, in company with
George G. Stumbo who had lived
near. the Indian village at the falls
Of the Nemaha for several years
| prior to their moving to Lost
Greek, and who could talk their
language with considerable tiuen-
cy, and the Indian would Wis t and
trade with him rather than with
others on that account. The OBJ
iect Of Mr.. Stumbo's trip was td
buy or trade for a dug out canoe
Belonging to the old chief Mine,
(Cnriosity.) 1t WAS a bright warm
day early in June and as we drew
near the belt of timber on Lost
Greek we saw the old fellow in a
little field of 3 or 1 acres welding
a large hoe among the hills of corn
and beans with much energy. Cp-
on being hailed by Mr.. Stumbo ne
waived his hand and said 60
down to the wIck-e-up and | will
come when done with my hoeing.n
| remarked to Mr.. Stumbo that
that was the first time | had ever
seen an Indian work, but he IN
formed me that the old chief was
the most Industrious nan in the
tribe, and that the efforts | had
seen were not unusual. While
waiting for the old fellow to come
we went to the stream and looked
the canoe over, and Unjust say |
never saw a better boat, builders
considered. 1t was 20 feet long.
hewn out of the body of a huge
cottonwood tree, aud was SO
smooth and unique 1t rode the
water like a duck.
On returning to the house the
old chief soon arrived and We We're
invited to seats on a raised plat
form in the yard over which an
arbor had been built for shade and
negotiations began over the canoe.
After some bargaining the chief
finally said that his young men
needed the boat then as it was
fishing season and he could not let
it go, but if Mr.. Stumbo would
come down about the time the
streams froze over he could have
the use of the canoe until spring
for nothing, which answer caused
me to think the old fellow VAS
something of a joker. Dinner
was now served, which consisted
of boiled bacon and beans, corn
bread and coffee, and Just as We
were about to commence, the Old
chief motioned us to wait, and
calling to his sqaw, she came with
a small tin pail from which the
chief poured a generous portion of
milk into bis coffee, and passed
the pail to Mr.. Stumbo, with the
remark chat he was beginning to
live like white men and put milk
in his coffee Mr.. Stumbo look
ed at it and said be used sugar
instead, and with a merry twinkle
in his eye passed it to me. What
is the matter with tips said /. 1T
is buttermilk,' he replied. | also
preferred sugar. The squaws
often went to the settlers homes
adjoining the reservation for the
purpose of barterlng, and that is
where the buttermilk came from.
After dinner was over, by the
aid of Mr.. Stumbo,I told the chief
| had heard that Indian names
often meant some animal and ask
ed if his WAS such, he said eyes, his
name was Mah.son-ah quet accent
on second s~yllable) and it meant a
bear sitting up in a tree. | also
commented ON his energy and in
dustry. and he said it was a good
way, to work hard in summer and
have plenty to eat in winter. and
tried to show his young men how
they should do, and intimated that
we might profit by his example.
With a warm invitation to come
again, we departed for home, hav
ing had a visit | will never forget.
H.. K. LENNON, r. F. d. No. J.,
| Falls City, Neb.