The Oskaloosa herald., 1909-06-03

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ity, or because he was zone OF the
boys" the records do not say. AT
all events he "got there" and "staid
there He was considered much or
a dude in his day. In 1867 he went
to Washington asking for redress OF.
some of the many grievances inflicted
upon his people by the whites, but
beyond having pow-wow with the
authorities nothing was done. The
old habit of robbing and wronging the
Indian was then in vogue-coming
down from the cheating dicker under
the elms at Philadelphia to that day,
and with some changes on to the
present time. The younger Ma-has-
kah got into white mans ways, and
good deal of white mans whiskey
got into him, with the usual result.
At the age of thirty-six, we have him
wives. He could not last long under
these conditions, and we drop the
historians veil over him. Among the
seven wives of the elder Ma-has-kah
was Rant Che-W ai-Me, or the "Fe.
male Flying Pigeon" OF all his wives
her record stands out with most dis
tinguished honor. She was inclined
to conclusive argument with her one
seventh share of husband. One time
when Ma-has-kah was on his way to
Washington, ne intimated that he
would make the trip without any OF
his wives along. Rant-che-wai-me
said nothing, but after the old man
had made two camps away from his
village, in the evening he was sur
prised to see the beloved of mis- heart
standing over nim with an uplifted
tonahawk in her nand. She pleasant
ly remarked: Am your wife? Are
you my husband? II so, l will go
with you to the Maw-he-hum
(the American zig house) and see
and shake hands of the In-co-ho-nee,
meaning the President. OF course,
she went. That tomahawk would
have passed any woman anywhere,
so far as her husband was concerned.
She was a pretty woman-for an In
dian-and attracted much attention
at the White House. She was loaded
with presents; observed many OF the
| weak ways of her white sisters, and
when she got home she lectured to
| the women of the village on the fol
lies of the other women. In this ex'
| ample Rant-che-wal-me has been fol
lowed by others of her sex. Soon
after her return she had her pretty
neck broken by Deing thrown from
her horse. She was the youngest OF
four sisters who were all wives of the
distinguished chief after whom this
county was named. She was popular
in the tribe, and her pet appellation
| was autifulfemale-eagle that
fiies-in-the-air." She was deeply re
ligious, charitable to the poor and q
friend always to the whites. Along
with her great husband she justly
should be, remembered with monu
ment to their joint memory.
Oskaloosa was a beautiful Indian
girl, the daughter of an Indian chic
of the Greeks. She was early cap
tured by force by Seminole chief
and joined to his "haheem." He
called her "the most beautiful one,
which Is the meaning of Oskaloosa
and our girls keep right on living
out the definition-to the best oil
their ability and pas purse.
We trust that the relatives, If any
| there be, will pardon the long delay
that has attended proper obituaral and
biographical presentation in the OF
| fetal organ of the tribe of Mahaskas
"by one of EN-" But the task is
done, and We'll talk it all over with
them in that happy hunting ground
where they have been chasing the
game these many years, and where
we hope to swap Limerick hooks and
| fish lines with the elder Ma-has-kat
| for venison, and set an example Of
total abstinence to the younger who
| fell into bad white mans bad ways.
1t is done! The pappoose calls the
long haired warbler to the banquet
hall!
&