The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-01-14
THE ABORIGlNES.
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4 =.
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dred sevcnty,five, an Indian choir and
indian organist. The wcmen all sit
on one side of the church and the
men on the other. They get the gos-
pei through an, Interpreter who
stands beside the minister, and re-
peats verbatim, what is said. l be-
lieve the Interpreter is generally hon
est in the way he handles the senti-
ments of the preacher. but sometimes
his feelings will get the upper hand
ard he thinks it his -bounden duty
TO help some poor sinner.who has suf-
fered for his transgressiens and which
person the minister wishes to use
with his action, disobedience, results,
etc, as a lesson. ST. =,
One OF the graduates of Carlisle
school told me one evening what the
Interpreter had told the congregation.
The pastor was discoursing on tenn
perance and, during the evening, by
way of illustration, told of two young
Indians who went to town, got in bad
company, became intoxicated and start
ed home In crossing creek the
moon showed the shadow of log
very plainly and they, being in a
condition which made it impossible
for them to see it was a prank of
mistress moon," and thinking it was
a "sure enough" log, proceeded to
cross over. The result was inevitable;
the creek being deep and the water
swift the young men perished by
their own folly, etc, etc. The inter-
prefer did not want to leave those
men in the water SO he got help and
took them to their homes in safety,
which Of course, spoiled the intended
force of the lesson story. l have
been told that some interpreters will
listen carefully to the discourse in
English and then give it, word for
word, nearly in their tribal language.
The Indian language is not a written
language and believe the Indian is
very happy when he finds he can,
express himself in this way.
Each tribe has, of course, its Ian
guage; often one cannot understand
the other, thus if Yuma girl marries
a Pima boy they must both have ac-
quired English enough to carry on
conversation. / wonder how many of
our American girls would like to
have these questions put to them at
the altar. '.Will you promise to wash
dishes, sweep and keep the house in
cleanly way, mend your husbands
clothes, care for him when he is ILL.,"
etc. think few would appreciate the
ceremony if details were made so
prominent, but this is what the little
Indian bride faces when she changes
her name. To each one she murmurs
a low eyes, and, l believe, tries
hard to keep her promises. The hus-
band is asked if he will work and
make money to keep his family, if he
will buy his wife clothes and if he
will be good to her as long as she
lives.'' He replies in his sonorous
voice yes" They are pronounced
married and then sit down waiting
for congratulations. The minister FREE
Guently gives them little lunch and
they go on their way rejoicing. At
one marriage, remember, the min
lister passed oranges and the bride
literally scraped the whole in her
la? and started home. They never
dress up" for 9 marriage or funer-
al; in the latter they consider it sac
religious.
They bury their dead with little Ger
emony, doing everything for the de-
parted one themselves. They make
the casket of boards covered on the
outside with black cloth and the inside
white, using brass headed tacks to
fasten the cloth to the boards. The
body is put in with the head turned
to the setting sum- If the Indian was
a Christian, they take the remains TO
tho church in a wagon and the SER