Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1910-12-21
WIT OF The INDIAN
The 0ignified Red Man Has a
Keen Sense of Humor.
STORIES OF STANDING BEAR.
The Race the Old Chief Was Willing
to Run Against a Government At
torney--A Gallant Brave and H;s
Mirror-An invisible sridoe.

torney-A Gallant Brave and H;s
MirrOr-An Invisible Bridge.
The impression prevails widely that
the Indian lacks the saving sense OF
humor-"that most characteristic %
all American qualities" To the Gre
ating and the spreading OF this I'm
preston many recognizable traits OF
Indian character have indisputahly
contributed-his ancestral pride. his
excluSivenesS. his gravity Of face and
dignity OF manner I'm public.
Nevertheless an injustice Is done
him. FOR ailong no primitive peoples
is the sense OF humor keener or more
spontaneous and kindly.
Years ago l was Conversing with n
group Of children OF the Omaha tribe.
They were on their way to reserva-
ton school. and directly in their path
lay swamp an eighth OF mile
wide. and straight through this they
were required 20 wade twice Il day.
1t is too bad" I remarked. Can
You not 80 around the swamp Your
feet viii be wet. AMI YOU viii he un-
. ~N-----A t-AAt-N ttAHu lf''~NiNlk III.
"Oh." cried a girl OF about twelve
years. her dark eyes dancing With
merriment I'VE walk over the 81. 200
bridge"
They all laughed at this. What
could 1t meang l saw no bridge: there
was no bridge TO De secn. Il nnde
them merry to see me mystined. and
l heard them laughing and chatting
as ther went through the water and
mud Afterward discovered the hui
NOR In the remark. some years pre-
vious 20 that time the government had
appropriated $500 10 build bridge
over this swamp. hut somehow the
money had vanished into somebody's
pocket and the work was not done.
One evening ] saw gallant young
brave making his way swiftly over
the prairics OF the Omaha reserve.
He was dressed in all his linery. end
az his side daEglcd small mirror.
Manifcstiy he was an ardent lover.
This l should have surmiSed from his
dress and eager haste. even II had
not known him. As he was n friend
OF mine. I had inside information 81
his hopes ana PURPOSES. also ven
tured To stop him FOR moment. pre-.
cious as knew him time t. be.
THAT mirror at your side I re-
marked. is to give opportunity Tor
Prairie Flower TO discover how lovely
she Is. Is Il nose" lie considered
moment and then. with n twinsiing
eye. he replied.
NO. Maybe 50 she will talk TOO
much 70 me. and then viii look in-o
my mirror 20 see how tired am"
This certainly was the humor OF sb-
surdity.
Examples OF Standing Bears huuor
could give almost without number
During the trial OF his case before
Judge Dundy the contention OF the
government attorney was that an In
dian is not "A person within the mean
Ing OF the law. This puzzled the old
chief greatly. II also amused him.
one day nc my table he was vigor-
ously plying a knife and fork whom
suddenly he paused In his eating. lit
cd up his hands, and. a humorous
smile lighting up his noble. storm
SCARED face. he remarked: The at,or-
neys say l am not a person. But
can use a knife and fork. Does bear
90 that? If he, the attorney. is n per
son am one also. We both eat with
knives and forks. Indeed. I think
can use them faster than he can. II
be wants 10 race me eating I am
ready We all laughed at this. Whom
we were quiet Standing Bear added.
That is, / viii run an eating race
with the attorney II he Will pay Tor
the beersteak."
The first public address Standing
Bear ever made was given I'm my
church. In the course Of It while he
was pleading for assistance he address
ed various classes Of people present
the men, the women. the clergy. ;he
business men. the children. VIXEN he
was pleading with the women ne said:
i appeal 10 You because you are brave
and patient. Whenever you have any
thing hard 10 do You never rest until
1t IS done" This was n gallant senti
ment worthy OF a chief. But Frank
Ii Flesche, who was interpreting. rem
dered the sentence thus: you women
are patient. When there Is ANYTHING
hard to be done we men let you do it,
This was so true to Indian custom
that the audience laughed.
Standing Bear was puzzled. As he
stood silent moment wondering what
mistake he had made Bright Eyes the
beautiful Omaha maiden. stepped for.
ward AMI said. My brother Frank
has made mistake I'm interpreting the
chiefs thought" Then she gave the
proper rendering.
The Chicago papers took liberties
with Standing Bears name. one OF
them referring TO him constantly as
Upright Bruin. When this was ex-
planned 10 the chief he took the matter
with great good nature
What does It matter?" he remarked.
his face beaming II am all tied M
with names. / am like Il pony tangled
IN his lariat Father Hamilton. the
Presbyterian, calls me elder. The
Episcopalian clergyman calls ne ward
en-. For I am an officer in the little
church In our village. where both these
good men preach. And now the uapers
call me-what is 1t? Yes, Bruin. No
matter. The judge In Omaha SAYS 7
am person, and that satisfies. noe."
Southern Workman.