The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-03-31

en- breech cloth, just below the knees
are carriers of skunk skins with little
bells attached to them, and on the feet
are beaded moccasins. Most highly
valued of the dead warriors posses
sions was his bow and arrows: these
are brought by the grieving old mother
and laid tenderly by his side. just as
the bereaNed White mother brings the
doll. loved n cherished by her lost
little one. and laws it lovingly on the
breast of her dead child and folds the
dear little dead hands yer it.
Tokens of Affection.
And these acts of love and affection
are performed by both the white and
the red mother not because either one
believes her child will nave any future
use for these things, but because the
mothers heart is somehow consoled by
the thought that her darling and that
which it loved best are not separated in
the grave.
The deer skins, blanket and robe are
then wrapped tightly around the body
and held in place by strong leather
thongs.
The funeral procession then moved
with the body carried on a travoise to
a little mound 100 yards north of the
Bad river trail, where a scaffold 3x7
feet and about nine feet high, was
erected. Two men climb to the top of
the scaffold and, drawing the body up,
fix it firmly in place With leather ropes.
And al this is done not from foolish.
superstitious motives, but because hav-
ing no boards, or other facilities for
making a coffin, the body ncase only
in skins and blankets buried in the
ground would be devoured by wolves
and coyotes. To protect their dead
from fhnCn a " Sr1o II 49, -
scribed above was adopted. The funeral
over, the little party mournfully con-
tinued it's journey and two days later
reached their home. where the grief
stricken mother broke the sad
news to her eldest son, who,
1asty preparation for the short
journey, mounted his horse and sci
out for the spot where all that was
mortal Of his brother was laid to rest
and where, alone with the dead. he
could lift up his voice in mourning
and where his tears might freely flow
unseen by mortal eyes. Mayhap his
his voice and see his grief, and &c
on its way to hat mysterious land ri
spirits conlforted to know that he was
we'll beloved. ~
White Men Appeal.
While the warrior is speeding or
his mournful mission let us direct our
attention to another party which will
play a prominent part in the awful
tragedy about to be enacted. Fourteen
white men, who no doubt claimed for
themselves a high degree Of enlieht-
eminent and who. if asked if they were
Christians would unhesitatingly an
swer, yes" had formed themselves
into a mining company, bought a pail
of mules and a wagon, which they filled
with necessary provisions and had
reached Fort Pierre, where they halted
to rest for a few days and complete
preparations for the long Journey
westward over Bad River Trail.
Everything at last being in readi-
ness, they moved out from Fort Pierre
one riding in the WACO and driyinc
the mules, while the remaining IL
walked, ON in advance and others
in the About noon on the sec
ond day out they came to the site of
the late Indian camp, where the fires
We're still burning, but the Indians
were miles away. But the scaffold
with its gruesome tenant attracts at
tention. They turn from the trail and
go to the top of the little mound ia
obtain a closer view. 1t is the first
time they ever saw an Indian grave
and they O up at the strange, an
couth bundle resting on it's top and