Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-12-29
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 Government A.
torney-.. Gallant Brave and His
Mirror-An Invisible Bridge.

! The Impression prevails widely that
| the Indian lacks the saving sense Of
! L,lN,ol that most characteristic OF
all American qualities" TO the Gre
atin- and the spreading Of this i'm
preston many recognizable traits of
Indian character have indisputably
CONFERENCE.-The ancestral pride, his
cxcusivcncsS, his gravity Of face and
dignity Of manner in public.
Nevertheless an injustice is done
him. for among no primitive peoples
is the sense Of humor keener or more
spontaneous and kindly.
Years ago l was cOnyersing with a
group Of children of the Omaha tribe.
They were On their way to a reserva-
ton school, and directly in their path
lay a swamp an eighth Of Il mile
wide, and straight through this they
were required to wade twice day.
ut Is too bad" remarked. Can
YOU not 60 around the swamp? Your
feet will be wet, and you will be un.
comfortable and possibly ill.,"
"Oh," cried girl of about twelve
years, her dark eyes dancing with
merrimcnt, 1--WE walk over the $1,000
bridge"
They all laughed at this. What
could it mean? l saw no bridge; there
was no bridge to be seen. 1t made
them merry to see me mystified, and
I heard Thorn laughing and chatting
as theT went through the water and
mud. Afterward l discovered the hui
NOR in the remark. Some years pre-
yiOus to that time the government had
appropriated $1,000 to build 4 bridge
over this swamp. Tut somehow the
mOneE had vanished into somebody's
pocket and he work was not done.
One evening | saw gallant young
brave maxim" his way swiftly over
the praiirS of the Omaha reserve.
He was dressed in all his fincry, and
Mt his side danglcd small mirror.
MAnifestly he was an ardent lover.
This | should have surmiScd from his
dress and eager haste, even if l had
not known him. AS he was friend
Of mine, had inside information Of
his hopes and PURPOSES; also l ven
tured to stop him for {: moment. pre-
cious as knew him time to be-
''That mirror at your side" I re-
marked. els to give opportunity for
Prairie Flower to discover how lovely
she Is, is it not:" He considered a
moment, and then, with twinkling
eye, he replied:
''No. Maybe so she will talk too
much to me. and then I will look into
my mirror to see how tired am"
This certainly was the humor of alb
surdity.
Examples Of Standing Bears humor
| 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 person within the mean
Ing Of the law. This puzzled the old
chief greatly. 1t also amused him,
One day at my table he was vigor-
ously plying a knife and fork when
suddenly he paused in his eating, lift
ed up his hands. and a humorous
smile lighting up his noble, storm
Scared face, he remarked: The at,or.
neys say T. am not person. But l
can use a knife and fork Does bear
do that? If he. the attorney, is per
son am ono also. We both eat with
knives and forks. Indeed, think l
can Use them faster than he can. If
he wants to race ME eating l am
ready" We all laughed at this. Wien
we were quiet Standing Bear added,
That is, | will ruiz an eating race
with the attorney if be will Pay for
the heefsteak."
The first public address Standing
Bear ever made was given in my
church. In the course of it while he
w;lS pleading for assistance he address,
cd various classes Of people present.
the men, the women, the clergy, the
business men. the children. When he
was pleading with the women he said:
II appeal to you because you are brave
and pnticnt Whenever you have any
thin" hard to do YOU never rest until
it is cone" This was a gallant senti
ment worthy OF a chief. But Frank
La Flnsche, who was interpreting, rem
dercl the sentence thus: You women
are rlticnt. When there is anythin"
hard 30 hc 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
bea utiful Omaha maiden, stepped for
ward anl said. My brother Frank
has made a mistake in interpreting the
chiefs Thought" Then she gave the
proper rendering.
The Chicago papers took liberties
with Standing Fears name, one OF
them referring to him constantly as
Upright Bruin. When this was ex-
pla mod to the chief he took the matter
with great good nature.
What does it matter?" he remarked,
his face beaminG. Il am all tied ur
with names l am like pony tangled
In