The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-01-30
HUMOR
DECIDEDLY KEEN
Dignified Red Man Is Not
Stolid and Dull as Cen
orally Believed.

The impression prevails widely that
the Indian lacks the saving sense Of
humor-"that most characteristic OF
all American qualities" To the Gre
ating and the spreading Of this Inn
preston many recognizable traits OF
Indian character have indisputably
CONFERENCE.-The ancestral pride, his
exclusiveness. his gravity Of face and
dignity Of manner in public.
Nevertheless an injustice is done
him. fer among no primitive peoples
Is the sense OF humor keener or more
spontaneous and kindly.
Years ago l was conversing 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 mile
wide. and straight through this they
were required to wade twice a day.
at IL too bad" 1 remarked. Can
you not go around the swamp? Your
feet will be wet, and you will be un-
comfortable and possibly ILL.,"
oh cried a girl of about twelve
years, her dark eyes dancing with
merrinent, I'VE walk over the 81 1900
bridge"
They all laughed at this. What
could 1t mean? saw no bridge; there
was no bridge to be seen. 1t made
them merry to see me mystifled, and
l heard them laughing and chatting
as they went through the water and
mud. Afterward I discovered the hui
NOR In the remark. Some years pre-
vious to that time the government had
appropriated $1,000 to build a bridge
over this swamp. but somehow the
money had vanished into somebody s
pocket and the work was not done.
One evening l saw gallant young
brave making his way swiftly over
the prairies of the Omaha reserve.
He was dressed in all his fnery. and
at his side dangled a small mirror.
Manifestly he was an ardent lover.
This l should have surmised from his
dress and eager haste. even If I had
not known him. As he was friend
Of mine. I 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," / re-
marked. lis to give opportunity for
Prairie Flower to discover how lovely
she Is. is it not?" He considered q
moment. and then, with a twinkling
eye, he replied:
mo. Maybe go she will talk toe
much to me. and then will look into
my mirror to see how tired 1 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 a person within the mean
ing Of the law. This puzzled the old
chief greatly. 1t also amused him.
One day ut my table he was vigor-
ously plying a knife and fork when
suddenly he paused in his eating, lift.
ed up his hands, and, humorous
smile lighting up his noble, storm
| SCARED face, he remarked: 1.-The at,or.
neys say am not person. But
| can use a knife and fork Does bear
do that? If he. the attorney. is per.
son l am one also. We both eat with
knives and forks. Indeed, l think
| can use them faster than he can. II
he wants to race me eating / an
ready" We all laughed ut this. When
| we were quiet Standing Bear added
THAT Is, I will run an eating race
with the attorney If he will pay for
| the beefsteak."
The first public address Standing
Bear ever made was given in m!
church. In the course Of it while hs
| was pleading for assistance he address
ed various classes Of people present
the men, the women. the clergy, tho
business men, the children. When he
was pleading with the women he said
| II appeal to you because you are brave
| and patient. Whenever you have any
thing hard to do you never rest unit
1t is done" This was a gallant senti
ment worthy Of a chief. But Franz
Ia Flesche. who was interpreting, rem
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 hi
stood silent a moment wondering wha,
| mistake he had made Bright Eyes, tho
beautiful Omaha maiden. stepped for
ward anl said. my brother Franz
has made n mistake in interpreting thu
chiefs thought" Then she gave the
proper rendering.
The Chicago papers took libertie:
with Standing Bears name. one Of
them referring to him constantly a.
Upright Bruin. When this was cx
planned to the chief he took the matter
with great good nature.
| What does it matter:- he remarked
his face beaming. II am all tied u.
with names. / am like a pony tangled
In his lariat. Father Hamilton, the
| Presbyterian, calls me elder. The
Episcopalian clergyman calls me ward
| en-. For i am an officer in the little
church in our village. where both thes,
| good men preach. And now the paper.
| call me-what Is It? Yes, Bruin. NJ
| matter. The Judge In Omaha says
am a person. and that satisfies ma
| Southern Workman.