Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-07

is carefully indexed and filed away with a
record like this:
Stock-Athapascan Tribe-Apache fChiricahua).
Indian name-"Goya thlay." meaning Zone who
yawns." Alias or American name-Geronimo
The photographing of this famous and
cruel chief, 1t may be said In passing.
was accomplished only after long diplo
matte negotiations, and how ably old
Geronimo conducted his end Of the deal
may be inferred from the fact that he
is the only Indian who ever succeeded in
making Mr.. Gill pay for the privilege of
getting him to sit before the camera. The
illustrator held out against this demand
for money as long as he could. for he
meets with it in almost every instance and
would have bankrupted the bureau long
ago had he established a custom of pay
ing for sittings. but he was so anxious
to add this witty chief to the collection
that he finally consented to pay 81.
unfortunately. said Mr.. Gill. in tell
ing the story. II had nothing but small
change in my pocket. and / counted it
carefully before handing it TO Geronimo
The old fellow counted il again and then
Indignantly demanded:
Two bits more
No I replied L counted carefully
You have 81 there
No two bits. no sit grunted GerOni-
mo.
II had to borrow the additional % cents
and | am not satisfied to this day that he
didn't 'filn-ffam me-
HIS - lar example OF the man.
amusing incidents that have developed in
the course Of Mr.. ellis work. and that
make 1t well worth ones while to hunt
MIN up in his interesting gallery over in
the far corner of the old National Mu-
scum building. and draw him out" Mr.
Gill. however. like all others who have
come into intimate contact with the In
dams. has become their stanch admirer
and friend. and he finds much more be-
sides the humorous phase to interest him
I'm them.
II have observed the American Indian
here in Washington and to a limited ex-
tent in his own habitat, said Mr. Gill
after his attention had finally been d.
verified from recently made negative by
Il caller. Il find there are good Indians
md bad Indians. just the same as one
finds among other races. The man who
wrote to the effect that there were no
good Indians but dead ones undoubtedly
thought he was writing something funny
but tell you this Indian business is the
greatest of all American tragedies.
NO. there is no special way to treat
an Indian when you have dealings with
him. except to be kind. firm and keep
your promises 1 have met many fine
men among them-men who would have
IIdue tielT HldTk even naQ Jnoy Ocen
Romans or Anglo-Saxons. Take Chief
Joseph. for instance. who had the dignity
OF chief justice and the military STRAIT
egy OF a George Washington There
was an air OF gentieness and quiet re-
serve about this man that | will never
forget. When last l photographed him
he was Ill physically and mentally; most
of his friends and relatives were gone
and he had lost the long -draw n-out fight
for his home and his people. Downcast
and disheartened. he went back to his
home country to die.
Chief Joseph could not speak English.
nor could he read or write save his own
name. Some good friend had taught him
to do that: 1t was in 1903 that last saw
him and l got him then to sign one Of
his pictures for me, and he wrote it thus:
- Chief Joseph. 1900
Il pointed out his error, telling him he
ought to write 1903, instead OF 1900, but
he insisted 1t must be right for his friend
had taught him SO. Maybe this was not
pathetic. but think SO.
Il f1nd that Indians still venerate age
more than we Of European stock, but
perhaps they have not yet heard Of the
'Osler theory for nearly every delega-
ton brings along two or more very old
chiefs or medicine men. whose counsel
they greatly honor. Most Of the Indians
visiting Washington abstain from intoxi-