Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-04-13

per was served on the tables at which
the people sat. The refreshment COM
mittee did themselves proud with this
part of the program after which CARDS
were resumed and the affair became
commingling of happy souls that nit
ted from table to table, indulging Ill
merry conversation and obllVlous OF
the flight of time as the night wore
away.
Extemporaneous singing and music
rounded out the night and when final
ly the last reluctant good nights had
been said there ended one OF the most
important, impressive and at the
same time enjoyable affairs that has
ever been held at the agency.
The Indians Give Major W. /. eeIden
Grand Finale Pow-Wow.
On Saturday, Apr 1st, Major Bel
den was notified that the Indians
were awaiting his presence with his
friends at their dance tipi on the FOR
cupine Creek, five miles north OF the
agency. Accordingly, all available We
hicles were called into commission
and soon large number OF agency
people were headed in the direction OF
the assembly. 1t was showing hard,
but that did not deter the visitors ana
Indians from meeting in great num-
bers to do honor to the Major.
As the visitors drew up to the log
dance tipi, they could hear the muf-
fed beats of the tom-tom and the
chanting of the singers as they danced
and frolicked around the drum.
Special seats had been provided Tor
| the visitors The Major being given a
| rocker. while Mr. J.. Y. Hamilton, his
successor, sat at his right. The rest
of the visitors occupied benches to
the right and left. When all had been
seated. the singers began chanting
and beating the tom-tom While the
gaily dressed dancers sprang up and
executed their fanciest steps in the
middle OF the room. Then falling in
line, they passed before the visitors
and shook hands. 1t was fine dem
onstration of their good will and
kindly feeling toward the Major.
Speeches were then made by An
tome Claymore and Tom Frosted, in
which they expressed in forceful Ian.
guage their regret that he should
leave them and their appreciation OF
his kind and thoughtful administra'
ton. They both said that they had
been present at the reception given
him the night before by the whites,
and while they were not capable OF
giving him today such a fine affair,
still they were doing as we'll as they
could in their way and wanted him to
feel that in their hearts they held the
same affection for him that the whites
did.
Major Belden replied by thanking
them and telling them that he fully
appreciated their kind motives as evil
denced by this demonstration in his
honor. He said that five years ago
when he took charge of this agency
he was as total stranger to them
and therefore he was not sure of what
manner of procedure he should take
in regard to advising and taking care
of them, as their ways and life vas
entirely foreign to him. But, thanks
to their responsive natures, he had
very little trouble in finding out theil
habits Of thought and he was pleased
that in leaving he could say that he
had found them to be just as suscep
tible of good government as the
whites. He closed by giving them
some very sound and logical advice
as father should, and told them that
in Mr.. Hamilton icy would find q
man fully competent to rule them and
take care of their interests.
Mr.. Hamilton talked to them, saying
that he had been agreeably surprised
at the condition of affairs at the ag
ency and hoped he should administer
their affairs as capably as had his
predecessor.
A great dance then followed with
much joyous singing and war-whoop
ing, which, of course, the whites did
not fully understand nor appreciate.
Then all posed for flashlight pic
ture, after which the visitors with
manys hows, bows and handshakes,
departed.