Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1917-04-12

the occasion of the parting visit Of my
red daughters.
Shortly after the payment had been
made and the Indians had left I dis
covered that my valued shell was
missing from the collection. Could ii
be that one of the squaws had stolen
it? It was possible-they would oc-
casionally, though rarely do such
things under the influence of strong
temptation
81 tried to recollect which among the
party looked most likely to have been
the culprit. It could not have been the
| Washington WOman-she was partly
civilized and knew better.
"a few weeks afterwards Mrs. Vel
low Thunder again made her appear
ance and carefully unfolding a gay
cOlored chintz shawl, which she car
ried rolled up in her hand, she pro-
duced the shell and laid it on the table
before me.
Il did not know whether to show by
my countenance displeasure at the
trick she had played me, or joy at re-
covering my treasure, but at length de-
cided that it was the best policy to
manifest no emotion whatever. She
prolonged her visit until my husband
returned, and he then questioned her
about the matter.
"She had taken the shell to her viii
1age to show to some of her people
who did not come to make the pay
ment.
"'Why had she not asked her moth
er's' leave before taking it away%
Because she saw that her mother
liked the shell and she was afraid she
would say NO.
"This was not the first time that
Madame Washington had displayed
the shrewdness which was a FREEDOM
inant trait in her character.
During the visit of the Indians to
the Eastern cities they were taken to
various exhibitions, museums, menag-
cries, the theatre, etc. Tt did not es-
cape their observation that some sill
yer was always paid before the en-
trance and they inquired the reason.
1t was explained to them. The woman
frightened up as if struck with an
idea.
GLOW much do you pay for each
one?
"Her father told her.
How do you say that in English?'
""Two shillings.'
""TWo shinnin-humph. (good).
'"The next day, when, as usual, Wis
itors began to flock into the rooms
where the Indians we're CHARTERED, the
woman and young Indian, her con-
federate, took their station by the door,
which they kept closed. When anyone
knocked the door was cautiously
opened and the woman extending her
hand exclaimed, Two Shinnin.' This
was readily paid in each instance and
the game went on until she had ac-
cumulated a considerable sum.
"But this did not satisfy her. At
the first attempt Of a visitor to leave
the room the door was held close and
the hand extended and Two Shinnin'
again met his ear. He tried to eX-
plain that having paid for his entrance
he must now go out free. Wit an in
exorable shake of the head, Two Shin
min was all the English she could I'M
derstand. The agent who heard the di-
alogue sat laughing behind his news
paper, now came forward and inter-
fered and the guests were permitted
to go forth without further contri- !,
button. !
'The good woman was further adj
monished that it was far from the GUS
tom of white people to tax their
friends and visitors in this manner
and that the practice must be laid
aside for the future.
"Mrs. Yellow Thunder passed the
last years of her life in Sank county,
and is recorded by A. B. Stout, in vol.
5, No. 2, Wis. Archeologist, as being
buried on a sandy knoll on the SEA Of
SWA, Sec. 26, in the town Of Delton,
ION the 18th day Of August, 1909, her
remains were removed and, with the
remains of her husband, Chief Yellow
Thunder. was inclosed in a monument
built of boulders and cement, erected
by the Sioux County Historical Sociey
and. the Twentieth Century club OF
Baraboo. 1t is located five miles north
of Baraboo and stands under some
old oak trees opposite the farm of c.
G, Allen on the main road from Bara- !,
boo to Kilbourn. !
It is hoped that additional data may
be secured relative to this Princes or
KoshkOnOng, the wife of a noted Win
nebago chief who, in his younger days,
was one of the rulers of the people OF
Baraboo Valley, and later in life a
freeholder and citizen Of Sank county,
whose life is concentrated by a
painting in the State Historical La
brary, and the substantial monument
above described.