The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-03-04

certificateS-big brothers Of the War Savings
stamps-and they therefore have to their credit
more than S553 900 of patriotic securities while
their freewill donations to the Red Cross have
passed the $4,000 mark.
And the Rosebud Sioux, mind you, the same
Sioux who little more than a generation ago
boosted themselves Lords of the Plains"-an
equestrian nation Of nomad warriors and buffalo
hunters whose trail from frontier days up to 1890
was red with paleface blood.
Beginning with 1857 the record Of Sioux wars,
upr1SingS and maSSacreS contains items like
these: 1857, Spirit Lake the Mime
sota-IOwa border 1862, Minnesota massacre in
which 1000 pioneers lost their lives; 1928 prac
tcally continuous war with the whites; 1856, mas
sacre Of Fetterman's command of 100 at
Fort Kearney, Neb.; 1867 wiping out Of Clusters
command of 277 men at Little Big Horn by Sitting
Bull and 5000 warriors; 1901, uprising which
suited in the death of Sitting Bull and the killing
of 300 Sioux at Wounded Knee.
Today with the world in turmoil, with anarchy
leaping at the threats of civilization and with
patriotism at premium, these Indians loom as a
Gibraltar of loyalty and devotion to the nation.
In May, 1918 the Germans were marching to-
ward Paris and the fate of the world was in the
balance. Columbia had unsheathed her sword
and was making a daring dash at rescue The
Indians, with excuses aplenty to make them op-
perfume pacifists, at least conscientious Objec-
tors, might have Obscured themselves, but they
didn't In this month the Rosebud agency, having
sent its bronzed braves to the front, held a Red
Cross auction the records of which should 90 into
the archives of the government. The Indians had
learned the aims and aspirations of the Red Cross
To they were for it. And so over the hills
they came from the FIVE counties of their agency
Todd, Melette, Trip, Gregory and Lyman The
Red Cross sale was held one bright spring morn
ing the spacious lawn in front of the agency
buildings One is assured that it was pic
turesque. Sacrifices laid the auction block
included steers. hogs, chickens, grain maple sugar
beets, potatoes, apples, preserves and cooked
foods, a VIOLIN mandolin, Filipino hat, Chinese
scarf and innumerable articles of Indian handi-
craft. Eggs were selling at 40 cents Dozen but
a dozen deviled were worth $3.50 to the Indians
when bought in the of the Red Cross. A
cake-just cake, that's all-sold for $50.
Happy sleek steer donated by the Rosebud
school, headed the grand Red Cross pageant. He
was decorated like unto a circus elephant They
bid Happy up TO $40 before the auctioneer
shouted sold !" A beaded dress, made by one of
the four or five widows of Spotted TAIL who
and the whites, caused spirited bidding and
sold for 500. pair of beaded moccasins made
by TacanknOin. ninety-year-Old squaw, netted
the Red Cross another 500.
When the scheduled articles had all been sold
Indian caught two cats running across the lawn
and turned them to the auctiOneer who
promptly sold them at dollar each. During the
progress Of the sale one of the donated hens
proved her patriotism by laying an egg. This egg
went up for sale and finally awarded to an
Indian for IS. amid gale of laughter.
So far as the Rosebud agency is concerned the
Indians are anything but vanishing race. There
are more than $500 Indians this agency, the
last five years showing an increase despite $50
deaths in the 1918 influenza epidemic.
The world war had great influence the In
dams proving liberal education to the young
men and giving those at home new ideas as to the
need OF agricultural activity and general thrift