The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1920-02-27

certincateS-D1g
stamps-and they therefore have to their credit
more than S553,0O0 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 than generation ago
boasted themselves Lords of the Plains"-an
equestrian nation of nomad warriors and buffalo
hunters whose trail from frontier days up to 1880
was red with paleface blood
Beginning with 1857 the record of Sioux wars
uprsings and massacres contains items like
these: 1857, Spirit Lake massacre on the Mime
sota-Iowa border; 1862 minnesota massacre" in
which 1000 pioneers lost their lives; 1925, prac
tically continuous with the whites; 1885, mas
sacre of Fettermans command of 100 men at
Fort Kearney, Neb.; 1867 wiping cut of Clusters
command of PIT at Little Big Horn by Sitting
Bull and 5000 warriors; 1901, uprising which re-
suited in the death of Sitting Bull and the killing
of 300 Siout at Wounded Knee.
Today with the world in turmoil, with anarchy
leaping at the throats of civilization and with
patriotism Mt a premium, these Indians loom as
Gibraltar OF loyalty and devotion to the nation.
In May, 1918 the Germans marching to-
ward Paris and the fate of the world in the
balance Columbia had unsheathed her sword
and making daring dash at The
Indians, with excuses aplenty to make them op-
perfume pacfsts or 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 Red
Gross auction the records of which should go into
the archives ofxthe government. The Indians had
learned the aims and aspirations of the Red Cross
To they were for 1t. And so the hills
they came from the five counties of their agency
Todd Mellette, Tripp Gregory and Lyman. The
Red Cross sale 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. violin. mandolin Filipino hat, Chinese
scarf and innumerable articles of Indian handi-
craft. Eggs selling at 40 cents Dozen but
a dozen deviled 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 circus elephant They
bid Happy up to $40 before the auctioneer
shouted "Soldr' A beaded dress, made by one of
the four five widows of Spotted Tail who
brought about permanent peace between the Sioux
and the whites, caused spirited bidding and was
sold for 500 A pair of beaded moccasins made
by Tacanknoin, nnety-year-old squaw, netted
the Red Cross another S4O0.
When the scheduled articles had all been sold
an 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 egg. This egg
went up for sale and finally was awarded to an
Indian for $5. 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 increase despite 355
deaths in the 1918 influenza epidemic.
The world war had great influence on the In
dams proving liberal education to the young
men and giving those at home ideas to the
need of agricultural activity and general thrift.