Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-10

air pervaded the camps and homes of
these people. Struggling to meet the
demands of unprecedented conditions,
puzzled as they took the strange trail of
life, daily losing faith in their white
captors, this day offering relaxation
and temporary supply of food secured
as they used to secure it under free
conditions. Opportunity was given them
to parade before each other In gala
dress and exploit their skill.
The tom-toms beat all the old calls,
sociability reigned and the young folks
made love as In happier times.
It happened on beef issue day,
after the kill, that an Indian girl told
me Of a well-hole full of black snakes
over by the Arapahoe School Building.
and, having investigated with a long
stick. had found her information cor
rect, for speedily stirred up kissing
that made me back away in terror
AS dropped my stick another sound
struck my ear that made me forget
snakes. It was the wall of an Indian
woman mourning her dead.
Close by where I stood was an en-
trance to the school building and from
this ran slight young Indian woman
clothed in elegant Indian dress. A
fringed smock covered with porcupine
work and beads came halfway to her
ankles revealing combined leggings and
moccasins of the same texture of
smoked orange-yellow buckskin. Her
hair was sleek with bear oil and in two
set off with red coloring in the centers,
but her face was set In lines of great
anguish as she walled her sorrow. She
had seemed to say some one was dead.
v x X y
DIVINING that the cause of her sor-
81 row was In the building, walked in
as the woman rushed away. In the first
room a tableau revealed itself that Is
vivid to this hour.
The scene was lighted by an oil lamp
placed ON table in the center of the
room. On one side stood the Arapahoe
school superintendent. BY him stood
an Indian boy years of age. In
evidently the father of the boy. The
white man was holding the father
back by the force of his gaze. None
of the actors seemed to notice my in
trusion.
The Indian father stood erect as an
arrow and I could not help but notice
the elegance of his dress. I never have
seen finer. A fringed buckskin shirt, Of
the same coloring as the woman wore.
had the appearance Of velvet. Leggings
and moccasins, of the same quality,
all were exquisitely worked with beads
and porcupine quilts. The moccasins
each had a four-inch tassel of the
same material as the rest Of the dress
attached to each heel in place Of buffalo
tails. A leather belt held tobacco
pouch of the same quality as the
clothes, and knife sheath with the
weapon in 1t. The boy was a small
replica of his father in every item of
The child stood erect with his gaze
seeking the face of his father and the
white man alternately. The Indian
father had his hair done up with an
eagle feather standing in the scalp lock-
He was a "brave" of the tribe. AS
came in the door, this fathers gaze
never left the face of the white man,
and his eyes blazed murder. AS
reached the center of the room at one
side, the white man laid his hand on
the boys shoulder. Instantly the father
snatched the knife from his belt and
sprang with it to give a thrust in the
side
He was an Indian athlete In prime
, man was quicker and stronger. He met
the thrusting arm and twisted 1t SO that
| the weapon fell to the floor, and, as If
| the two had rehearsed the action, both
| fell back to their original positions and
again stood looking into each others
| eyes.
There they stood as the white man
talked in quiet, even tones to the father.
IT must do to your boy as have done
to the Others" said the white man. I'VE
| must cut his hair and take his Indian
, clothes from him."
After gazing few moments more, the
Indian brave seemed to accept the in
evitahle. He bowed his head, picked up
his knife from the floor, and strobe out
into the dusk, Then I learned the
story.
This young Indian couple had prom
ised to put their only child In the
school to learn to read and Whlte-to
follow the white mans road" They
had been told the requirements, but
! had fondly hoped the boy might be
allowed to keep his Indian dress and
i his long hair. Like all wives and
mothers, this one wanted her man
and boy to appear their best on such
an occasion. She had spent weeks
making the apparel they all wore that
night She must have been one of
| the most expert guildwomen of the
tribe. The dresses were beautiful, and
each made a splendidaappearance.
| Waiting until the esening of the last
day to fulfill their promise, the parents
had cofYaa to tina school with the how.