The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1934-04-13
Tvo Guns White Cali, Famed B1ackfeet Ch;efta;n of
Glacier National Park, Joins Father in Happy Hunt;1q
Grounds; Son OF Last Real Chief of Northern Tribe

Wlthstanding that the artist creator of
THIS Indian face on the nickel declared
1t was a composite Indian conception"
and that he had no particular Indian in
MINI when he drew the picture, the
youth of the country would have none
OF this. For years this controversy has
sprung up at intervals, but it was as
1atlle as a newspaper endeavoring to
rctract a libel. A thing once printed
Is hard to efface. Thus the story still
sticks and boys and girls who have met
the great Indian chief and shaken his
hand will produce their bufaflo nickels
to this day and exclaim:
That's Two Guns White Calf. I've
seen him myself and it looks like him.
Besides he told me it was him."
Two Guns always did admit it was
a good likeness of him, so it must be.
1t didn't initiate him. He knew he was
the son of a chief and thought it was
natural and proper his likeness should
appear or the White Fathers coins.
Two Guns enjoyed the distinction of
having been the first Indian to ely like
an eagle" In June, 1914, Two Guns and
80 Blackfeet Indians were encamped
in tepees on the roof of the 25-story
McAlpine hotel, the largest hotel in
New York. Aviation was not so well
advanced in those days and the Thomas
hydroplane manufacturers were strug-
Cling to demonstrate to the world the
efficiency of their new flying boat. Two
Guns accepted the invitation to go
up in the air like the eagle. The en-
tire band of squaWs and braves went
to Dobbs ferry On the Hudson, where
Pilot Ralph M. Brown was in waiting.
The flight was made with the group
of awed Indians standing on shore.
In making the descent the plane got
caught in an air pocket and dropped
the last $50 feet into the Hudson with
a big splash. The pilot, noticeably pale
from the experience, TAXED into shore
and unloaded the Indian chief, whose
buckskin suit was dripping with water.
Two Guns was smiling. He hadn't even
scented danger. He thought that was
the way the "big bird" had to drop
into the water in alighting.
Another IT did it first" distinction
came to Two Guns and his picked band
of travelling tribesmen, in 1913 when
Godfrey OHara, instructor in music
of the bureau of Indian affairs, made
the first photograph records of their
native Blackfeet Indian tribal songs.
The United States government has
since taken records of nearly all the
other Indian tribes for posterity.
Chief Two Guns White Calf, on many
occasions, has been the spokesman for
his tribe in greeting notable visitors,
for he always was at home on his be-
loved Glacier National park camping
grounds during the summer tourist
season. He gave Marshal Foch his own
pipe of peace as a goodwill present
when the famous French warrior STOP
ped off to "see him and his peoples
former hunting grounds"
Queen Marie was edited on the &C.
casion of her visit to America a few
years ago when she stopped off at
Glacier park. Two Guns was in one of
his best oratorical moods that day and
the Queen was elated by the words of
adulaticn the interpreter translated for
her as Two Guns made the regular
pauses in his flight" Of words. After
the peroration, Mrs. Two Guns, a heavy,
smiling squaw of good intelligence,
stepped forward and presented Her
Highness with a beautifully beaded
buckskin bag in which to keep the
royal jewelry.
On the occasion of one of his visits
to the East in 1914, Two Guns surpris-
ed the Indian agent in charge of his
party by a request to visit Penn Treaty
park in Philadelphia. The entire band
of 80 Indians and squaws was taken
there. Two Guns object in making
this pilgrimage, it transpired, was a
long-felt desire to pay tribute to the
only white man, as he said, that ever
was actually on the square in dealing
with the Indians. There was no sar-
casm meant either, but instead it was O
tribute, with the most serious and sa-
cred rites the Indians had to bestow.