Evening star., 1952-11-23
By Jessie Font Evons

present recall one planned by my
mother and father during the still
pioneer days of the West. 1t was
for the Shoshone and Bannock
Indian children on the Ross Forks
Indian Reservation at Fort Hall
on the Snake River in Idaho.
Today, about 10 miles from this
area, the Charles H. Tompkins
Construction Co. of this city,
Jointly with the ]. A. Jones Co. of
Charlotte, N. c., Is building the
approximately $50 million Pali-
sades dam and powerhouse, which
will harness the wanderings OF
the river, whose undulations long
ago gave it it's name. Upon the
completion of this project the
Snake Rivers tortuous course will
be of hitherto undreamed benefit
and service to the great Western
country it traverses.
When my father. Joseph Nicho-
las FAINT, a tall. rangy Virginian
from Fauquier County, following
Greeley's famous advice, go
West, young man." found himself
located as a teacher at Ross Forks
Indian Agency with his bride.
Mariana Mears of Accomac Coun-
ty, the two of them. who had never
before ventured much farther
from their native Virginia than
the Nations Capital, were immedl-
ately plunged into what was fol
them a completely different world.
In addition, my mother, who made
up in initiative what she lacked
In stature, was at the time the
only white woman on either the
Indian Agency or at Fort Hall.
Perhaps out of thankfulness for
the log cabin, which every one fell
to and built "for the little Eastern
BRIDE" my mother thought up the
idea of having a Thanksgiving
celebration for the Indian children
a la the first Thanksgiving festiv-
tiles of the Pilgrims with their
Indian neighbors. Before "the
Fant's log cabin" was built, they
had been quartered in an old style
white Army tent.
With the whole-hearted CO.
operation of every one, she got
busy training the little Indian
boys and girls to sing such hymns
as, 1T want to Be Lover of the
Lord" Bringing in the Sheaves"
and Onward Christian Soldiers. )"
She even got permission for an
extra issue of gayly colored red,
red-blue and green figured calico,
out of which to make new dresses
for the little girls, who were to be
the proud but shy performers in
the front row of the chorus. Her
Accomplishments she played on the
much-prized portable organ that
Carl Shurz, German-born, music
loving United States Secretary Of
the Interior, had sent to the post
as his personal gift after hearing
my mother sing.
All seemed to be going without
a hitch. On the great day, the
school house was crowded to suffo-
cation, with would-be spectators
lined up several feet deep on the
outside.
Just as the cultural accents of
IT Want to Be a .Lubber' of the
Lord" welled out, "Toot, toot, toot, F"
through the clear Idaho air came
the whistle of the Union Pacif1c'S
new train on it's second through
run.
The bigger Indian boys made
the first break, calling out be-
hind them, "Conawagun punS," "
or fire horse and wagons. "Wagun-
puns," horses and wagons, such as
occasional stage coaches, were ex-
citement enough, but a fire horse
trailing wagons was something not
to be missed. Hymns, no matter
how carefully rehearsed and sung.
could wait.
Even "Zant Patsagoria," or the
"Big Tall One." put on a speed he
had not equaled since his own
school days as he dashed to the
scene, fearful of what his charges,
for whom he was responsible to the
Great White Father in Washing
ton," might do in their excite
ment. AS for my mother, ANA
Squaw," the Little One" she
made a personal sprinting time
record on her own in her follow
up of the exodus that didn't end
until the fire horse with its wagons
had completely vanished into the
far horizon, smoke, fiery sparks
and chuggity, chuggity noises.
It was she who had the ingenu-
ity to suggest to 1t. Kegler Of the
Army post that the Army's bugler
also in at the finish, bugle and all
sound a mess call to round up the
group. so that my father might
arrange the children'S dismissal
for the day. with the announce
ment in his halting Shoshone
1.-The hymns would be sung the
following Sunday by all who come
to Sunday school," Two half
breed Army scouts also helped
out with the instructions in both
Bannock and Shoshone and pic
turesque uses of the sign language
Meantime, 1t. Kegler, who was
hoping to bring out his own young
wife in the spring. if my mother
were able to weather the winter
ahead, was trying to encourage
her with, Never mind, Mrs. Fant
Col. Morrow and Indian Agent
White I know are hoping yor
will get up a Christmas sing fol
us. Even the Pilgrim women, as
hard as they had it, didn't have
EENIEIEHIIIlIla T1IlIaI1II1 lE[1INIGIEE
: IhM g.ph