Year: 1879

A correspondent of the Yankton ID. IT, Press
writes the folio wing account Of the Spotted Tail
household. His letter is dated Rosebud Agency,
September -. He says:-


Spotted Tail. the venerable sage and chief, has
new mansion in process OF building here, which is
to be the finest structure the agency. In size it
is so by 40 feet two stories high. 1t will contain
eight rooms. besides council chamber and
private audience room Spotted Tan now has
TOUR wives; but as soon ss his new building is
completed he told me he would take another one.
for he would have plenty of room then to keep them
separate Three Of his wives are sisters and the
other is a first cousin Of the three. The ifth one
when he takes her is the sister OF the of the
frat three Spotted Tail also told that it
the custom to marry all the sisters tho wives
wouldn't quarrel.


White Thunder the nearest chief in rank to Spotted
TAIL has i've wives four OF whom sisters and the
ffth one an aunt of the others.


Scrotula prevails among the half-breeds and 1t Is
the opinion OF DR.. o Berne that the white with
the Indian race do not produce good stock.


In company with Major Newell ana special inter-
prefer last evening visited Spotted Tail In his
tepee. Spotted Tail is OF about nfty years Of
age. ve feet ton inches In hoight aud weighs about
170 pounds. Ho has quiet and steady look. and
seems to seek to read the thoughts OF those with
whom no converses. Through the interpreter tho
following conversation took place between that Illus
trious chief and myself:-


Q. How do you Indians get along? A. Well.


q. Are you satisfied with the Presidentg A. Yes.
Tho Great Father treats we'll. fuis his promises
and seems to take great interest in our welfare.


q. Do your people intend to go TO farming and do
they know that they will have to be selfsupporing
in the futureg A. Ny friend. look at that corn
look ut that water melon. at this SQUASH my people
raised them. and as soon they will have ploughs
and oxen they will raise wheat. corn. oats and all
kinds of vegetables. As to be self-supporting,
want to be. We do not like to beg aud as soon as
able to farm will not ask any more help
from tho white people.


Q. What do you think about schools3 A. My
friend, told to the Great Fathers Secretary that
some of our children have been to school for tho
last six years, and to-day they do not know more
about the English language than when they went in
We do not caro- about having our children learn to
talk read and write the Dakota language. They
know the Dakota better than their teachers and they
talk IL enough ut homo. What we want them to
learn is tho English language; we want them to bc
able to road, write and talk in English II wc
old folks cannot read understand English. we
want children TO be able TO translate tor tho
newspapers and toll us what the white people
doing. so long We have Dakota teachers will
not send our children TO school. We would like to
have large boarding school whore could send
our children and have them taught by civilians, and
not by minister's. / am tired OF them and do not
wish them here.


y. What do you think of Sitting Bulls A. I think
that he is going TO como back on this reservation
next winter and that he will make peace with tho
whites and learn to work as we do.