Year: 1875




Him who is respecter Of persons and whose love
embraces every tribe and nation At the close Of the
religious service two young Indian maidcns who have
been for few weeks under the of the teachers
sang some hymns which have been translated into the
lankton dialect Of the Dakota Indian language.
What change from less than ten years ago. Those
once sangunaTy enemies of the whites sitting
under the roof with Them the best of friends all
uniting in the worship of the Prince OF Peace How
was IL that this great change brought aOout2 How
was 1t that Spotted Tails hostility turned to friend
shipf Providence eihpoyed beautiful and gentle
instrument to incline the naturally tender heart OF this
great Brul6 chief everlasting friendship with the
whites.


WHY SPOTTED TAIL MADE PEAcE WITH THE WHITES


STORY


Before the Treaty of 1868 nearly all the Sioux
hostile. The march OF immigration had driven them
over the Missouri River, and the settlement Of the
country further westward incident TO the building OF
the railroad the Continent showed them that,
year after year their hunting grounds becoming
more and more contracted In times OF peace the
Drules had often pitched their tents epees, tho
North Platte, and Spotted Tail and his family had ire
qucnt opportunities OF visiting the garrison at Fort
Laramie The intelligence and demeanor, we'll
the personal beauty OF his eldest daughter Pehczw,
had made her favoritc at the fort. She slow





in intellectual requirements and in all the comforts and
graces OF civilized life which the white race had
her own, aud IL only natural with her fine mental
and physical organization, that she should have be-
come very friendly TO the whtcs As child she at
traced the notice OF every ut the fort and when
she blooming into womanhood she was the recipient
OF marked attention from many officers Of the
volunteer troops which at that time tsoon after the
close OF the rebcllion chiefly composed the garrison
Besides being beautiful intelligent and graceful she
pure Indian princess the eldest daughter Of the
ruling chief and that account alone entitled TO
consideration. Her figure rather below the medium
height, her face well rounded oval her eyes black
and piercing her small and straight her lips full
and finely formed and teeth remarkably white and
perfect Indian very often misnomers as is
the case in the present instance Pehcziwi means yel
low hair: but her hair raven-not you
often see the Indian but fine and soft and slken,
and quite in keeping with her exquisite organization
To these physical features she added native
modesty and grace OF movement which lent
their poetic influence to increase the sum OF her
attractions When she used TO be at Fort Laramie in
the winter wearing her blue cloth dress beaded leg
gngs and elaboratey ornamented mocassins, with
strings of 1roquois shells for earrings and necklace
her hands and adorned Indian style with rings
and bracelets, and handsome buffalo robe thrown





served Of all observers" Peheziw used all her inhu-
with her father aud her people to dssuade them
from further resistance to the whites. She well knew
that war against the white only suicidal and
she was as a sweet messenger Of peace wherever she
moved among her people


But Indian outrages upon settlers the frontier pro-
voked retaliation by the troops stationed in the West
for their protection and these growing troubles led at
length to state general warfare between our soldiers
and the hostile Indians 1t with heavy heart that
Peheziwi her people drawn again into contest
which she well must necessarily be hopeless
After the red found the warpath had been pun
ished and the council called assemble at Fort
Laramie to discuss stpulatons, Spotted Tail
moved with his band to within reasonable distance of
the fort order to keep posted but not is alleged,
disposed into peaceable relations with the gov
ernment 1t this period that his favorite
daughter was attacked with what, within week.
proved be fatal illness The fever took fast hold
upon her and though the medicine of her tribe
for days nights through their supersous in
carnations he could the life of his born pass
ing away to the hereafter Knowing that her days
numbered and the hour Of her departure near,
she made last pathetic and aectionate appeal to her
father in favor OF peace with the pale faces An In
dams eldest child always regarded with special favor
his eldest daughter and his pride and by the love he
bore her. she insisted that after her death, which
near he should go straight TO Fort Laramie and
the white chiefs make treaty Of peace with
them which should endure forever. This have from
Spotted Tail himself through an interpreter "Remem-
ber the dying words of Peheziw," she said; ego to
the pale faces shake hands with them strong" which
in Indian parlance and lasting friendship
.'Promise me this; and promise also that a
pledge OF that peace you will bury in the cemetery
among the pale faces at Fort Laramie" What
this but the echo of the Divine Voice speaking to the
heart OF the savage chief in the fading accents Of his
dying daughterS He could not resist such appeal;
his heart melted, for he was devoted TO her; his
judgment convinced he recalled her arguments;
and taking her hand in his he pledged his affection
father and his honor a chief that he would carry
out her wishes TO the letter. Her accom-
pshed the hour OF her death the triumph OF her
life and her soul ascendcd the Spirit Land to share
the reward Of those who, like her, had labored for
''Peace earth"


Spotted Tail equal 10. his word; he to Fort
Laramie and made the treaty; he is among the
most intelligent and friendly OF all the Indian chiefs
and Indian grave within the limits OF the fort,
towering high above the graves OF the white people
buried there stands the pledge of peace secured by
the Princess Pehcziw II has been said that she had
cherished affection for army officer and that
alliance impossible her premature DEATH at the
early age Of eighteen years, owing to the influence
Of her unrequted passion but this is questioned and
is doubtful When Spotted Tail passed through Fort
Laramie few months ago. his way to Washington,
hc pointed TO the grave, his eyes filled with
tears, and he said every time he that grave
his heart big with the loss Of Pehezwi
and then it was big with gadness he remembered
her sweet words He riding with the interpreter,
my informant, to whom he also added, 'Had II not
been for her appeal and for my promise would not
now 10 at peace with the pale faces" When | passed
through Fort Laramie the other day took occasion to
examine the grave Of this indian princess The Indians
bury their dead not in the earth, but platforms,
resting on four posts some distance above the ground
The remains are wrapped In blankets, and the impe
ments and ornaments Of the deceased buried with
them. The post chaplain, Rev Alpha Wright, had off,
ciaed at Pehcziws funeral. The heads and tails Of her
two iavorite white ponies which killed on the
occasion, were nailed TO the iOur posts which support