Dr. Howard Jones,
Circleville
Ohio.

Dear Dr. Jones:-

Will you kindly furnish me with data concerning the
art work of your sister, the late Miss Genevieve Jones? I would
like from 100 to 200 words for the historical record of activities
of Columbus women which is being prepared here. The publication
is yet un-named but is to be a sort of "Who's Who" concerning
Columbus women. It is a work of love--no costs are attached, and I
an compiling the department to be devoted to "Women Painters".

Miss Josephine Klippert has especially asked me to get
this information from you, direct. As I have seen "NESTS AND EGGS
Of THE BIRDS OF OHIO" I know something of the splendid work done
by your sister. However, I wish to know:

(1). Full Name,

(2). Graduate of what school or college.

(3). Name of her teacher or teachers.

(4). List of partial list of her paintings.

As the publishers are rushing me for this copy, I
will appreciate it very much if you will give me this data at
the earliest possible moment as we do not wish to omit names
of those so worthy.

Mrs.N.E.Jones, nee Virginia Smith, was born in New London, Connecticut, September, 9th, 1826. When a girl her father moved to Cleveland, Ohio. In New London he was engaged in business and was a leader in the town. He was a candidate to the State Senate when he decided to try his fortunes in the new western country which was being lauded to the skies as a land of milk and honey. When settled in Cleveland he engaged in the produce business, buying wheat, corn and other produce and shipping on the Lakes and the Canal leading to the Ohio River thence to the Mississippi and to New Orleans. He was a very active business man, made much money and spent it lavishly on his large family. There were six boys and five girls. They lived in one of the largest and most substantial houses on Euclid Avenue. He kept a tutor for the boys and a tutor for the girls, the latter, named Miss Phelps, lived with them many years after the family grew up. I remember her very well.

The oldest son died of typhoid fever when a senior in Yale. He made the reflecting telescope which Yale used for many years. Hamilton the next brother was a sophomore in Yale at the time and had charge during his senior year of the Observatory which his older brother had equipped. Hamilton Smith, Professor of Physics at Kenyon and Physics and Astronomy at Hobart College, was the most noted microscopist of his day. He was the originator of a classification for diatoms and desmids. The United States Government and the English Royal Society furnished him the deep sea soundings for the purpose. He made hundreds of drawings, many of them colored of the various species of

2.

these microscopical objects, all of which are now in the British
Museum. He was a member of the Royal Astronomical Society and several
other Scientific Societies of Europe. His next brother, Henry, was
an inventor of note. Among the machines invented was a power cutter
to produce plaster-lath which revolutionized that industry. His
brother, Robertson, devoted himself to writing, was a regular
writer for the Knickerbocker Magazine and a personal friend of
Artemus Ward. He was Captain of the Cleveland Grays during the Civil
War. Carlos, another brother, devoted himself to business but he had
an artistic and a mechanical brain and for many years was the
European salesman for the Allis Engine Company. The other brother
died in his teens of typhoid fever.

The five girls were all said to be very beautiful and of fascinat-
ing personalities. Cornelia, the oldest, married Judge John King of
Dubuque, Iowa, and died there. Had two children. Estelle married a
Frenchman, Doctor Beaumont, and died in Cleveland. Had three children.
Georgia married Mr.L.J.Farnan, an oil man, spent much of her life in
Titusville and Oil City. No children. Josephine, the youngest,
married Mr.J.B.Huston. He also was in the oil business in various
parts of the country. Had one child. Virginia, the subject of this
sketch, married Doctor Nelson E.Jones, June 9th 1847. He graduated
in medicine at Hudson College just out of Cleveland. Had two children.

Anson Smith, the father of this large family and Ami Beckwith
Smith the mother were devoted to the interests of their very inter-
esting children. As Cleveland grew and the family increased Anson

3.

Smith moved farther and farther out on Euclid Avenue, each move being
preceeded by the building of a larger and more pretentious residence.
He built no less than ten houses on Euclid Avenue.

In 1853 Doctor Nelson E.Jones removed to Circleville and built a
residence at the site of James I.Smith's present home. It was practi-
cally in the country and it proved to be so lonesome that in 1859
he built the residence and office, now the property of Mrs.R.D.
Kitzmiller.

The daguerreotypes accompanying this sketch show that Virginia
Smith in her early days was fully as good looking as her sisters.
The later pictures show her in mature womanhood and the last year
of her life.

Doctor Nelson E.Jones died December 17th 1901. Virginia's sister,
Georgia, came to live with her in Circleville until 1904. She then
came to Park Place and remained until her death which occurred
May, 26th,1906. During her last years she suffered much from
rheumatism and failure of vision due to disease of the optic nerves.
The last year of her life she was totally blind and during the last
few months her mind failed her entirely.

Virginia Jones was of a lively disposition, full of fun and enjoyed
good literature. Her only children were Genevieve and Howard. She
had great satisfaction in the development of her two children. I do
not remember that she ever spoke a cross word to either of them,
although undoubtedly she was often worried and annoyed by their

4.

childish misbehavior. Neither of the children were ever spanked or
scolded by their mother or by their father. In lieu of punishment for
their misdeeds they were shown by argument their errors and incited
to better actions by the grief their misdeeds caused their parents.
This kindly disposition was not due to want of character because she
was very firm in her beliefs and yet not dogmatic. She had a wonderful
lot of ingenuity in knitting, patchwork, sewing, dressmaking and all
manner of needlework and she was a wonderful cook. She also used
watercolors for decorative purposes and made minor attempts at china
painting. She was always busy, never neglecting the little things, in
fact she seemed to get the most pleasure in doing little things in
the way of making keepsakes and remembrances for others. I have no
doubt she often had a righteous indignation and her mind must have
rebelled against many of the acts of those with whom she associated,
but if so the rebellion never broke out. I have often heard her say
that her mother taught her never to say anything about a person unless
she could say something good about them and this rule of her life
came naturally and was cultivated to the degree that everybody loved
her. What should have been the best years of her life were borrowed
by the death of Genevieve and she spent ten years in absolute devotion
to the completion of the task which Genevieve had on hand at her death,
namely, "The Nests and Eggs of the Birds of Ohio". Excessive eye-strain
in drawing on lithographic stone and coloring the plates for this
work produced an optic neuritis which resulted in the gradual loss
of vision. Her work speaks for her painstaking ability with pencil
and brush.

Nelson E. Jones. 1821 - 1901.

Nelson E. Jones, 2nd son of Henry Jones, 2nd son of Thomas Jones, 2nd son of Henry Jones, was born at "Fruit Hill", Liberty Township, Ross County, Ohio, eight miles east of Chillicothe, September 20th 1821. Henry Jones, the grandfather of Nelson E. Jones, came from Whales when a young man and settled at Trenton, N.J., where he lived until 1801 when he moved to Ohio. Nelson's mother was Rachel Corken, has maternal grandmother was a daughter of George Mason a quaker preacher residing in Chester County, Penn. She married Robert Corken and together in 1808 they came to Ohio and settled at High Bank Prairie" on the Scioto river in Ross County.

Nelson was one of nine children and was from birth a delicate and sickly child. As he grew in years he was unable to follow the pursuits of the farm and accordingly was encouraged by the family to educate himself for a profession. After finishing at the country school near his home he attended Agusta College in Kentucky, for a time, but his health was so precarious that he pursued his studies at home until 1846 when he entered Hudson College. After a time he returned to Chillicothe and studied medicine with Dr. Wills. In 1845 he graduated from the medical department of Hudson College and for a short time was associated in Cleveland with Dr. Kirtland. Having somewhat regained his health he was desirous of seeing

2

the West. Accordingly late in the year 1845 he went to DuBoque Iowa. After a short stay he moved to Jacksonville, the county seat of Clayton County, Ia. Here was advertised a city settled by the Butch and glowing accounts of the prospects attracted him. In this locality he had the field to himself, too much so in fact as the following extract from his writing will show:-

"No beginner in medicine in a new field could have asked for a brighter outlook. I was busy from morning until night and from night until morning, many days I was in the saddle the greater part of the time, as often patients lived thirty or more miles apart. But there was a loneliness about the life that did not attract me long and as I had left in Cleveland, O., a young lady that I was anxious to see I decided to return East."

The following June, 1846, he was married to Miss Virginia Smith, daughter of Anson Smith of New London, Conn. He then moved to Londenderry, in Ross County near his old home, thinking the place would soon grow to a city as it was on the newly constructed Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. After several years, seeing that something more than a railroad was essential to the making of a city, he selected Circleville as a promising town and in 1852 purchased a tract of land containing about sixteen acres just at the corporation limit and erected a home. In the fall of 1852 he moved into the new residence with his wife and two children. About a month after the house was

Decro

3

destroyed by fire. Not entirely discouraged by the loss of all his wordly effects he rebuilt in a more modest way and became a fixture in Circleville.

For many years he had a large and paying practice and was identified with the improvements of the town. In 1858 he was one of the five incorporators of the Gas Light and Coke Co. and was identified with it at his death. During the war of the rebellion he was enrolling surgeon, and performed the task during the whole war so acceptably to the Department of the Interior at Washington that the surgeon General personally complimented him upon his thoroughness and ability in examinations and in form of reports, and adopted his forms as the best of all the examining surgeons of the army. (See "Messages and Documents of the War Department," part 4. 1865 - 1866.) After the war he served as pensioner examiner until the time of his retirement from practice.

In 1889 his daughter Genevieve died, and from this period of grief he lost interest in active practice and in a few years turned over his business to his son. From this date until his death he occupied himself in study and travel. He was a lover of nature and pined for the days of the primitive forest and abundant game. He never lost interest in medicine, and embraced with enthusiasm as the dawn of a new day the advent of the germ theory of disease. His mind was active and unimpaired to the last, and he passed much of his time in writing stories of the olden time and of the early days of medicine. He published one small volume called "Squirrel

Narrative of Dr. Nelson E. Jones.
Found among his papers after his
death in 1901.

********

After graduating at Hudson Medical College in Cleveland in 1845 the
young doctor started in the Month of Marchby coach for Portsmouth, Ohio,
from here he went to Cincinnati by steamboat and then to St. Louis, Mo.
From St. Louis, again by boat, to Galena, Ill., and from here to DuBuque, Iowa.

The doctor had a friend in DuBuque named Judge John King, a man he re-
spected and honored. The Judge had been his former tutor and instructor,
and he soon found a good location for his young friend and former pupil.

This place was at the county seat of Clayton county, fifty-two miles N.W. of Dubuque and fifty miles from Ft. Atkinson in the Winnebago and Fox reservation. Judge King corresponded with Reuben Noble who had located there as an attorney at law. The mail was weedy and the poatage was 25 cents for "Each piece of paper". Envelopes and postage stamps were then unused if not unknown. It was felt that even at that time tha Democratic advance of civilization was too slow. The doctor could not wait for the mail's slow pace, for he felt he had a mission to perform, and -- He had left his girl behind him.

The glowing accounts of the wonderful and beautiful West had filled the
mind of the young Esculapeus with bright dreams of wealth and future happiness: his plans were marked out and reviewed over and over again, for he
had no mean aspirations. No time should be lost,-- the realization of all
his desires seemed but a short distance in the future.

In addition to all other inducements to go to Clayton County, the news
reached Judge King (Who was Postmaster) that a new town, a great City, had
been projected and actually started by some Germans of enterprise and wealth,
and that over five thousand building lots had been sold and that over eight
thousand Germans were actually landed in America; that the city was in pro-
cess of building and had been called Gutenburg. But best of all was the
news that this young city had not among its inhabitants a single doctor.
The last statement proved true.

The maps issued by the land speculators were consulted," Geisenburg" yes,
this city was there, located on the west bank of the great Mississippi some
twenty miles below Prairie du Chien. "One of the most beautiful sites for
a city in the world" said the book. The site was really there. It was sur-
rounded by an impassible wall of Nature nearly one hundred feet high and
there was good steamboat landing for many miles. The city of the imagination
was in a flat oblong square which to the enthusiastic mind of the pioneer
doctor, if for the moment somewhat of a disappointment, would soon grow to
a place of many thousands. However, he did not settle at Gutenburg (The
spelling is doubtful) but upon full consideration chose Jacksonville, the
count seat, eight miles west on the high and rolling prairie, believing that
he could from this point do the medical work in Gutenburg also.

Soon after landing in DuBuque the doctor purchased a splendid young riding
horse for fifty dollars, worth in the states at least two or three hundred
dollars. The horse was offered on the street by a stranger who made such a
poor exhibit that nearly every one was afraid to bid on the horse thinking

2

he might have been stolen. The doctor in his ignorance bought the animal and got a prize. He paid the owner in St. Clair money endorsed by Jesse Smith and Son. A few days later the news reached DuBuque that the Smiths had failed and the St. Clair or "Red-Dog" money was worthless. This was sad news for the doctor as it no doubt was for the former owner of the horse. The doctor had nearly five hundred dollars of this money on his hands, if such trash is deserving the name of money. Right here the doctor had another lesson in the inadequacy of a Democratic government to meet the demands of advancing civilization, and he still believes that if the Locofoco party, with its Jacksons, Van Burens, Polks, Pierces and Buchannans at its head, had not been put out of office, this country would now be dealing in shin-plasters and "Red Dog".

Before the doctor left for the West, he called upon his friend Mr. Atwood, banker in Chillicothe, O., and asked him to give him such money as in his judgment would be safe to take West. Mr. Atwood said the "Red Dog" was the only current money in the West; that the local bank bills of Ohio, New York and Virginia would not pass so far away. Later the doctor sent his recent wealth back to Mr. Atwood for disposal and ultimately received ten cents on the dollar.

Such bad luck seemingly would discourage a beginner very much, but as everybody was accustomed to this kind of thing, it seemed only a realization of the probable rather than a disappointment. St. Clair money at this time would not have passed at all, although issued by a bank in Michigan, excepting for the indorsement of Smith and Son, who were prosperous dealers in wood ware. How much they indorsed no one ever knew, anyway the run came and the Smiths went under.

The distance from DuBuque to Jacksonville or Guttenburg was only fifty-two miles to sixty miles, yet there was no intercourse; no wagon had seemingly ever broken the savage spell. The people of one community had no knowledge of the people of the other, in fact, between the two communities civilization had not even dawned. The postage, as mentioned, for a letter was twenty-five cents, and at this price few cared to learn anything happening at a distance.

As the young doctor rode along the Indian trail toward Jacksonville, herds of deer and great flocks of prairie chicken and an occasional large wolf were his visual companions, and the only ones to give even passing notice to his advent. Not a house nor a sign of a living human being greeted him until he reached the mouth of Turkey river, over forty miles up the Mississippi river from DuBuque. Here, on the bank of Turkey river, in the low bottom land the doctor found a settler. The cabin was without chinks or mortar, an earthen floor with starlit roof gave scanty protection to the inmates. There was no fence about the place and there was not a piece of wood of any size outside the structure of the cabin. It was a new home. The owner had taken a preempt-ion and spent almost all his time trapping and hunting. The man and woman were however very kind and did all they could to make the doctor comfortable.

It was growing late in the afternoon and the sky was dark with approaching storm and Turkey river was high, so the man did not think best to undertake to pilot the doctor across until the next morning. These poor settlers were without bed or furniture, in fact, were without everything but good hearts. They gave the doctor all they had to eat, a piece of corn bread, made with water and without salt, baked in the ashes; and the horse, some meal which he ate from a

3

through. The woman placed a wooden bench alongside the wall on the most comfortable side of the cabin, near the fire. The doctor folded his saddle blanket and paced it upon the bench putting his saddle-bags under his head. A piece of an old blanket furnished by these good people for a cover made the doctor comfortable for the night notwithstanding there was raging one of the cold storms which frequently follow the first warm days of spring.

The next morning the doctor arose early, as his heart was full of pity for his patient partner that stood, haltered to a tree, throughout the night of wind and rain. He proved to be safe and ready for another feed of corn meal. As soon as arrangements could be made the good man announced that he was ready to transport his guest over Turkey river. The site of the cabin was well above high water mark, but from the door nothing could be seen but a wild expanse of rushing water. The whole bottom land was inundated and near the cabin the tops of willow trees swayed back and forth in the rapid current. After much hard work the river was crossed in the skiff, the horse swimming behind, and the doctor felt he was nearing the place of a future home and perhaps everlasting fortune.

From this point to Guttenburg was several miles, and by the directions of a map and the trapper he followed an Indian trail which led him over high "Hogback" "Hogback" into the German city. This trail was through a rough, densely timbered country until "Hogback" was reached; here the Indian path angled up the almost perpendicular wall of stone, and at times was a deeply cut groove just wide enough for a horse to walk in. The doctor really dismounted and walked in front of the horse, or rather climbed, until he reached the top. From this a sharp spur or ridge ran sloping to the Mississippi river, standing upon this crest the doctor looked down upon a vast prairie, bounded upon three sides by a natural wall and upon the fourth side by the father of waters. The outlook was very bad; there was no superlatively lonesome. The prairie was a waste, not a tree or shrub could be seen; not exactly a waste either, for far in the distance could be seen a small shanty with smoke slowly curling from it. This was the Guttenburg.

The danger in getting down from this pinnacle seemed even greater than getting up, but move on the doctor must. In the descent the horse took the lead and had hard work in maintaining his balance in the pony path, but he made the descent safely and after a short ride the doctor discovered that the great city of Guttenburg lay before him. There were pegs driven in the ground designating streets, lots, parks and public places, and one lone shanty contained the only inhabitants of the city, unless the gophers were counted. This home was built of boards placed perpendicular and the roof was of the same material. It contained the smallest possible number of rooms, one; but this one measured ten by twelve feet. It was occupied by man and wife who used it as a post-house and a receptacle for steam boat supplies. Upon the doctor's arrival the woman was busy cooking dinner for a bright looking young man who gave his name as Reuben Noble of Jacksonville, a lawyer by profession. The doctor had letters of introduction and recommendation to Reuben Noble from Judge King and the two were happy in the meeting. The doctor was assured of one good friend at Jacksonville, alias Garnivello.

After the enjoyment of a hot meal the two new-made friends proceeded on the journey to Jacksonville eight miles distant, and here the doctor was introduced

4

to Mr. Forbes, a most hospitable landlord. Mr. Ford and family were overjoyed at the arrival of the new doctor, who, as after experience proved, was the first strange white man seen in the neighborhood since the last term of court, which was held during the latter part of the previous year.

There were no justices of the peace in Clayton county at this time, and had it not been for the two lawyers (Noble and Murdock) there would have been no court or any need of one. The court-house was a little frame shell boarded with cottonwood and without plastering. There was neither jail nor place to confine offenders of the law; in fact, the need of such a place was not even seriously considered, as all criminals were dealt with by the "short process" and the costs charged up and distributed and all was ready for a new deal. A sample of the manner in which law and order were maintained may be gathered from the following instance:-

Mr. Forbes kept a race horse, a beautiful little stallion. The groom was a half breed Indian about seventeen years old. The children of Mr. Forbes were greatly attached to the Indian and he would frequently take care of them at the stable to the relief of Mrs. Forbes. One morning there was trouble for the family and the statement was made that the Indian had attempted to rape the eight year old daughter of the landlord. Examination confirmed the attempt. Accordingly, Reuben Noble, Samuel Murdock and the doctor were appointed as a jury and judge to try the accused Indian. The evidence was quickly heard upon each side and as quickly a verdict of guilty was rendered. The punishment assigned was fifty lashes upon the bare back with a raw-hide whip in the hands of Mr. Forbes. Immediately the prisoner was walked down to a small stable, stripped and drawn up to a beam and forthwith Mr. Forbes carried out the sentence with all his might, but with coolness and deliberation bringing with every stroke fresh streams of blood. When the fifty were counted and the pitiful wail of the Indian ceased, there was at least one member of that court who was glad it was over, for such torture he wished never to see again. In order to make the horrible cruelty the more terrible, Mr. Forbes washed the wounds in strong brine while one of the court held the whiskey and another the ammonia for fear death might result. After the Indian was able to walk he left the country and was not seen again for many years. Twenty-seven years after this event the doctor received the following letter from Mr. Noble:-

McGregor, Iowa. Dec. 1st 1872.

Dr. N. E. Jones.
Circleville, Ohio.

My dear doctor:-

Samuel Murdock has handed me a letter addressed to himself, dated July 29th 1871, without signature. It is my impression the writer is Dr. Jones formerly of Garnavillo in this County. I have forgotten your first name but I think your initials were N.E., if I am addressing the right man I would be pleased to hear from you. I came here from Garnavillo in the fall of 1857 and have been here ever since. This is the principle town of the county of Clayton. If this letter falls into the hands of my old friend, I shall be much pleased to have a letter from him giving me a short history of his life since leaving Garnavillo. And I shall answer, giving like information of myself and family.

["5", "In reply to this a short sketch of the doctor's life was sent as requested, and in return the following letter was received from Mr. Noble.", "Mc. Gregor, Iowa. Dec. 22nd 1872.", "Dr. N. E. Jones.", "Circleville, O.", "My dear friend:-", "I have your esteemed favor of the 11th inst. My answer has been delayed by protracted absence from home. I was exceedingly gratified to learn that you had been permitted to enjoy good health and had been reasonably prosperous since leaving the ever memorable precincts of Jacksonville, now Garnaville. The contemplation of the vast changes which have occurred in the country, and especially in this portion of it, since you left us, perfectly astounding. The map of the counties in which I practice law is rather old, but I have drawn in red lines the outline of the country in which you used to have your headquarters, from this you can see that the material prosperity of the country.", "Garnavillo is still a small town, although there is much wealth about it. I resided there until the fall of 1857 when I removed to Mc Gregor. I have steadily pursued the practice of law and have made from first to last a great deal of money. xxxxx x x x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x_x

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the same year. × × × × × × × ×

Clayton county has no large towns. McGregor is the largest and best business
place with a population, including its suburbs, of about 4,000. The county has
something over thirty thousand inhabitants. G. Douglas lives here. He was
married for the first time last fall. You speak of the old blacksmith by the
name of Tulle. He lived but a few years after you left.

I have now written about everything nearly that would interest you and hope
I may see you here at some time; if I ever happen in your region of country
it will afford me much pleasure to make you a visit.

Very truly your friend,
Reuben Noble

The above letter has been given nearly in full as the writer mentions the
early inhabitants of the county seat and many circumstances of that date.
The suggestion in regard to the reason for the return of the halfbreed
who was so cruelly flogged is no doubt correct. As stated the courts in
the time referred to were few and far between, and consisted of two or
three judges, a few lawyers and as many gamblers from the surrounding towns.
At the court while the doctor was a resident of Clayton county, the usual
hangers on came along with the judges but the docket was empty. But to do
justice to the landlord and make things lively, the judges, lawyers and horse-
racing followers concluded to stay a few days and have some fun.

Person in Wisconsin who owned fast nags and also those in Dubuque knew that
landlord Forbes kept a good one and had taken down a good many stakes with him.
Consequently there was a number of race horses foraging near at hand
ready for a contest with Forbes horse. Among the number was a jockey English-
man, who had just recently been in good luck in the State over the river. The
boasting talk of the jockey made the judges and lawyers anxious to see him
with his loafing backers thoroughly cleaned up. A race was soon under way.
Forbes backed his own animal with all his money and pledged his bar, while
the legal gentlemen went deep into their pockets as an encouragement to Forbes.
Forbes had the full confidence of his friends and the Iowa folks met all bets
offered that the Englishman's mare would beat.

Garnavillo, then Jacksonville, was situated on a long level ridge of high land,
and the roadway in the fall of the year, in fact at any season, made a very good
race track. Everybody was a better and it was difficult to find a stakeholder.
Finally after the usually parleys and delays the start was made, and sure enough
to the delight of the Forbes crowd, the horse came under the string with his
halfbreed rider yelling like a full blooded Indian, more than fifty feet in the
lead.

Races and scrub dashes continued unabated as the crowd grew larger for several
days. Judge Wilson left wealthier than when he arrived and the citizens of
Garnavillo had more money after this court than they had been accustomed to
for a long time. With some citizens good time pieces were a drug and were of-
fered for one-fourth their value.

At this period Clayton County was a border County on the Indian reservation
fifty miles from Fort Atkinson, and the Government mission. The vast country
west of this was owned by the Winnebages, Fox and Sioux Indians. During the
summer of 1845 the Government made a vigorous effort and succeeded in getting
possession of the country west to the Missouri river.

The treaty was conducted by

7

The treaty was conducted by Gen Dodge of Black Hawk fame. The General knew better how to manage the Redskins than any man of his day. The doctor was present at this treaty which was conducted with great gravity, inside the walls of Fort Atkinson. For the first time he heard native oratory with all the graceful gestures peculiar to the wild man. The chiefs of the different tribes were arrayed in all their glory, and the whole scene was the most imposing of anything the doctor had ever witnessed.

Outside of the fort were from four to five thousand Indians, males, females and children. Horses and all else these people possessed they had with them. During the treaty this vast concourse of savages was fed and lodged by the Government at the mission about two miles distant from the fort. Here was erected a long tent made of the limbs of trees, with tiers of bunks filled with grass for the squaws and children. Between these bunks was an aisle about ten or fifteen feet wide and in this aisle about every seventy-five feet a fire was started at night and the different tribes, dressed in their war paint, would dance around the fires to the hideous noises produced by a bunch of "musicians" seated in the bunks.

The feeding of these creatures was an attractive show for a civilized white man, for their customs and the whiteman's were at many points at variance. The head Indian of each mess would have a steer driven into a pen about twenty feet square, and as soon as this was done the pen would be surrounded with hungry Indians. The poor steer, half frightened to death, would run around the pen frantic at the sight and smell of the In-dian and would leap into the pen and grasp the tail of the excessive fright would bellow piteous cries, then with a stick would be dragged around and around until exhausted, another Indian would take his place and keep up the run until he would take his place, and so on for quite a time. Finally the Indian would become weak and wobbly and the The Indian letting go his tail dextrously cut the vessels of the neck with a sharp long knife and the fun for the onlookers and the life of the steer.