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Show REPORT OF.'THE C OMMI ~ S I O N ~ RO F INL)I~',\APFA..~ R.. s.. f :% IX: . , fo .t he Oime being, -at least, identifying tLllemselres with ;.the'n, ew ideas' b: ought forward. , , 3n a Iew of .the reservitibns Memorial Dag ould bo as' ~ t t , i i ~ l ~ ' o b - ~ e:v.e d rce ' eluemherei, by the, dewration. of the graves of 1udiins d i o . enlisted in theunited ~t . a t e sa rm^ and lost their lives dnring thewar. Pree planting on Arbor Day was quite extensively engaged in by the sc ools, and t,he interest excited led some of the lndians to plant trees ar ,ug,d their own hoases. The yearly observance of' this any can not fa- l to add greatly to the attractiveness of and echool'premises an 1 to the adornment of 1udian homes. .: tabs pieasure in quoting tbs interesting account given by Special A:.ent Alice U. Fletcher of the celebration by the -Nez PercBs..o.f. I dsho of the last Fourth of ~ u i :y . . ? he people l,egan:.to gathor a day or two befare the Fovrth, .aid .to erect their aw lings and bents. in the pine grove about the church. Over five hundred were pre~ent,a nd the place, otherwise so q ~ i e tr,e aoulided with thelaughter and chatter of dd and JT6ung. . The day opened mith a religious service held at 6 a:m. nnder a lari ;o awning tied to tall trees, At 8 a. m. the children an6 their parent,s, all clsd in .- citi .:ens2 clothes and decked out in their best, gathered in front of the church, where, on he porch, sat.the four elders. Some of the boys carried little fla.is, and all joined. 'in : song new to me; t l ~ em ords being : 'f\\re'll stand, Fourth of.J uly," closing mith: F urr!?,h! Fourth of Juiy," all tho men rernoring their hats. As I walked about I mn. greckid mith a h5nd.shnlie, a nod of the head, and smiles, auil I' Fouith of Jnlp," mu .h rte ne say "Happy New Year." Soon a procesaiori mas formed, the boys lead-ing and graded xo to size ; the girls followed, arranged in the same manner down to litt R $ts; then came the men, the m-omen bringing up the rear. The colornumoved set1 ,tolp round through tha trees, al1:singing : "We'll stand, Fonrt,h of July,)! until t.he .returned in front of thechurch, when all seated tllemselves, and.theh?.otivepaa-tor introduced the various speakers-all Indians. These commented oh the happiness of r o orderly Christian life in contrast to the mild roving life that the people had for-mel! y led, and urged all-both old snd young-to begood men andvomen: Oneman der. ared thathe did not fully understand. what we celebrated, but Fourth of July wss to c ~lebrate. Just as a returned student mas steppiug forth to give the historical dat of the day the crier announced that the people must begin to prepare for din. ner. and t'he audience melted at the summons. . 'I le beef andsalmon were roasted before large fires, and the menlvw served under the zmning on table cloths and white china. A blessing mas asked, and all fell to wit I zest. It was a comfortable meal of beef, salmon, cafined f:uit, bread, cake, and mil,: potatoes. After dinner thi, business of adoptiug certain persons into the tribe war attended to, and in the e~e n i n gso me ~ndiausprovideda few fire-works, aftef mhi :h all gathered nuder the stars for an evening service of prayer, and ss happy and peaceful a day as I ever saw came to an end.. THE XEDICAL SERVICE. T be Gorernment has assu6ed the medical oversight of the great boc y of Indians, excepting the fire civilized tribes. The Indian " medi-cin : f l men are ignorant, superstitious, sometimes cruel, xad ,resort to tile most grotesque practices. The only rational medical )treatment c o *~e sn ot from among themselves, but is thaC which is furnished by thc Government physicians. |
