THE CHEMAWA AMERICAN
PAGE 4
A BUFFALO BERRIES TALE
(Continued from page 1)
wonderful Indian figure made a picture worthy the
efforts of any artist. He dived, and failed to get the
berries. He returned to the bank. The berries were
still on the surface of the water. He dived again and
returned to his place without the berries, and to learn
that they were still there. He said, “I’ll get those
berries if it is the last thing I ever do.”
He got a big rock and tied it on one end of a strong
piece of buckskin and tied the other end around his
neck. He dived for the third time into the water and
would have drowned if the pike fish had not bitten
the buckskin and released the rock from his neck.
He could hardly get out of the water and when he did
he was so tired that he lay down on his back to rest.
He looked up and there he saw the buffalo berries.
He then knew he had been diving for a shadow on the
water; He said, “For that I will ask the Spirit of
Good and Bad to make thorns grow with the berries
so that when women and children go to pick them they
will have to beat the branches to get the berries.”
To this day the buffalo berries have thorns and the
Blackfeet lay a canvas down at the foot of the bushes
and beat the branches to get the berries. —J ohn B il -
ledeaux .
THE LAST KIOWA SCOUT
Near Easter time in 1927 Sergeant I-see-o, *the last
surviving member of the Kiowa Indian Scouts, passed
into the Great Beyond. The passing of this great
Indian soldier marks the termination of the early
career of one who had much to do with the establish
ment of good feeling between the Indians of the
Southwest and the United States Government.
Sergeant I-see-o died at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. One
of the largest funerals ever held in that vicinity was
the one to honor the memory of Sergeant I-see-o, a
good Indian, and a loyal citizen of his country.
Two services were held. The first was held in the
Indian Mission Church building and was conducted
by the missionary of the Dutch Reformed Church for
the Indians. The missionary spoke in English and
his address was interpreted by a Kiowa to the mem
bers of the Kiowa tribe, and by a Comanche to the
members of that tribe. The second service was held
at Ft. Sill in the historic Old Post Chapel.
Here a
great number assembled and Chaplain R. C. Diebert,
U. S. A., conducted the service, using an interpreter
only in the Kiowa language.
At the conclusion of the service a military proces
sion was formed with the remains of Sergeant I-see-o
resting upon a caisson and drawn by six horses. The
procession slowly made its way to the Post cemetery
where, by the side of honored members of the military
service, the remains were laid to rest. The volleys
were fired over the casket and the strains of “Taps”
blown by ten buglers, carried the message, “Soldiers
rest, thy warfare o’er.”
Sergeant I-see-o enjoyed a very unique distinction:
By his faithful service in establishing peace between
the Indians and the white men, and for this service
by an act of Congress he was carried on the active list
of the army in the grade of a sergeant for life. He
bore this honor and distinction worthily and his last
request was that he be buried in the uniform of his
country.
The imposing sight of Sergeant I-see-o, seated on
his horse, was almost a fixed part of the landscape at
Ft. Sill for many years. His significant and impres
sive past is now history of which his race may justly
feel proud.—R oyal S auox .
THE HONOR ROLL
Following is the list of those who are entitled to be on
the honor roll for December:
Seniors
Alfreda Kipp, William Johnson, Raymond Jones
and William Markishtum.
Juniors
Cleo Plasteur, Lawrence Crofoot, Ronald Leask,
Russell Hayward, George Nicholson, Clifford Mea-
chem and John Franier.
Sophomores
Flora Harper, Eula Hudson, Margaret Roberts,
Irene Walker, Robert Hall, Joe Matte, Chas. Morgan
and Aaron Sookum.
Freshmen
Rosemond Ecoffey, Inez Lobdell, Ivy Sanderson,
Anna Jackson and Fred Sandberg.
8th Grade
Christine Muller, Myrtle Rhinehart, Agnes Scott,
Joy Yellowtail, Jasper Athanum, James Monteau,
Benjamin Picutarik, George Weeks and George Little
light.
7 th Grade
Edna Wesley, Idella Curtis, Ina Curtis, Lois Jenks,
Fred Crissler, Bennie Sanderson and Harold Louis.
The names of Rosamond Ecoffy, Inez Lobdell and
Fred Sandberg should have appeared on the honor
roll for November.
Miss Beecher, who has been ill for several days, is
improving and is on duty again.
Mr. and Mrs. Kayes, who have been at Chemawa
for over a year in temporary positions, moved to Salem
recently. While here Mr. Kayes was blacksmith and
Mrs. Kayes was in the Small Boys’ Home. Chema-
wa’s best wishes go with them.