trial at night which mostly turns out favorable.
During the first year they ascertain whether they can agree with each
other and be happy, if not they separate and each looks for another
companion. If we were to live together and disagree, we would be as
foolish as the whites. No indiscretion can banish a woman from her
parental lodge; no difference how many children she may bring home she
is always welcome--the kettle is over the fire to feed them.

The crane dance often lasts two or three days. When this is over, we
feast again and have our national dance. The large square in the village
is swept and prepared for the purpose. The chiefs and old warriors take
seats on mats, which have been spread on the upper end of the square,
next come the drummers and singers, the braves and women form the sides,
leaving a large space in the middle. The drums beat and the singing
commences. A warrior enters the square keeping time with the music. He
shows the manner he started on a war party, how he approached the enemy,
he strikes and shows how he killed him. All join in the applause, and
he then leaves the square and another takes his place. Such of our young
men have not been out in war parties and killed in enemy stand back
ashamed, not being allowed to enter the square. I remember that I was
ashamed to look where our young men stood, before I could take my stand
in the ring as a warrior.

What pleasure it is to an old warrior, to see his son come forward and
relate his exploits. It makes him feel young, induces him to enter the
square and "fight his battles o'er again."

This national dance makes our warriors. When I was travelling last
summer on a steamboat on the river, going from New York to Albany, I was
shown the place where the Americans dance the war-dance, (West Point),
where the old warriors recount to their young men what they have done
to stimulate them to go and do likewise. This surprised me, as I did not
think the whites understood our way of making braves.

When our national dance is over, our cornfields hoed, every weed dug
up and our corn about knee high, all our young men start in a direction
toward sundown, to hunt deer and buffalo and to kill Sioux if any are
found on our hunting grounds. A part of our old men and women go to the
lead mines to make lead, and the remainder of our people start to fish
and get meat stuff. Every one leaves the village and remains away
about forty days. They then return, the