as. He seemed to illustrate the result of our
governmental efforts to citizenize the Indian without Christianizing
him. A tall Indian, of fine, commanding figure, walked down the street
dressed in the following fashion: His feet were cased in moccasins, his
legs in buckskin breeches. Both of these garments were highly ornamented
with quills and beads. He was purely Indian so far. His tall lithe body
was closely buttoned in a faded black Prince Albert coat. On his head he
wore a Derby hat. So much for civilization. The hat had a hole in the
crown, and in this hole the Brave had stuck a large tuft of eagle
feathers that stood several inches above his head and nodded and danced
above him as he walked with the royal dignity of a Mogg Megone. Here was
civilization and savagery in dress at least. This is about what our
Government is doing for this people; urging them to put on the faded
coat of imperfect citizenship, and at the same time forbidding that they
be instructed in the truths of religion in their own language. We can
never civilize the body while we leave the heart savage. A visit to Fort
Smith would convince anyone of the absolute failure of this method. In
the miserable prison pen, one hundred and forty-four were crowded like
cattle. Among this multitude of criminals were young boys, just entering
upon a life of crime, imprisoned for some paltry offence, and herded
with them were grey-headed murderers. All these prisoners were from the
Indian Territory, or the "Nation" as they call it. One man had just been
convicted of murder. Two beautiful daughters of an Indian mother stood
weeping beside him. A gallows stands constantly on the edge of the
"Nation," and is used with appalling frequency. A lawyer who courteously
introduced me into the esoteric mysteries of the law as executed in this
United States Court, pointed out the peculiar construction of the
gallows which increased its capacity. "Eight men can stand on that plank
and the drop will swing them all off at once," he said with evident
pride, then added apologetically, "I never saw but six hung at one time,
but they do hang eight."

"Hanging day," I was informed, was one of the great festival occasions.
Thousands of Indians, of more or less purity of blood, gathered from the
"Nation" to enjoy this treat. There is an excuse for a fence around this
perpetual gallows, but there are wide openings in it and the awful scene
enacted within its enclosure can be witnesse