tates are saying: "It is no use to work among the adult
Indians." He was twenty-five and over before he commenced study of any
kind. He is now a citizen, Republican, Prohibitionist, church officer,
teacher, preacher, all of which require a fair amount of intelligence
and information.
His work, too, is invaluable if the aim is to change the Indian to an
American citizen. In this village this one room only is the opening to
civilization. Some of the young men are tired of Indian ways. They think
the dance is something that ought to be thrown away. These young men now
have a place to spend their evenings, beyond the dance house. These
houses and native helpers break down more superstition and Indian life
than any other influence on the reservation. In the matter of dress it
is the same. Here is an Indian woman who is not ashamed to wear a dress
like a white woman. The teachers in the day schools complain that they
cannot get the girls to wear the civilized dress when they leave school.
And Indian dresses mean Indian dirt and carelessness. One Indian woman
advocating "dress reform" by example, will do more than any teacher on
the reservation.
From Black Pipe I go to Park Street Church Station. Here I have a road
of twenty-five miles and not a mile of snow. Instead of a four hour
drive I have ten hours of dragging along. But the end comes at last.
At Park Street Station considerable progress is made. The school
attendance is more regular. The children are cleaner; they wash their
faces and comb their hair more frequently. They take more interest in
study. The older ones, too, are picking up reading. In two houses I
found children teaching their parents to read.
The Christians here are holding on and others are coming to their side.
Some have reached the second stage of Christian life. The first is
leaving their heathen ways and accepting Christianity. The second is
giving testimony in public. Wherever you go young Christians give the
same testimony. In Jerry McAuley's mission in New York, testimony like
this was given: "Boys, ye knowed me. I used to drink and fight and beat
my wife and spend all my wages for liquor. It ain't so now; I've got
Jesus, we're pals now. D'ye see this coat? I bought it--it's new. I
didn't buy it at Uncle's. There's my wife, she smiles, now we're happy,
this is the right way." Two young men gave testimony like this: "My
friends, you all know me. I used to dance and paint. I am a Dakota. I
ha
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