eet wide. The squaws were all busy cooking some kind of meat
and a cake something like a pancake. We soon discovered that they were
preparing a feast for the Sioux who had come down in large numbers from
Fort Ridgely which was near New Ulm to meet them. After the shelter was
finished the feast began. Blankets were spread on the ground and rows of
wooden bowls were placed before the Indians, one bowl to about three
Indians. The cakes were broken up and placed near the bowls. After the
feast was over, the peace-pipe was passed and the speaking began. The
first speaker was a Sioux chief, evidently delivering an address of
welcome. He was followed by several others all very dignified and
impressive.

We had heard that the Sioux would give a return feast on the next day
and when we got tired of watching the speakers, we went down to the
Sioux wigwams to see what was going on there and found an old Indian
squatting before the fire. Dog meat seemed to be the main article of
food. Evidently it was to be a ceremonial feast for he had a large
supply of dog beside him on the ground and was holding one over the
fire to singe the hair off. When we came near, he deftly cut off an ear
and offered it to me with a very fierce look. When I refused it, he
laughed very heartily at his little joke.

The Winnebagoes were sent to the agency four miles from town soon after.
The agency buildings were where St. Clair is now located.

One day at noon the school children heard that the Indians were having a
squaw dance across the river. It was in the spring, just as the snow was
beginning to melt. We found about twenty-five squaws dancing around in a
circle and making a fearful noise in their high squealing voices. They
danced in the same way that the Indians did, and I had never seen any
other form of dancing among them. They were wearing moccasins and were
tramping around in the water. The Indians were sitting on logs watching
them. One was pounding on a tom-tom.

One day when we were eating dinner, about twenty-five Indians came to
the house and looked in the window. They always did that and then would
walk in without knocking. They squatted down on the floor until dinner
was over and then motioned for the table to be pushed back to the wall.
Then they began to dance the begging dance. In their dances they pushed
their feet, held close together over the floor and came down very
heavily on their heels. There were so many of them that the hous