CHOCTAW INDIANS.

The Chocktaw Indians, living in the extreme southeastern section of the Indian Territory, had very little relationships with Cowley County. The Choctaw capital, Chahta Tamaha, was sometimes referred to as the Confederate capital of the Indian Territory. At the close of the War of Rebellion, federal commissioners negotiated in 1866 a joint Choctaw-Chickasaw treaty, which re-established the Choctaw Nation. This document, in addition to providing for Choctaw tribal matters, gave detailed plans for the organization of all Indian tribes and nations living within the present boundaries of the state into a territorial government to be called AOklahoma,@ the name being suggested by Allen Wright, a Choctaw delegate. While the plan for an Indian territoral government was never carried out, the name Oklahoma became widely known and was adopted for Oklahoma Territory in 1890, and for the forty-sixth state of the Union seventeen years later.

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Arkansas City Traveler, March 8, 1876.

We are glad to learn that Mr. Franklin's bill to open the Indian Territory to settlers is being favorably considered by a large numberCwe believe a majorityCof the lower house. The bill should pass, and that too, at an early day. Mr. W. B. Clark, living below Wheelock, C. N., called at the Star office this week and exhibited a fine specimen of silver ore which was taken from a rich lode located in the Choctaw Nation. Caddo Star.

Winfield Courier, Thursday, May 25, 1876. Front Page.

The Indians talk little under any circumstances. Thus it is naturally supposable that when a young fellow dons his best (which is generally set off with a calico blouse, having large, flaming sleeves, and his hat stuck full of feathers, with two or three yards of scarlet ribbon hanging down his back), he would be about speechless by the time he arrived at the "old man's" mansion.

After dismounting from his pony, he takes his position on the fence, and sits there till he sees his fair one at the door, when he grins audibly, and if she doeth likewise, he takes it for granted that he is welcome and goes into the house, which generally consists of one room and contains all the family, and therein he has to make his speech, which at the furthest amounts to three grunts.

His success depends very much upon an invitation to smoke by the father of the courted lass. If the "old man" has any respect for him he lights his pipe, and after taking a whiff, hands it to the young man, who in turn takes a whiff, and so they proceed, whiff about. The length of time they smoke depends altogether on the esteem the father has for the beau. After a certain number of such visits he finally musters up courage enough to say, "Che-te-ha-li-de-la-li-um-mi?@ Which means, in English, "Will you have me.@ If she says, "Ky-yo," which means, "No," he takes himself off. If she gives a grunt, the preparations are made.

On the day appointed for the wedding, the groom arrives on a pony, and leading another that has a side-saddle for the bride. On arriving at the house, without dismounting, he fastens her pony to the fence, and then rides off a short distance in the direction they are to go. Shortly the bride steps out, dressed in the height of fashionCa new calico dress, a white pocket handkerchief round the neck, and a large red one tied over the head and ears, and a pair of new shoes across her arms, which she puts on just before reaching the parson's. As soon as she mounts her pony, the man starts on, and she follows from 50 to 200 yards behind. On arriving at the parsonage he gets off, ties his horse, and goes into the house and makes his business known. By this time the lady arrives, dismounts, secures her horse, and goes to the house, leans herself on the side of it near the door, and patiently waits till someone discovers her and bids her enter. All things being in readiness, the minister, who is usually a white missionary, motions the couple to stand up, and performs the ceremony in English, which is about as intelligible to them as Greek; but when the minister stops talking, they depart, leaving the poor clergyman without fee or thanks.

They usually go to the husband's parents and stay about a year before attempting the arduous duties of "housekeeping.@ After getting married, a Choctaw does as they do in IndianaCthat is, if he doesn't like the squaw, he gets a divorce, which is granted on the most frivolous pretext. Cheyenne Leader.

[There are numerous items concerning the Choctaw Indians that were printed in the Osage newspaper and then reprinted in the Arkansas City Traveler. You may want to look for them in the AOsage Indians@ file.

Arkansas City Traveler, January 10, 1877. Front Page.

THE CHOCTAWS.

The Indians talk little under any circumstances. Thus it is natrually supposable that when a young fellow dons his best suit (which is generally set off with a calico blouse, having large, flaming sleeves, and his hat stuck full of feathers, with two or three yards of scarlet ribbon hanging down his back), he would be about speechless by the time he arrives at the "old man's" mansion. After dismounting from his pony, he takes his position on the fence and sits there until he sees his fair one at the door, when he grins audibly, and if she doeth likewise, he takes it for granted that he is welcome and goes into the house, which generally consists of one room and contains the whole family, and therein he has to make his speech, which at the furthest amounts to three grunts.

His success depends very much on an invitation to smoke by the father of the courted lass. If the "old man" has any respect for him, he lights his pipe, and after taking a whiff, hands it to the young man, who in turn, takes a whiff; and so they proceed, whiff about. The length of time they smoke depends altogether on the esteem the father has for the beau.

After a certain number of such visits, he finally musters up courage enough to say, "Che te ha li-de la li um mi?," which means in English, "Will you have me.@ If she says, "Ugh," he is accepted; but if she says, "Ky yo," which means "No," he takes himself off. If she gives a grunt, the preparations are made.

On the day appointed for the wedding, the groom arrives on a pony, and leading another, that has a side saddle for the bride. On arriving at the house, without dismounting, he fastens her pony to the fence, and then rides off a short distance in the direction they are to go. Shortly the bride steps out dressed in the height of fashionCa new calico dress, a white pocket handkerchief around her neck, and a large red one tied over her head and ears, and a pair of new shoes across her arm, which she puts on just before reaching the parson's. As soon as she mounts her pony, the man starts on, and she follows from 50 to 200 yards behind. On arriving at the parsonage, he gets off, ties his horse, and goes into the house and makes known his business. By this time the lady arrives, dismounts, secures her horse and goes into the house, leans herself on the side of it near the door, and patiently waits till someone discovers her and bids her enter.

All things being in readiness, the minister, who is usually a white missionary, motions the couple to stand up, and performs the ceremony in English, which is about as intelligible to them as Greek; but when the minister stops talking, they depart, leaving the poor clergyman without fee or thanks. They usually go to the husband's parents and stay about a year before attempting the arduous duties of housekeeping.

After getting married a Choctaw does as they do in IndianaCthat is, if he doesn't like the squaw, he gets a divorce, which is granted on the most frivolous pretext.

In case a husband or wife dies, the Choctaws have two funerals. At the death all the relatives and friends are sent for, and on their arrival, they commence a series of wailings and lamentations both loud and long. The nearest of kin keep up their howling and mourning during all the first night and until noon of the next day. The grave is dug in the house, generally in one corner of the room, and after the body is deposited and it is filled up, the surviving wife or husband must have a bed made directly over it and sit and sleep there for the next six days.

Anyone not a parent is buried outside of the house, somewhere in the yard. During the six weeks of mourning, the women let their hair hang down over their shoulders and the men do theirs up in a great knot at the back of the head. At the expiration of this time, prepara-tions are made on a grand scale for a grand ado. Two or three beeves are killed and barbe-cued and a like number of hogs are dressed and boiled up with corn. All the knicknacks which they know how to cook are profusely supplied, and on the appointed day a long table of rough boards is erected and on it the eatables are placed. Just before eating the big dinner, all the relations collect around the grave and for half an hour, they make the woods ring with their howls.

At a given signal, however, this all terminates suddenly, and rejoicing takes the place of weeping and moaning. The women do up their hair and the men untie their pigtails, and a rush is made for dinner. After the general good feeling prevails; the survivor is congratulated on the get up of the whole affair, and the best wishes are expressed that he or she may soon find another partner, which is usually done in a very few weeks.

Ignorance and superstition still holds sway over these poor people. The half-breeds are much more intelligent. Since the war, or practically since the railraods were run through their County, they are really worse off than before, as stock men have come in and bought up most of their cattle, and, although they paid them a fair price, the Indians spent the money foolishly, and now have neither cattle nor money.

Arkansas City Traveler, December 13, 1876.

About two hundred and twenty-five miles from Pawhuska, in a southeastern direction, is Ft. Smith, located on the Arkansas River, near the southeast corner of the Cherokee, and the northwest corner of the Choctaw Nations, but in the State of Arkansas.

To this place the inhabitants of this Territory go to attend the United States District Court. The Cherokees, Choctaws, Seminoles, Chickasaws, Creeks, Shawnees, Delawares, Osages, Kaws, Pawnees, Comanches, Arapahos, Kiowas, Cheyennes, and others, educated or uneducated, are compelled to attend court at this place, unknown and uncared for by those who are able to help them, and submit to trial by a class of whites who, in some instances no doubt, are too much prejudiced against the interests of their neighbors of the Territory to be able to do them justice.

The law-making power of the United States should establish a court in this Territory at which the Indian inhabitants could feel at home and with friends. When this provision shall have been made, even though there is no perceptible difference in the enforcement and execution of the law, its effect upon the minds of an uneducated people will be much more satisfactory, and the feeling of distrust that now exists will rapidly disappear. Indian Herald.