Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 September 1889 — WILL TAKE CARE OF HIS TENT. [ARTICLE]

WILL TAKE CARE OF HIS TENT.

Peculiar Ceremonies Attending the Marriage of an Indian and a Pretty —X----T Booster Girl. The following account of the marriage of John Deer foot to Miss Alice Van Camp was published as a special from llossville, this state, in the Indianapolis Journal of July 22, l,asfc. The facts that the couple arc now making their temporary habitation ia tteussplaer nail that the bride was a former resident of this vicinity, gives to the account sufficient local interest t > justify its ropublication at this time: Rossville, Ind., July 21.—The most novel wedding ceremony that probably ever occured in this State was performed here last night. The contracting parties were John Deerfoot and Miss Alice Van Camp. Mr. Deerfoot, whose Indian name is Sawadis, is a full-blooded Cherokee, who is traveling as an athlete with Dr. White Cloud’s Indian Company. He is about twenty-one years old, and a fine looking Indian; was born and reared in Tahlequa, I. T,, and is an intelligent young man. The bride is the daughter of Wm. Van Camp, of Clinton Co. She is a very modest, good-100 Icing young lady of nineteen years. Her parents consented to her marriage, as the young husband is unobjectionable, and is reputed quite well-to do. The Couple first met at Frankfort, while Dr. White Cloud’s company were at that place, the young man was boarding at the house where the girl was working, and an affection immediatly sprang up in her heart for her dusky Indian wooer. The course of true love bore a horseshoe on its bosom, and warded away all evil currents. The ceremony was performed by Esquire R. A. Clark, before an audience of between two and three thousand people. Dr. Whifp Cloud had advertised it far and wide on his medicine bills, and people gathered in from miles around. Promptly at nine o’clock the bride and groom madcjheir appearance on an out-door stage, and were married according to the civil laws, after which the Indian marriage ceremony was performed by Dr. White Cloud, assisted by Red Cloud and Chief Eagle Elk, and his squaw. This was, perhaps, the most entertaining’part of the programme. The pledges made by the 6quavv were recited and consented to in English. The bride promised to take care of the groom’s tent and carry the same; to follow him on the hunt in the forest, and to guard his hunting implements white he was 011 the war-path, in token of which she stuck a stick in the earth, and gave her vow that she would be true to him until his body returned to that same earth from whence it was taken, and also be faithful to him in the happy hunting- grounds. Hisroifa were made in the Indian tongue. After the ceremony the groom presented his' bride with a buck-skin, in token that he would always provide her with the best.bed the earth could afford.