\ * *
8 The Conservative *
time , the blanket was again removed
and revealed the stalks several feet high ,
which bespoke a favorable growing
season. Once more the blanket was re
placed and the ceremony continueduntil ,
upon removing the blanket again , the
full , ripe ear was revealed , growing on a
fully matured stalk. The ear was
plucked by the medicine-man and passed
from hand to hand as others joined the
dance ; great joy seemed manifest , as the
ear was well-shaped and well-
fined which gave them assurance
of a bountiful harvest. Surely
these dusky husbandmen had processes
superior to their pale-faced followers ;
now the farmer must trust to luck and
the caprices of the elements , and risk
his seed and year's labor before he knows
the results to be obtained ; then , all was
known before the seed was placed in the
ground.
Mr. North says he did not handle the
ear , but he saw the corn planted , and
witnessed its growth to maturity , and
observed the ripened ear , all within two
hour's time. He has no theory to pre
sent , but lie thinks it very doubtful if
the camera would reveal it in pictures.
The feats of jugglery , practiced in India
cannot be photographed , so competent
authorities tell us ; if this be true it
must partake of hypnotism , and , there
fore , opens a new line of study for
students of the American aborigine.
One more feat which Mr. North has
witnessed must certainly be an optical
illusion of some sort , and seems to sub
stantiate the hypnotic theory : A strong
cord or rope was attached to an arrow ,
and the arrow placed to the bow-string
and shot through the body of an Indian
brave ; a warrior at each end of the
cord , by jerking and pulling , made a
" " of the brave
"jumping-jack" perforated ;
suspending him in air and cutting all
manner of antics without a sign of pain
or inconvenience from the victim. This
was continued for some time , until one
of the warriors dropped the end of the
cord and the brave was released. He
suffered no harm , and showed no signs
of a wound from the arrow thrust , so it
must have been an optical illusion.
How it was done , where the art or
skill to perform such feats came from ,
and how long they had been practiced ,
are mysteries. That such feats were
commonly practiced by the Pawnees is a
firmly-established fact , and it remains
for students to give us a solution of the
mysteries surrounding them. Mere in
credulity does not answer the condition
of this problem.
According to the light we now have ,
we must acknowledge that the recent
Indians are descendants from the
aborigines , hero , in Nebraska , whatever
* * " may be the theory of the mound-builders
who once inhabited the Ohio and
Mississippi valleys. The recent Pawnees ,
" as offspring of the aborigines , have re
tained many , if not 'all , their ancient
customs. Many of the customs prac
ticed by the recent Pawnees can be
traced to their contact' with the whites ,
but here we have feats of jugglery which
no white man can perform. In THE
CONSERVATIVE , some weeks ago , Mr. A.
T. Richardson , who is one of the ablest
students of Indian characteristics in the
state , gave an account of the Indians'
power to play a musical instrument
rhich no white man can sound , and ,
also , told of two stones which an Indian
could make luminous by rubbing , but
which a white man could not effect.
The list of real Indian arts is growing ,
and , through the medium of feats which
we know were not learned from contact
with the white .man , we may , in time ,
come to know the aborigine in his primi
tive state. When that time comes we
will be prepared to trace his wander
ings and read his genealogy much more
accurately than can be done today.
If the aborigine practiced hypnotism ,
which seems evident , that fact alone
places him on a high plane of intelli
gence barbarians do not hypnotize. If
the old settlers will assist in this re
search , as Mr. North is doing , and each
contribute his experience to the budget ,
and let it go on record , substantiated by
eye-witnesses , much light may be thrown
on the obscure history of these interest
ing people , which will be invaluable to
future students , when no eye-witnesses
can be called to prove what , in their
time , will become but "a creation of a
diseased imagination. ' '
If you have reason to doubt anything
written in these articles , over my name ,
please have no hesitation in making it
known. I shall be only too glad to get
truth and nothing but truth shall be re
tained if I can help it.
H. P. Coolidge , a tinner , working in
Columbus , has of ten seen the feats , above
mentioned , performed while he was in
the government employ at the Pawnee
reservation. He came to Nebraska in
1847 , and has been with the Indians of
the Missouri valley for many years. He
says he knew the Pawnees when they
numbered several hundred thousand ,
and , he says , the small-pox epidemic of
1853 first weakened them until their
enemies gained the ascendency over
them.
I shall give the readers of THE CON
SERVATIVE a few legends , which I
learned from these gentlemen , in time ,
but I wish these feats of jugglery , as
repeated by eye-witnesses , to have a
wide circulation , and , if there be others
in the state who can add then : testimony
as eye-witnesses , I should be pleased to
hear from them , as I wish the matter
settled beyond question , and a "source"
of authority established for students to
work from , in years to come , when we ,
of mortal clay , have ceased to study the
American aborigine at longe range , but
have gone hence to meet him in the
happy hunting ground , whence none re
turn to report their investigation even of
so interesting a subject as the American
aborigine.
E. E. BLAOKMAN ,
Boca. , Neb. , April 27 , 1901.
FROM A COSMOPOLITAN PATRON.
EDITOR THE CONSERVATIVE :
1 am much obliged to you for sending
me some extra copies of your issue for
March 28th , in which you kindly pub
lished my sonnet entitled "Wings. " I
have already received several highly
complimentary letters from literary
friends , in praise of it. One ; also , from
England and another from Germany. A
Yale graduate on the staff of the Rocky
Mountain News is even extravagant in
his appreciation.
After you receive this letter , please to
change my address for the numbers of
THE CONSERVATIVE to 1545 Ogden street ,
Denver , Colo. I am getting ready to
leave Paris and slowly proceed to Japan ,
via the United States ; as my only
daughter has succeeded in graduating
with high honor at the Sorbonne , in the
ancient and modern French course re
cently opened to women. She is
the first American woman to do this.
She has , also , during the last whiter
painted eight copies of old portraits ;
hardly to be distinguished from the
originals. Pardon me if my parental
feelings impel me to say that I am proud
of her.
In reading over your CONSERVATIVE
for March 28th , I was interested in the J
article on page 2 , entitled "Bequests. "
I fully agree with your views. But ,
perhaps , you will allow me a mild criti
cism as to the use of one word. Ten
lines from the bottom of the page occurs
the phrase "enlightened selfishness. "
I have long been accustomed to draw a
distinction between "selfishness" and
"self-interest. " Selfishness is a vice ,
because it does not pay attention to the
rights of others. Self-interest is a
virtue , because it is consistent with a
careful regard for the rights and in
terests of others. I believe , on con
sideration , that you will see the pro
priety of this discrimination.
Your paper is a lively one ; works for
the good of our fellow-men ; is on the
right side ; and I read it always from
end to end with admiration.
EDWIN EMERSON , Sr.
2 Rue Cassini , Paris , April 22 , 1901.
REPORT OF THE CONDITION OF THE
NebrasKa City
National BanK
NEBRASKA CITY , NEB , ,
at the Close of Business on Wednesday ,
April 24,1001.
RESOURCES.
Loans $209,162.43
Overdrafts 180.66
U.S. Bonds 116,850.00
Other Bonds and Securities 21,104.54
Real Estate , Furniture and Fixtures 12,770 82
Cash Exchange and Due from Treas. U. S. 154,859.67
Total $604,89Ui ! )
LIABILITIES.
Capital $100,000.00
Surplus and Profits 18,090 98
Circulation 100,000.00
Deposits 391,802.04
Total $604,893.02
DIRECTORS.
W. L. WILSON , ROUT. LOUTON ,
President. Vice President.
H. D. WILSON , Cashier.
Rom. PAYNE. A , P. STAFFORD.