Page:The Prairie Flower; Or, Adventures In the Far West.djvu/89

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were of every day occurrence, when no thing of importance had transpired to elate the actors with joy, or depress them with grief in either of which events, the songs and manner of worship was changed to suit the occasion.

With this people, a wedding or a funeral was a very important affair; and as I so journed some two months or more among them, ere my strength permitted me to de part, I had an opportunity of witnessing both. As the former was the first in order of occurrence, I shall proceed to describe it first.

The bride was an interesting Indian maiden, some seventeen years of age, and the groom a tall, athletic Indian, her senior by at least five more. Both were becom ingly decked with wampum belts, figured moccasins, and various ornaments worn around the neck and arms; those of the maiden being bare above the elbow, and displaying her rich, dark skin to good ad vantage. Around the head of each was bound a wreath of ivy, diversified with a few sprigs of cedar, emblematical, as I was informed, of their love, which must ever remain green and unfading.

O O

The nuptial ceremony took place in the lodge of the bride, and was as follows : On the announcement that all was ready, a deputation of maidens, consisting for the most part of Prairie Flower and her com panions, surrounded the bride, and placing their hand on her head, asked her several questions pertaining to herself and lover, the most important of which were, if she truly loved him she was about to take for ever, and thought that marriage would in crease her happiness. Receiving replies in the affirmative, they commenced singing in a lov.^ melodious tone, the subjoined

BRIDAL SONG.

Blooming maiden,

Heavy laden With IK>\V hopes, and joys, and fears

Sad with gladness,

Glad with sadness, Thou art going, young in years,

To another,

More than brother,

Father, mother,

Ur aught other WU<lt among thy race appear*.

We have bound thee, Aa we fovyid the*,

With unfading green wreathed the*

Emblem fitting,

Unremitting Must thy love forever be;

That thou ever

Must endeavor

Not to sever,

Now, nor never, Bonds of time, eternity.

Now go, maiden,

Sweetly laden

With all blessings we've in store- Take him to thee,

Who did woo thee, Deeper love him than before :

God be sending

His defending,

Joy portending,

Never ending Blessings on thee, evermore!

On the conclusion of this song, each of the singers laid her right hand upon the head of the bride, and commenced danc ing around her in a circle. This lasted some ten minutes, during which time a deputation of Indian youths or what in any other tribe would have been termed braves led forward the groom to within a few feet of his intended, and commenced a similar dance around him, accompany ing it with a song, the same in sentiment, if not in language, as the one just given. This dance over, the youths and maidens fell back in two rows, facing each other, while the groom and bride modestly ad vanced, unattended, and took hold ^of hands.

In this manner all quitted the lodge for the open air, where the villagers were drawn up to receive them, and who imme diately formed a dense circle around them. Then, amid a deep silence, all kneeled upon the earth, and rising, pointed their right fore-lingers to the sky, and bowed to the four great points of compass. Then all, save the bride and groom, united in the following

BRIDAL CHORDS Joined in heart, and joined in hand,

By great Heaven's wise decree, Ye must ever so endeavor,

That you ne'er may parted be

Never! never!

So, forever, May Almighty Power bless ye

In your prime,

And through all time, And on through all eternity!

As the chorus concluded, the ring opened.