finger across another). It is sometimes interpreted to mean "striped arrows", because the Cheyenne were said to use turkey feathers for their arrows. I have no theory myself, but the sign means Cheyenne. The sign for the southern Arapaho is this, (rubbing the side of the nose with the index finger). There are various theories for the reason, but I do not believe any one of them can be proven, but it means southern Arapaho. For the northern Arapaho, in Wyoming, the sign is this, (tapping the left breast with bunched fingers). They all know the meaning of that as "mother tribe". The sign for the dance is this, (perpendicular hand raised and lowered several times to imitate Indian dance step). All these signs can be made with both hands, but it is easier to use one hand. For river there are several different signs, sometimes the water sign. For side, of course, you indicate whichever side you please. The nearby or near in time, that is right away sign, is this, (thumb and forefinger of both hands brought together and quickly drawn apart). The long time or far off sign is this, (same sign more slowly with hands drawn farther apart). The sign for the Sioux is this, (sweeping motion of hand across throat); and to show that it means the Indian tribe, the sign for man is made after it this way, (index finger thrown up, back out). This sign, (chopping movement of hand at right side of head, means hair cut short on right side), or Kiowa; this sign, (rubbing back of left hand with fingers of right), means "man of color of our own skin", or Indian. This sign, (index finger drawn across forehead) means a hat wearer; therefore a white man. This sign, (sweeping movement of open fingers downward at side of head), long flowing hair; therefore, woman. I have seen a great deal of the sign language in different tribes, and on one particular occasion saw a council carried on by five tribes entirely in the sign language.

For a long time I had as interpreter an Indian who as a young man had been one of the hostiles and had spent several years in military confinement, and was afterward released and taken care of by a wealthy lady who started to educate him and send him to school. Six years afterward he came back to his own tribe. Having lived in the East he knew the white man's civilization and was also quite a philosopher in his way. He would surprise me sometimes by the questions he asked. For instance, at one time he asked me what I thought of Josephus? The good lady who had taken him into her family had read to him Bible stories and the history of the Jews, and the history of Josephus was quite interesting to him.

On one occasion as we were riding together, with nothing in particular to do except to talk, he said to me, "Mr. Mooney, tell me about Shylock and the pound of flesh". Another time he said, "Mr. Mooney, what is the reason that white men are always talking about money and business, Indians don't talk that way?" He was then owing the nearest trader three hundred dollars or more, and depending upon the next government payment to square up.

SITTING BULL (Tatanka Iyotanka)

From an unpublished oil painting by C. S. Stobie (Montana Charlie) 1891. The original in the D. Charles Bristol collection, Nebraska State Historical Society museum.

SOME SIDELIGHTS ON THE CHARACTER OF SITTING BULL

BY DOANE ROBINSON

Perhaps no other American who has achieved great fame is more misapprehended than Sitting Bull, the high priest of the Huñkpapa band of the Teton Sioux. Few names are more familiar than his to the people of America and indeed of the civilized world, yet very few know what he really did to acquire fame; very few indeed have a just understanding of his real character.

Sitting Bull was born of a low caste family, in June, 1838, at the mouth of Medicine Creek, a dozen miles below the place which afterward became the site of Pierre, Hughes county, South Dakota. His parents resided on Grand river, situated in what is now the northern part of the state; but at the time of his birth they were fishing in Medicine Knoll Creek on the east side of the Missouri, while on a trading expedition to Fort George. He grew up at the family home on Grand river, a few miles above the subsequent site of the village of Little Eagle. He first attracted the attention of white men at the time of the Harney treaty council at Old Fort Pierre in March, 1856, having come there as "horseherd" to Chief Swan. He was a blustering, overgrown boy of eighteen, with a cunning, effeminate face, not at all in keeping with his sturdy body; and at that time possessed no social standing in the band. Swan would not permit him to associate with his family and his meals were passed out to him under the flap of the tipi.

When the council broke up and the people were ready to return to their homes, Sitting Bull borrowed a horse