296 INDIANS. 



' Twenty ponies ! ' cries the lover, with great contempt ; 

 4 twenty ponies for an ugly girl not worth one buffalo 

 robe ; I can buy a dozen better girls at the price.' 



With many hard words and much personal vitu- 

 peration the war goes on, the father praising, the lover 

 disparaging, the girl, until after a stormy altercation, 

 running sometimes into weeks (if the old man sees any 

 lover-like weakness or impatience in the younger), a 

 bargain is struck at something like the fair market value 

 of the girl, which is usually from one to four ponies. 

 There is no marriage ceremony. The price being paid, 

 the man conducts his new purchase to the lodge of his 

 father, there to remain until the increase in his family, or 

 his wealth and consequence in the tribe, force or enable 

 him to set up a lodge for himself. 



