AN ART CRITIC AMONG THE SIOUX. 



D. F. BARKY 



During one of my visits to Standing Rock- 

 Agency, N. Dak., a Mr. Bennett, of the 

 Signal Corps, bought a fine buffalo robe. 



He wanted the 3 great chiefs. Sitting Bull, 

 Gall, and Rain-in-the-face, to ornament the 

 back of the robe by painting it in Sioux 



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SITTING BULL. 



fashion, and requested me to engage them 

 to do it. The first thing that an Indian 

 asks is " how much? " That is the interest- 

 ing point with him. Mr. Bennett was will- 

 ing to pay them $3 each and I agreed to 

 make the proposition. 



On my way to dinner I looked in the trad- 

 er's store and, as I expected, found Gall and 

 Sitting Bull there. 



I made my business known to them and 

 said I would return in an hour to learn their 

 decision. When I got back I found Rain- 

 in-the-face waiting outside the building. I 

 told him Mr. Bennett wanted him to paint 

 1-3 of the robe and would pay him $3. He 

 consented to do the work at that price. 

 Soon Sitting Bull and Gall came to talk 

 the matter over, and while we were to- 

 gether Mr. Bennett came along. He was 

 delighted when he saw the chiefs and heard 



they would accept his offer. He brought 

 the robe, and said the chief who put the 

 work on it should get $6 instead of $3. 



Sitting Bull inquired who would be judge. 

 Mr. Bennett replied that if they were sat- 

 isfied he would leave it to me. 



Gall and Rain-in-the-face agreed, and so 

 did Bull, after looking me in the eye for a 

 moment. When the robe was handed to 

 the latter that he might begin the orna- 

 mentation he made all manner of excuses: 

 saying he would paint it when the others had 

 finished. R?in-in-the-face then refused to 



GALL. 



take it first. Gall took it and told Rain-in- 

 the-face when he could have it. Before 

 leaving they named a time when they would 

 return with the finished robe. 



Little did I realize the importance of my 

 appointment as judge and art critic. I did 

 later on. for it proved an expensive experi- 

 ence for me. 



On the day set the 3 chiefs rode up to my 

 nlace. Bull carrying the robe in front of him. 

 They dismounted and inquired for Mr. 



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