LETTER FROM JAMES MURIE.
Dear Friend:—A year ago, when I was at home, I stayed at the Agent’s office. I used to stay there and board at the school. I had a room and had nice things in there. One day a white man came to the office, wanted some children to go to Carlisle and Hampton schools. He said he wanted to take the Chief’s sons. In the evening I went to the school-house. A lady called me; she told me if I wanted to go to school. “Why, yes,” I said. The next morning I got two boys, and the Agent got two girls and a boy. We went to the commersary and got some clothes, and got ready for the next morning. We went to our homes the same day to see our friends. My father talked to me, but my mother and sisters cried. The next morning the wagon came up to the school. All the school-children came out, and the teachers; we bade them good-by. We start off for Arkansas city, which is about sixty-five miles from here. We had a box of grub to eat on the way. We went on; we stopped at place called “Poor Pawnee;” we had dinner there; the girls stopped crying then. Dinner was over, we watered the mules, hitched them up and went on. About five o’clock we got to Ponca Agency; we camped on a small creek; all the grub was gone; we had to buy some more. The man went to the Agent’s house to get some boys. They had a council with him; they let him take some boys. We stayed in the post-office all night; the next morning the boys were ready; there were five boys, two Nez Perces and three Poncas. They had to get another wagon for them. We went on. We got to Arkansas city about six o’clock. We camped on the western side of the city. We went to the town to buy some things which we had to eat that night. One white man came to the camp and told us that Capt. Pratt telegraphed to Winfield that we were to get to Wichita City before morning. We started off for Winfield. I had to drive, for the man had to walk to know which way we went. We got there in the night, and got to the depot house. We laid down for a little while, and the man told us that the train was ready. Before we got in the cars the Indian man who brought us talked to us. He wanted us to be good, and told us to remember what we were going away for. We got in the train, and got to Wichita before morning. We went to the hotel and found some other Indians there; we stayed there one day to rest. The next morning we took another train; we did not stop at any place till we got to St. Louis. I saw many white people there. We had supper there. I do not know what other places we stopped till to Harrisburg, Penn., and then went to Carlisle. I stayed there little while, and then I went to Hampton. I got here last October, which I entered in the lowest class. I think I improved my studies, and am now in another class. I will now try and tell you about my vacation this summer. School closed in June, Mr. J. C. Robinson, who had charge of us Indians, divided us into groups, some to go to Massachusetts, and some to change around. I mean there were three crowds; each crowd had to go to a farm called Shellbanks, to work out there a month. My crowd were the first to go out. We used to work on the farm, hoe corn, beets and cabbages, etc. I like to work on farm, though it was hot. Every evening we used to have prayer-meeting with Mr. Davis, who had charge of us out there. We had two Indian boys to cook for us. Every Sunday we used to go to the church, though it is about four miles where we stayed, and went to Sunday-school, too, and went back as soon as possible, so as to rest. Month was out, we went back to the school. On the way we met the other party of boys, to stay there a month like we did. When we got to the school they sent us right in the orchard, to help the men in gathering fruits. We got through, then Mr. Cocks took us on the farm to plant some potatoes. Then I went in one of the training shops to work. I worked in there till my time came on again. I went out there again, this time we worked on a bridge which the colored students were building to shorten the Normal School road. Some boys help load the carts, but I haul dirt with a wheelbarrow.
When I went back to the school I went in the same trade or shop. I went to learn the trade of printer that I might be able to start a trade out there. But, friend, don’t think that I did not do anything in the evenings of my vacation. Every Tuesdays and Fridays Rev. J. J. Gravatt and Rev. Mayor use to come over to the Indian Cottage, and there we would meet with them, read the bible and prayed with them, taught us about God, I learned many things from them. They are good friends toward the red men, for they want them to know something about God and have faith in him. They are doing this yet. I was glad when I saw some teachers here for I was ready to study. I know it is my duty to study and I always try and have good lessons. I work two days every week. There are more students in school this term than there were when I first come here. I hope I will learn all I can while here that I might be able to teach my own people. I am getting along well in this school, I like the colored students for they help us how to talk English. I am very glad that some white people thinks that Indians can learn, I know some thinks they can not learn, and thinks that it is no use for them to come to a good school like this; if the old Indians had been educated like the old white people, we would have been even in schools. The Government have just started schools for Indians. When these Indians at Hampton first came here, they did not know a word of English, they were dressed in Indians’ cloths; but now they have cloths like white people and they can read, cipher, and spell, and we are learning how to work just as well as studying books; we are getting along very nicely in our studys. Dear friends, I am glad that you are helping me in school though I am an Indian, which some people say that they can not learn anything. I have learned here that we can learn though we were not raised in talking the English language. I will now close, thanking you for what you have done for me.
Yours respectfully,
Jas. R. Murie, Young Eagle,
Pawnee Indian.