June 17, 1906 (Sunday)

WOUNDED KNEE SURVIVOR: A reminder of Wounded Knee surfaces today with news out of Beatrice, Neb. Yesterday, the Sioux chief Little Cloud and others came to the residence of Gen. L.W. Colby. They were looking for Lost Bird (right). Defying the odds, she survived the massacre in 1890. Colby raised her as his own. But now the chief, who says he is Lost Bird's father wants to see her. Evidently, she's in Washington, D.C., with Gen. Colby's ex-wife. Colby was conveniently not at his Nebraska home yesterday, when Little Cloud visited. Lost Bird is about 20. Her saga must be an incredible story. There's got to be a way to find out more about her.

OUTSTANDING (hopefully) IN THEIR FIELD: Things are getting desperate in Kansas. The wheat harvest begins tomorrow and the state's farmers are looking for 25,000 men to help in the fields. Fewer than 5,000 have come from the East. So, farmers are getting a bit desperate, evidently. In Salina, farmer John Freeman was searching for four men. He had no luck. Then he thought of the city jail. He found out that two prisoners were still in jail because they lacked the $5 fine for being drunk. Freeman paid their fines and "took them home with him to help save the wheat," an article said. The farmer probably reminded the formerly inebriated souls that wheat has at least one very interesting byproduct.

AN EAGLE MIGHT BE FEELING A LITTLE PAIN, BUT MANY IN OKLAHOMA ARE HAPPY: Yesterday, President Roosevelt signed the bill that clears the way for statehood for the combined Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory. The measure also allows for Arizona and New Mexico to be admitted as the State of Arizona. (Of course, the people in those two states still have to vote on it.) That's why Roosevelt used two pens. He wrote his first name with a gold pen, presented by people from Arizona. He scribed his family name with a quill, snatched from an eagle in Oklahoma.