January 19, 1900, continued:

The annual dog feast was held at the council room in Keshena on Saturday, January 6th. The givers of the feast were Mrs. Louis CORN, Charles CHICKENEY and Grace EUL. A bountiful and inviting spread was provided to which the Indians and their guests did ample justice. The beans fell to Henry FREDENBURG, Joe LAWE, Mrs. Peter LA MOTTE and Mrs. Joseph LA FRAMBOISE, who were thus elected to provide the feast next year. It is stated that a 200 pound mastiff belonging to Indian Agent GEORGE has not been seen since a day or two before the feast, and his absence is considered to be significant.*

Mother HOEFFS from Belle Plaine, who visited the William SASSE family for several weeks has returned home last Friday.
Last Wednesday a man working for F.B. CHASE in the sawmill lost a part of his thumb between two cog wheels and smashed part of it.
Last Friday Henry JOHNSON lost a valuable team while hauling logs on the North Branch. His logging road goes a little down grade near the landing. The martingale and neck yoke strap broke an the harness of one of the horses, throwing the whole load on the hold-back of the other horse, which was unable to hold it, so the load of logs shoved the horses down the bank about fifty feet which killed both horses instantly. The teamster jumped off before the load went down.

Henry STREHLOW went to Milwaukee last Wed. to consult a doctor about his sore leg.

While raising a log barn on August PETHKE's farm, an axe fell down and struck John KOLSERG on the side of his head. It made a bad, deep cut. No one was able to stop the blood until a physician came. He said five blood vessels were cut.
Albert GERNDT had a misfortune last Saturday. Twelve head of cattle tried to cross the ice over the South Branch. They all broke through the ice and everyone of the twelve were drowned or frozen to death. Loss: Three hundred dollars.
Louis SURING is in Oconto on the Circuit Court Jury.
Henry STREHLOW went to Cecil last week to see his mother who was very ill.
Fred SCHUETTPELZ is driving a new double-rig top carriage with side lamps.

*Caucasian readers probably delighted in the horrid sound of a "dog feast." This was actually a French/Canadian custom brought to the Menominie by early missionaries - the Feast of the Kings of Epiphany- where a bean would be hidden in a traditional cake - Le Gateau des Rois- and who ever received the bean(s) would sponsor the feast the next year.

A dog was used in the Dream Dance, a drum religion-, but was last noted in 1913 by Alanson Skinner in Social Life & Ceremonial Bundles of the Menomini Indians: Amer. Museum of Natural History, Anthrop. papers 13:2. My Menominee informants told me that sturgeon was generally eaten at this feast, but never a dog. bkp

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