Hand-tinted stereograph, T. W. Ingersoll, 1899, 8.9 x 17.8 cm. 

Native American Indian family in front of dwelling made of cloth or skins.  Woman in long blue skirt is seated on ground wrapped in shawl and holding baby in blue hood.  Two girls are seated next to her, one in blue cotton dress, moccasins, and pigtails, and the other in pink dress and yellow shawl.  Older woman in pink plaid dress is looking out from inside the dwelling. 

On front: “424.  Family Group of Sioux and Lodge.  Copyrighted, 1899, by T. W. Ingersoll.” 

On back: “A fact which has astonished white observers is that there are few large families among the Indians.  Here and there will be found a family with six or seven children, but on the whole the number of children born in an Indian home will compare favorably with the number in the better class of white homes and the families are far smaller than among the lower class of the whites, particularly among foreigners.  The Indians themselves do not attempt to explain this, merely shrugging their shoulders and explaining that there are almost always enough children and that it is far more difficult to get dogs.  The Indian seems to value most that which costs him an effort.  The mortality among Indian children, owing to poor sanitary conditions and improper food is alarming.  A large proportion of the youngsters never grow to maturity, but die in early life from consumption.  The Indian schools take many of the children from home and keep them for ten months of each twelve.  Indian etiquette forbids the brave to show surprise or pleasure under any circumstances.  The squaw may chatter and laugh as much as she chooses without losing caste.  A8835”