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traditions.  [[strikethrough]] My study of their domestic life took me into their homes as a familiar friend and then I learned how great of their efforts [[/strikethrough]]. and at what cost they had worked. I saw how little they possessed, sometimes not even a pony to plow with or else falling in the [[?]] 
and how ignorance and isolation had balked many of their attempts to adopt our ways
of living. In view of the disabilities that surround them their present attainment is remarkable. The deep cry of their hearts is [[strikethrough]] was [[/strikethrough]] for titles to their lands on which they had worked.  So profound [[strikethrough]] was [[/strikethrough]] is their desire, so earnest their labor to prove to the Gov't they want to be invested with this [[?]] that I have drawn up a petition asking that titles be given to them  [[strikethrough]] for them [[/strikethrough]] I gathered careful statistics of each signer setting forth what he had done & added this to the petition & sent in to Senator Morgan, who presented it to the Senate early in Jan. Had my strength been equal to my zeal, I would have sent you a copy of these statistics

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and particularly asked your good word in behalf of the Indian [[strikethrough]] craved your support [[/strikethrough]], but I fell ill from overwork & hardship I was unable to write [[strikethrough]] to [[?]] send this letter telling you of the statistics which you could I presume secure.[[/strikethrough]]. The statistics are greatly condensed to an outsider to hardly tell [[strikethrough]] to an outsider [[/strikethrough]] the full story.  Where [[strikethrough]] I [[/strikethrough]] it is stated a man built his house, I it is mean that he did it with his own [[?]] hands. If he had help, he paid for it. There are
but about [[strikethrough]] [[?]] [[/strikethrough]] a dozen houses built by the Gov't on the Omaha Reserve & they are very poor. [[strikethrough]] All the [[/strikethrough]] The many houses that [[?]] by the Indian. some having [[strikethrough]] spent [[/strikethrough]] [[?]] as high as $200.00. Many Indians now wait for titles to [[?[[ lands before they build houses, fearing to make any outlay on land which is not their own. If the Indian who [[strikethrough]] are [[/strikethrough]] have worked to advance [[strikethrough]] even [[/strikethrough]] in civilized life could be given titles to their lands, it would strengthen them in their work & benefit the entire tribe by their example [[?]]. [[strikethrough]] The health of the people has attracted my attention & when [[/strikethrough]] Many of the men who signed the petition I have gathered into a night school at the mission & they are studying hard [[strikethrough]] mastering [[/strikethrough]] at Arithmetic, reading & writing. It is a suggestion to [[?]] to [[strikethrough]] see [[/strikethrough]] notice the elder men hard at work gaining