The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 14, 1902, Page 13

THE EfUNDAY CALL 13 LA CHIQUITE, JEIUS WOM BY ANNA L.BRIGGS. ively stolid, will not allow any one ddle with their belief. They will put 1 the mesa, alone on the desert, 50 vs, if you become too curious. consider the sence of a white tle snake dance as a curse, 50 attempt to test them. A a foolhardy man entered ufas through the instrumens riest, and now the poor lum at Santa Fe. He c upon the desert. Your good sen: you that you dare not risk the wra‘h of a whole tribe just for a little notoriet: convince them that sne was romanang. and sieep in a corner upon the floor. The carrier. The man following, whose duty The older people watched the girl with confinement became very irksome to it was to annoy and attract ‘:.t;u‘dntsin; dissatisfied looks as the time drew near NOrma after three days of isolation. reptile, was the hugger, an o i cenecially EVETY Dlan seemed futile until the night man, who stood ready to collect the for the great snake dance. Especially of tng thirg day, when an idea presented snakes when dropped by the carrier, was were the priests of the snake suspicious jteelf. Why-not impersonate Sajiu? The the gatherer, armed with a “snake whip,’ and threatening. They told Lot to tell thought was the mother of the act, and made of feathers, with which he aggra- her that ““Ti o, their ancestral chief, had soen, any one peering into the dim fire-lit vated the snakes to extrems ;n‘xer., ::2 3 {r Toom would have been startled by seeing he would gather them up and toss the: l,e,:m,:f ‘?e 24y o a"i;\‘,’émfgi‘csfh"‘;n two Safius—one asleep on the floor and among the sacred meal, whers they SEIUR LIOTL THee et snoring like a small engine out of order, squirmed until all were collected. mediumship of the snake, and therefors yhile the other was draping & blanket At a signal from Kohot the antelope her irreverence of prayer was absurd, as about her shoulders and face. MoccasinS men rushed In, and, gathering into their she could not even compel the rain co and leemins covered her feet and lmbsS. arms as-many of the wriggling mass as fall, as they could through the agency of A short dark skirt and red shoulder piec® each could hold, dashed through the eir- the snakes.” Also “that her presence was Peeped out from the folds of the ‘;an}};‘; cle of spectators and down the trail to & menace and an insult to their ceremo- oS0t €VeS sparkled in the firclight. the plain below, where the captives were omen.* ey now sto The room was 1 pueb! bare of big fireplace exten 4 er was c ur feet wide covered with goa tions con and corx pended a fine bol of hom upon the hear turned her head d w butlt of adobe, d two feet high, The wall decora- red peppers . Ny : . spirit of youth had taken possession Of raleased to carry the prayers for rain ta had darkened : 1 Well, I won't promise, and Sajiu must Hesr : B NG5 i il aAshan . The Lers Sioirs lo. caity B BeaRe & grunt of ‘welco ed her work. keep me The preparations’ for the snake dance never halting until her foot was upon the frox water, and as the sun sank out.of Dressed in a dark-eolored, coarsely woven “I believe’that you will not be rash were evidently beginning, as Sajiu spent first round of the estufa ladder. “Am I gight each priest withdrew to his own skirt, and with & red calico square crossed when the time comes. I am going to pre- over her bosom, she made a striking pic- sent you to a friend of mine here.” ture in the.firelight Small, black, bead- “A friend of yours here! Why, I thought like eyes peered through the straggling you said re weren't any whites in Orai- ands of gray hair and gave life to the pyo parchment sk Joel placed his hand #0 much time in the underground estufa. (eMmpting Providence?” she halted and gaqope, go his groans could mot be heard An alr of mystery had enveloped the S5ked herselt, “Bah! I am getting g4 tne powerful emetic took effect. afrald, a chill is creeping over me, but I ~ , "o 0 pe men dashed down the pueblo. = Bven ithe small.boys became gm going down mevertheless, just to show -0 L BRISRPS e TRERC ol e quiet when In their play they came to that Mr. Joel I am no chicken. 1 g et it e ey the opening of the estufa, with its pro- The night was suited to the adventure, .14 now begin the search for her; but truding ladder decorated with a bow of as dark as the waters of the river StyX, geeing them return without glancing to long red fringes of yarn. They knew the moon having hid her face behind & gjther side she ventured to return to the some sacred rite was being undertaken. Sloud bank, and the silence—that &W. Dawn' Woman and eat some of the poor Norma’s curlosity was nipped severely LUl desert silence—over all Desce“h‘ little papoose’s stolen viands. She planned when Lotl came to her one day with the D& cautiously untl her foot touch- t; gescend and follow the trail across the ‘nformation that the time had arrived for 1 the floor of earth, drawing # plain to the river, in hopes that some r imprisonment for nine days within Smoldering torch of fiber from be- kind Navajo might carry her across; but Gajiu's casa. She was scated upon the NeAth the blanket she blew upon it untll tne lone howl of a coyots that suggested floor grinding the maize when Loti found 't Pl&Zed and she could penetrate the dark- the a5t agonized wail of a lost soul froze her. ?eh- fA‘ Pflm“(live ‘Shelm fitfid Sfl;rg: her blood in her veins. She k;xxew ula; - " eet of two wooden images, while morrow meant detection, but she cou Gant c‘,‘e';‘:nfe:f‘y"“;fl:f;l:g durlng that ‘ot to thelr left was a patch of light and not venture upon that wild desert that “Who said he was white? I-did not, I as he is the of ‘the s arm, and by signs made her gpy, d their wants. Nod she mounted the ladder. and make some In But what brain he has is under these s once sent as a courier to ment station, and upon his re- ting to ford the river, was nearly drowned ¥ to be cooked Upon his return he found her arrayed like & Mok! belle in one of Sajiu's skl and a fine k. ped ab x , and seeing the brown bt dark colored sands arranged to Tepresent ghowed so ghostlike in the moonlight. So, jar of 1 ) and the p & up and down upon the water “Not inless-Bajiu sass with yon.” fleecy clouds against a dark sky. offering up & prayer, she fell asleep. hot from the the hearth, and anut, 1 pulled him out, and now & ! 2 i aged priest was swaying and chanting be- Vojces awakened her, and going to the me?a?'niql‘"’f{é l:?gvl:t 12; ;l:r!m"?‘gnwxi‘e‘ fore the altar, and as the light apparently entrance of the grotto she saw two fig- why they make me stay in this room, failed to alarm him, Norma conciuded he yres climbing up the trall, while at the € rely they can’t be afraid of a woman!" Must be blind. Stealing quietly past him fqot of the mesa two horses wers outlined ‘No frald'of you, only the priests say (0 an archway through which she could against the sand. Theslow climbers wers Tou go tell the white men all you see, an’ Se€ 2 light, she witnessed the most sacred speaking English, and the clear air car- ihey come here an’ take way our homes Preparation for the snake dance of the d to her scraps of the conversation. like they did many moons ago when my MOITOW, the bath, in some vile-smellilng “T tell you, Lot!, if you have brought people lived down there,” pointing to the llquid, of the snakes. Grouped in squat- me all this distance upon a wild goose plain. “Kohot, the father, say you no tng position about a huge olla were a chase, kin you altve! I'm see.” dozep priests fantastically decorated. just des Ninety miles in After thinking for a moment she went Tapdrs lighted the sceme, showing the tweive hours is enough to kill even more up to Loti and took his hand, savin spectacular effect of painted zigzag 11!}'3 poor Ponto. Poor little Ponto! I *“Loti, I must see one of those kiva: of white aggoss each back to symbolize jgved that horse, he buzzards and have almost completed my book of tra- lightning. Their faces were black coyotes F I ditlons and ceremonies, and it would be and a narrow white band extended across Mr. Joel, sure no goose chaze. Chi- absurdly Incomplete without this most the lips from ear to ear. Their breasts g0 into the Kiva an’ may be Important dance. Can’t you help me? I'll Wwere decorated by bands of white alter~ look only once, I promise you.” nating with small white feathers fastened up, you little beggar! Why will ‘No,” answered the boy. *‘You cannot in rows to represent clouds. The Ioin o . keep harping upon that ‘she dead’ go there; nobody goes but the priest and cloths were secured by white cotton ap the time! I tell you I think she has sashes from the middle of which, in the . 200q sense to be so rash.” back, dangled fox skins. Each priest held .gp. gav she will, an’ she will T know! a gourd filled with pebbles, with which he ver fret, Loti, untll you know & beat an accompaniment to a weird chant- most grateful little cuss you Would follow me about like 1d allow it. I want you to d if at any time you are rce, T want you to prom- or me. He'll find me, too, ove ground.” do so, and thank you for the my welfare,” holding out her . he continued in another tone, hy will yo ? Come back with to the station, I'll gladly take you. jiu is deaf and L stay s the only one who k with yoa. You will be so lonely.” t you will be here for a while, and I can talk to you until I learn the sign lan- I must return to-night. to-night! You must not! I can't n i e oyl S ; panir a is sure. You know women often £ A 3 2 ing singsong as Kohot took snake after ge their minds. The Moki priests are . irn with me, then! You will, Miss snake from the bag at his feet and quick- (o "} .q men to mistreat & woman and o D on’t you? 1 have a duty here ly dipped it into-the liquid, then (hxfew bring down the wrath of the whole United he pueblos uncompleted, so must it upon a heap of sacred sand in On€ CoT- giaieq upon t If the little woman % t; and if you will.not return ner of the room, Where it joined in a 1. " ., harmed, I swear that I'll leave : with 4ne, JL, milst’ loavié Sou herd aAlons. squirming and wriggling effort m‘m-,\pe i Moki that T meet alive. He will < sig & i v s Ao b~ ;;p the face of the wall and over the . .° ame of Lotl, my dear friend ¥ ng, Miss Day. Are you ali O. K. g ot oo SRR R oors. who ran so many miles to bring me news. .h( had placed her free hand against Norma had stood spellbound, enjoying ()4 chap, you want to command me at et his arm and stood h bowed head. the weirdness and impreszed by the seri- 1 am your sworn friend for e i ng low and very tenderly he plead- ousness of each individual before her, un- Jo come wi > meet these hard: t the head of a hom me; you are too frail You should be the wife of a man would -hold you away from all un- easantness instead of being here trying to teach a lot of dirty Indians Christian- And they don’t want or need you or ur work. I have been with them for T LWO ¥ ! d respect them more ery day. They set us an example in rality and live up to their understand- & ing of good. A man's word here is his *“Where can I wash some of this desert bond. They have no prison house upon face? All I want now is a bath.” {yese m s. Just recently a man in an- augh greeted this remark. ger struck his brother and ‘killed him. don’t you KNnow The priests tried him and condemned him than gold UDP o gie at the beginning of the new moon. a good ome! It yy the authority to go tp the sta- rth more than a bath of e made by the Gov- New York. You can’t take , returned and died. He you attempt to ford ven his word to return. Such a par- n home. T agon would be rare in civilization, but is ~ er; but it must A for washing til a motlon at her feet startled her, and ' iyould the great United State kill forgetting the danger of her position, she yr 1% 5., screamed at the sight of a snake WraD- - .yoo indeed. Would just wipe Oraibt ping itself about her moccasined foot. e p. map and make the desert too hot Turning to escape, she saw that the old go e Wl SRS FECS o roel. priest -had risen and now stood with out- 6 Yot ate ME: Todhs ki thb stretched arms that prevented her pass- o J8¥EE FOR TECH R CoC T the ing. Without halting she threw the taDer R -ajocs the biE father. the United State. at bis head, where it ignited his tangled 1 >'eoc e pIE Zather, tho TAeE EIEe, locks, and then rushed past him to the [o OCEE. e ESC O SerY O O ladder. Close behind were the priests. (of Gl A0 o e Kohot, he say One 50 nearly grasped her as she reached ;o o ()] an’ then go to the great father the surface that her blanket remained o .n® b nt TS b O e torgive, with him as she darted away In the dark- ~ore @1 E08 80 0 K0 T A wor ness. Knowing that merey would not be extended and that Sajiu would be the Roll 4 unanswered, hardest upon her, she decided to risk the’ , LOT'S AUeSHOR femtated UnSgtwWerste devert rather than the inhumanities of joF, P WO GTEVEE TR L8 M o the enraged priests. Half way down the ' p,1i0q gnq listened more intently, but trail she remembered that Loti had once yo " Tor 0 e e omething shown her the shrines of. their domestic Queer about the entrance o (e grotie gods. One especially, the Dawn Woman, ,¢pe Dawn Woman, and he had bound- was close at hand within a grotto among o on in that directlon, reaching thers the rocks. This shrine was particularly po, o0 1 M sacred to the Moki women. The Dawn "foq So%h o e an fmant- Woman—able to Telleve their pains at o Wo8 2% 8 ecs Befors an et child birth, to protect bables and to bring 1%1® P70, WRET S0 {omed BIE. WA back recreant lovers—was a carved and o0 0% 0o , ! hideously painted wooden image. With a & prayer of thankfulness Norma entered the m‘[’:;’;;”ifi:;"’mfi,lg:;,»::;ln::c}ncleh:a?ir: » own at the image's feet 5:‘;’5:“;31“1’:‘?&;_5"(pm‘.er ieke) of oWn. A howl echoed from the Enchanted 1 4 > Mesa in the distance as Norma opened feather and corn husk covered sticks. i o . ‘The confusion in the pueblo was inde- Der eyes, shuddered, then placed her bare scribable. [Every casa was searched. 8rms about the man's neck and mur need not answer, ehow that you igently last night, “No, I was off-sleep last was too tired. Ever been t her that she was cent cause of his wakefu e entire night w man tion for an allo nt. He wen n thir u put a new doubt in my mind, but v other duty except God would not let me ce. 1f he had intended me e a home why did he not opea the 1 have seen many men, but not one em could be my hero. And now, cannot see end not knowing she asked, ren we saw e never experienced the sensation of experie the sensation « €T UPOR yeyl, you see 1 can't love a Moki, cari 177 Sajiu had béen aroused to an overwhelm. MUred, “eroes do wear sombreros and i g wha e here; apl o No, you wiil not find your hero here. ing anger by the accusation of the priests OVerals. went to be & ot S0E that she had been a party to the girl's- A coupls of months late Mr. and Mrs. treachery, and she had destroyed the blue Joel Harris issued from the elevator of dress and garments that were left lying & sky-scraper in New York and halled a on the couch, calling upon Cha-bey-oh, ¢ab for the ferry to Jersey. They had the god of the lower world, to make the just completed an Interview with two girl swell up and burst, the acme of Mokl fashionably dressed ladles within a richly cursing. s furnished office on the tenth floor. Every member of the tribe was required “I felt sure we were making a mistaks to be present at the snake dance, espe- when we sent that girl to the Mokis. cially as several of the Navajoes, their She hasn’t a grain of spunk.” “Yes, sha enemies, were present and needed watch- seems very soft to say the least. Did you ing; so the trail and mesa grottoes were notice the adoring look she gave that left unsearched. great hulk she called ‘my husband About 3 o'clock in the afternoon Norma “Yes, I did. Such idolatry is ludicrous 'n began to realize that hunger and thirst this age of woman's enfranchisement, were poor companions, and remembering I am glad they returned her training ex- that on the day before an olla of water, penses. With interest at 10 per cent it with a basket of pici and frijoles, had wasn't so bad an Investment.” ‘She Bajlu. Sometrmes she fakes a much , ., .¢ peside the dead body of Quen- must have drawn one convert to the good boy to carry up the frog water; but chow.a's baby In a crevice of rock near cross, for they spoke of having a young I not be he, and you not boy.” the mesa top, she decided to get them, Mokl with them; Loti, isn't that what “Bure, you little scamp. I can/very niniing to herself, “The little spirit is they called him? She succqeded ..tter well see why they don’t let you g0. YoU go ypon its journey to the spirit land than any of the others who have been The kind you admire doesn't wear over- alls and sombreros. Reconsider the dan- gers and return with me. o, I will stay! These people may not me, but stay I must. My father dedicited me to the work, the board trained me, and 1 am not yet convinced t all are wrong. If you could only g that line. woven bas pres full of water, and w pocket comb she made her o breakfasted upon frijoles t mis have a been destroyed. These pe e at all, and for they need r tone had changéd from that of res- olution to pleading and she tightened her hold on his arm. A rush of blood surged through his’head at her touch, and the realization came to him that he was glad e would not return to the East. ir with his lips he that tempted him to ghts and answered, *I you are dete they Gently touching her h the impul st . - # 2uickly raising her head she caught the o 5 : i ; would be making droll faces at the gods ;g il not need the food.” After tak- sent there, for it is simply impossible to F 2 corn between : in his eyes and turned away. Joe: ;); tsfltml? °'h¢:v:;1b:::ft"";'gupe;‘;‘”?i';c;; ing the little canasta she shudderingly get a Mokl to affilfate with the whites.” those pay for what you eat v the ladder. St Teliegne, ¢ ¥ 5 ? turned to retrace her steps when a noise e rig w you did last _Afler an hour's struggle with herself, That 1s & capital idea upon the mesa attracted her attention, b4 “But boys no dress’’ subdued her en- bim back and beg him and climbing up among the rocks she In to-day’s issue of The - : thusiasm. A blush followed the thought 5 o : b & 2 could see into the plaza. The snake dance I can pay her for that: the board s ":‘ ‘:“ ‘c‘l;‘ ::": ;‘:;t"’m‘::“ of how she meant to Impersonate & Moki o' begun. ' **Well, Hete:fa luck¥’ T will Sunday Call appears the first for expenses . “ ous: y R - boy. . r 3 g # e money. 1 tried her UPOD her head as she lay huddled among “Mr. Joel tell me not let you go where ;"remggep;;};‘t’;:g‘:'e‘;g‘:é:e:p:: L f:é‘;fi?{fi installment of “The Gospel of K Y ney i T el s 4 > " ” sests bher with everything ''¢ E0at skins. She saw a naked youth B you mind what Mr. Joel satg, Only her uncovered head above the mesa Judas Iscariot,” by Aaron e it s o B ding beside her. “Me Loti. Mr. Joel It was very Impertinent. to say the Jeast, €d8e she watched the sacred ceremony. Dwight Baldwin—a novel that o You see you cannot s s £00d-by. He gone.” for him to say such a thing! I'm not a _ Lhe antelope p““"dcgmf 5 “'s‘a“:’;‘; is proving the semsation of S0 yo ¢ Loti. I am very glad to child, and he does not control my actions. their kiva, over beyond Sajiu’s casa, » . il soon KPOW You, as Mr. Joel says you are my I mean to do as I please, and that is to Circied about the kisi (tent-like structure) 10 gmthente ; LT Y Haena. I Love yon aivailly el sce Into this estufa and also to witness Of branches that stood in the middle of This book will be published hose old stone Srive yiid) the snake dance. When you see him tell the plaza and that contained the bag of lete in three 1 a squaw’s voc to work, she B continuing: *“What a fine. Mer- him so.” : snakes held by Kohot. They were sprink- complete in three issues of = will not have an idler CUrY you are! But your news is bad.” “Chiquita, please mo go! They kil ling a sacred meal. The snake priests as- The Sunday Call’s Magazine . The weovnd conilitien 16 Sounihre- “Mend sabe. Mr: 3ol tall mb tAkS ceth you, and Loti no want them do that” cended from thelr estufa to the nolse of Bation 2 Decemibee. 15, &1 t show any cu- n’ me will, you see.” bo; leaded with an earnestness stamping and rhythmic chanting and . st sh 3 The boy p and 28 r of the sacred asked him questions and re- that pleased the vanity of Norma. approached the kisl. The two orders . . b reoatn wittith $1is swers that delighted her by thet, “Dear little Loti, don’t worry about me. faced each other and began a swaying of BF SURE TO READ IT. - oe 2 iy agrdv b s Lo xbvelts t o s G iapisgy They would need catch me before they body that was kept up throughout the IT 1S THE NOVEL OF THE r e S-S = O SN Ko could kill me, and when I go I don’t pro- whole rite. The chanting in unison be T ik ship sprang up between the two. Thers pose to tell them.” - gan slow. and low, but Increased in vol- HOUR. ' hat will they do to me if I disobey W nothing the brown boy considered “I go tell Mr. Joel,” and Lot! darted up ume until the vocal. limitations were A ccmplete short story by o ke comes? I too arduous to be undertaken for h he ladder. reached, thus representing the approach ¢ ot s 8 the one of the leading writers of hat it is my intention to get “chiquita Jesus woman,” as he called She watched him disappear, and then and culmination of a storm as it descends g Paut ths cers- hev (Uit Mewloan abpeliation; for witasioi~ triend - might pertorni, ¢hit shedigtely "enGdren:couldiiay. & faw Mogiteh, suras, - T10 8 low Jougs revmet her Srinding. oot e Soedt SEU SR G, sl [ Setiam, o€ She: day: fn i) these people. I've ary). Many were the trips he took to the necessary washing of the peculiar white like little parrots. Even Loti, her nter- So’y 7o SIEhE’ cams Wak t00/ Wekky' to'- kndt eimon|chcliiy Srou e kist At every week in The Sunday Call. book about them. level where the spring was that supplied garments she wore. Norma's progress in preter, recited mechanically the Bible mount the ladder to her sleeping room; the fourth round the leader knelt before DON’T MISS IT. y you must put aside the pueblo with water, retirning with an her work was most discouraging by the stories in a way that evidently made no so after removing her skirt and shoulder the bag of snakes, and snatching one rose that ambition, as these people, although olla balanced upon hi# head that his end of the month. True, some of the impression upon his listeners except to cloth she would wrap herself in a blanket with it between his lips. He was the ————f -