The National tribune., 1886-05-20

rain is considered direct manifestation Of the
favor of Providence. 1t so chanced that Just
before the rains began in Washington in March
Wewha had seen some pictures prepared for
Mrs. Stevenson's book about Zuni, and had rec
ognized the likenesses of some Of their most
sacred objects, including one Of their ven
Grated idols At first she was much shocked,
for the Zunis, like most other Indians, do not
think it right to make pictures of such things,
and call it bad medicine" meaning that it is
unlucky, whenever they see q picture or statue
of anything that has once lived, whether hu-
man beings, reptiles, or four-footed animals.
But when she was kindly told what use Mrs
Stevenson would make of the pictures and
that they would be in book in which her peo-
pie would be most kindly mentioned, Wewha
became recouciled, and said: It is all right il
it rains. If it rains will know you have told
the truth about u.s." So, when shortly after
the rain began, Wewha was very happy, and
said TO Mrs. Stevenson that she knew all she
had done was Just right. Then Wewha forth
with began her religious observances in givin z
thanks for the rain.
Though she has been so much interested by
Washington society gatherings which she has
attended, and has adapted herself so readily in
every way to the habits of Mr.. and Mrs. Steven
sons household, ,Wewha has never once neglected
the observances of her religion and. though
she does not like TO be stared at, she has regu-
larly. morning and evening, said her prayers,
standing in the street in front of Mr.. Steven
sons residence, as the Zuni faith requires
prayers 10 be said out Of doors. She has gone
from her comfortable room to pray in the
street at daylight every morning, whatever the
weather has been, and she was in Washington
through all the inelement weather Of January,
February and March.
At such times she strews cornmeal all around
her until the front door steps and sidewalk
are much daubed with dough. But this is not
the cornmeal in common use in the United
States, but is sacred meal ground in Zuni with
sacred stones, and it has been sent to Wewhs
by express from Zuni regularly since her ar
rival IN Washington. When one Of the heaviest
SHOWS of the Winter fell, Wewha, fearing that
1t might by its weight break in the roof of Mr
Stevenson's house. surprised the family by be-
ginning to shovel it off, having gotten up
through the hatch-way on the roof early one
morning and begun her work voluntarily,
without a suggestion from anyone.
She is an industrious maiden, and spends
much of her time in weaving with the crude
implements used in Zuni by the women Of her
tribe, colored worsted belts az broad, thick and
strong as the girths of saddle.
Her weaving is even and regular, and she
does it after pattern Of her own designing
which she keeps in her mind, but she has nc
model to follow. She counts her stitches with
wonderful rapidity, never seeming to be dis
turbed, however much other woman may be
talking around her. She has also learned Il
knit some since she came to Washington, but
says that she will do that after she returns Il
Zuni, as that is mans work in Zuni, not WON
ans. She is as particular in not wishing to dC
anything which is considered distinctively
masculine among her people, and in avoid
ing style of dress peculiar to men, as one
of our most ultra feminine women would be
Wewha is very much larger in frame anC
more masculine in appearance than is usua
with the Zuui women, who mostly are small
and have quite dainty hands and feet, and j
has made her quite indignant when she ha.
overheard any one asking If she was a man.
Her dignifed and self-possessed, though per
fectly modest manner, as she stood more thar
once while the make-belieye Indians were
dancing, the central figure on the large stage
stared at by hundreds OF strangers, was gsner
ally the subject Of praise. She looked statu
esque and majestie-the ideal priestess of bar
barrie people. Her sacred white cotton blanket
was so arranged as TO form a drapery from hel
shoulders nearly TO her feet, covering ont
shoulder and leaving the other shoulder anC
arm entirely bare in purely classic style. Th'
blanket was so secured rs to cover her as per
feetly as the more closely fitting dresses of oul
ladies do-them, and was far more modest thar
some fthe decOVete toilets worn by society ladie
on the same occasion, not showing the front o
back Of the neck at all, nor giving distinetl,
the outlines Of the FORM