Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-05-09
WOMAN WITH A FAD.
Among the Navajoes.

tribe. This Is not her first trip of the
kind, for she has been coming out ev.
| cry summer. passing through Duran
so, where she has made a number OF
friends. From one of these a reporter
learned that Mrs. Peabody was warm
friend Of the Indians and came every
year to spend few months with
them. Mrs. Peabody was seen at the
Palace hotel, and graciously consented
to talk of her purpose, She stated
that she has long been deeply interest.
ed in the Navaioes-lnterested in them
more than other tribes because they
are selt-supporting and because they
stand in such need of all the help they
can get She was very modest in
| speaking of her work. saying that she
was doing what little She could in
her small way" She called 1t fad
of hers. Almost everybody has a fad,
aud this was hers
Her work among the Indians con
sists in helping them industrially.
For one thing she helps them to farm
or perhaps it were better to say cul-
| tivate their little patches of ground.
While Mrs. Peabody is not a farmer.
she knows great deal about the way
farming should be done. having made
a study and careful observation of 'rh
things. She shows the Indians J. "
to arrange their crops. planting thing
in straight rows so they look well IA
addition to growing well. She shows
them how TO build fences-shows the
necessity of them-impresses upon
them the idea that fence building is
one OF the things that the Indian must
learn TO do before he can expect to
get along in this advanced time. She
shows them how to utilize the scanty
supply Of water to the best advantage.
Another thing she is much Interested
in is blanket weaving She maintains
that blanket weaving has deteriorated
and says she is endeavoring in her
feeble way. to induce the weavers to
go back to the old original methods.
entirely discarding the use of dyes
bought at the trading posts. She
thoroughly understands weaving and
can take the rough material and put
1t through the various stages, extract
her colors from their native elements
and tourn out as nice a rug as any
native.
These poor red men and women are
only children" she says. "and they
need some encouragement for doing
things | have little fairs among
them. where they bring their blankets
and baskets and bead work and few
articles of farm products. These
fairs are arranged similar to your
county fairs, only of course on very
small scale. They bring their things
there and | give them small prizes
This stimulates an interest in produc-
ing the best, just as your county fair
causes one farmer to try to outdo his
neighbor. All the prizrs are paid in
cash, which goes toward chowing them
the relative value of thin. .os"
While Mrs. Peabody has lived in
wicldups, tepees and hogans and could
probably adapt herself to any condi-
ton common to the reservation, she
usually stays at some trading post
The last few seasons she has been
going to southeastern Utah, and is go
ing there for this summer. This sec
tion is not in the reservation. She has
gained some knowledge of their Ian
guaec. and between talking and max
ing signs, gets along very well win
them.
While the government is supplying
some of the Navajoes with few farm
in NIL. So.
ervolr building. the great ma ority of
nc Navaioes do not nor VIII not be
benefited thereby
Mrs. Peabody declares that Instead
Dl the government having large
schools as it does where many children
are sent, that there should be little
schools all over the reservation. For
instance. instead OF having a dozen
teachers In one school and teaching
300. let them 60 to various parts of the
reservation and establish dozen lit
tie schools. with % pupils each. right
among the Indians. Let the teachers
live among them 50 their work might
be more effective Then inculcate the
necessary rudiments OF education,
teaching them TO read. write and fig
ure. give them the primary principles
Of business and show them how to do
things. never overlooking good morals,
of course. She thinks that If the gov
ernment were to pursue this course
the Indian problem would be solved
in less than half the time 1t is going
TO take under the present system.
In the phllanthropic work she has
the moral support of some of the off.
cials Of the Indian department, al.
though when 1t comes to footing the
bills and doing the work. she is en-.
tirely alone She takes a collection OF
nice blankets home with her every
fall for the bene1 " her friends. She
has read nn' sr OF papers before
women's clubs On the subject In which
she is 50 Interested.
Mrs. Pc r)dy most Interesting
woman. She IS "a. nd good looking
and az first sir ap."irs to be about
80 years old When she talks, how.
ever. her face bean with kindness
and she looi IN yesrs younger. She
spoke Of her husband being dead %
years and of having a married daugb