The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-07-11

ever, AFTER their return 10 tneiI own
people they are given scant grace OF
two weeks by the elders when they
must resume shirt and blanket and
moccasins and Taos speech or leave
the pueblo grounds. or dun adobe are
the two stately edifices of the pueblo,
one upon either side of the Taos
creek, which flows sparkling and cold
out from the SHOWS Of the sacred Taos
mountain to the northeast. The hun.
dreds of rooms with which the piles
are honeycombed are whitewashed
with the native gypsum, low-ceilinged,
cool in summer, warm In winter ven
tilated by the deep easements which
are closed by only wooden shutters
The furnishings are Of the simplest
bench-like PLATFORM over which Is
stretched cowhide, for the bed, cor.
ner fireplace as stove, perhaps q
stool. Connected with the livingrooms
are the private storerooms or gran.
aries, with their boards Of wheat,
squash, red, white, and blue corn. and
peppers.
Grain Trodden Out.
The wheat has been trodden out, In
fashion of Palestine, by cattle driven
around and around over it: 1t has
been winnowed by pouring it from
vessel to vessel that the wind might
blow away the chaff; and 1t will be
ground into meal by being grated be-
tween stones The bread, in fiat
cakes, will be baked In concal cement
ovens, Of which line, for common
use, stands in front Of each pueblo
building And in the beginning this
grain was sown by hand and harvested
by the cradle and sickle.
Here in Taos pueblo are perhaps the
only stocks used today In America.
Relics Of old Mexican days, they are
kept In the pueblo jail, for tribal Of
tenders who deserve more than simple
confinement. For Taos makes its own
laws and deals it's own punishments.
1t Is a unity, like any other American
town-strange though. as a town, 1t
be. Its charter dates back to August,
1856. when by grant of the Spanish
crown 1t became suzerain over a
Spanish square extending a league in
all directions from the site of the old
church tower. By virtue Of this char
ter and OF possession 1t Is recognized
as separate town and its populace
as American citizens-the strangest
citizens which the republic owns.
Citizens who vote not, save In their
own annual elections for governor Of
the pueblo; who have no flag except
the yellowed aspen bouehs of their
festival dances: who speak a language
without mate to it: who marry not
and give not in marriage outside their
town limits; whose faith Is the faith
unaltered of son years. knowing not
church nor preacher. but pinned in.
definitely to the son of Montnzuma for
whom every morn at sunrise a white.
robed sentinel watches from the roof.
top
Through spring and summer the
pueblo works In its fields The Uni.
ted States department Of agriculture
furnishes an agricultural agent. who
lives upon the grounds by suffrance
OF the pueblo and teaches the Taosans
how best to farm. But after the crops
are harvested, then Taos plays. in a
succession Of feasts and dances which
lasts throughout the fall and winter.
The first festival is that OF San Zero.
nimo day, on September 80, when o..
tensibly In honor Of the patron saint.
Saint Jerome, young and old hold an
all.day celebration. giving thanks for
the harvest season.