Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1914-12-11
WHEN TINE SHEPHERDS
GUARD THEIR Fl0CkS
(Christ,nus Storyj

soul of the skies.
Tony Tafoya was pastor de
rnbras"-a goat hcrder who tended
his flock whittier the grass lunds of
lower New Mexico lend. And rs
goats browse far and fast this meant
in his ease constantly changing
habitat anywhere in that consider.
able area that cinrtures the southern
city Of Deming, AWAY to the Floridas
BY dry Tony rested where God, and
his goats permitted: by night. when
the lean wolves were licking their
chops from nearby silver Gathered
clumps of sage brush and the velvet
footed bob eats were stealthing muir
dcrously down arroyo and canon for
juicy yearlings, or easier killed first
borns, Tony would take up his lone
vigil, beribboned guitar on knees,
and sing to the skies above while his
goats huddled together about him.
And the skies above, beaded with
biz. warm stars rs with pearls, would
cluster about his head. and Tony
would sit browsing happily of the
PARKWAY lights of Deming--and Ro-
sarin.
Once every 81 often, on the fest
walls of certain holy saints, rs he
rcckoned timc-Tony would leave his
goats in the care of some chance
other remote. hence neighborly,
watcher, and with new scraps over
shoulder, and bcribboned guitar
across back, mount II patient-eycd
little burro for the long journey To
Deming. There he would lean against
the house wall of II certain casa,
and sing To its barred window the
melodies of his soul
In in long, lone interims afar he
tween these floral osculated "canto
amorosos." Tony restrained his ar
den, soul by nightly tryst with Ro-
saria--in the star If the evening!
This being entirely Tony's own po-
cite. wildly imaginative invention,
argues that the soul of the skies was
undoubtedly his; for all poets, as
we know, are slightly mentally aber-
nted. While the beauty of God still
fingered in the hot saffron over jhe
meSas, and the star of the evening
was prickcd out singly therein. deli
cate rs needle point in the boridery
of II cardinals cope. Tony would sit
gazing into its crystal heart while
he said his Ave Maria; for he knew
that az that hour Rosario, with other
rcbezr guarded maidcns. would b."
telling her beads in vesper prayer.
Not that Tony was unduly given to
devotional exercises. but as n poet
hence mentally aberated--he instinc-
lively turned for intercourse with his
hearts desire. (mortally denied him +,
through the medium whose soul he
possessed.
Now the love of II southland Latin
is as the fire of bucking bronco
anyway: and when that Latin chances
to be boy. fed on the scarlet of the
southern sunsets, and the gold of lis
mesas. and the blocd-purple Of the
wonderful New Mexican jewel-light
of evening, only. the throes of his
first nrdor are most like those of the
flame for the virgin forest. Tony
Tafoya knew no bounds. To argue
| that he was rs soulful as the skies.
md the desert. and the mountains.
does not convey the psychology of
the phenomena. lie was barbarian.
n demi- god. drunk on the naked beau
ty Of his passion rs on wine. lie trod
on the circumambient ether: the
earth and thes heavens were his
Far remote. by calling, from the
sophistication Of the men Of the cit
les. il never occurred to his poet mind
that any other form of courtship
could assail Rosario, whereby she
might become no longer his inviolntc
own--untii that late summer evening
when, his goats securely accounted
for. he was jogging on his little bur
ro toward Deming. singing cherrily.
Over his shoulder hung serape
that not even the glory Of the sun
set could dull; his beribboned guitar
swung gaily across his back; fresh
Gathered nopals cleaned blood-red
among the polished jet curls over his
ears. just before him winding
trail led to the heart of the city's
highway: and thereon. on the out
skirts, was the casa with the barred
window. beneath which he would sing
the pent-up melodies Of his soul.
Tony kicked his little burro into n
-huffling amble. and carolled softly
mandrial Of Andalusin To its huge,
Hopping ears rs he drew nigh TO the
highway.
But other voices were alive to the
beauty of the late summer evening
also: and made themselves heard