Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1920-12-07

maiden. 1.-THE as lawn IN the nils. |
Glad In garments Of her own weaving
anfi doeskin leggins. she seemed verti
bile Venus of the stone age. that had
caused many Mimbrcno youth TO de-
sire her That she had eyes for any
man was not apparent as she walked
modestly down the hill to the river
with an earthen pot ON her head and
back again with her liquid burden.
Among the women Of the pueblo on
wash days she barred her legs and
wnded into the river to rinse the
clothes after they had been well beaten
between two fiat stones That they
were shapely limbs. and that the round
smiling face and full bosom she saw
reflected IN the water. were alluring did
not occur 10 her. She had bloomed
into the early maturity of primitive
womnnhoOd without the biological
stimulus 10 mate. Being Of priestly
race the pueblo authorities had not re-
quired Of her the revolving ceremonies
, of sexual contact and child bearing be-
/ fore marriage Serenely she went her
way. for she had been reserved for the
pleasure Of the war chief Alut, and he
| had not vet claimed his own.
Love In the sense IL is used In ciyiliZ-
ed society hardly existed Yet Alut
owned Ia disquieting regard for the
female Of his choice, which was quite
apart from the biological urge that
advised early mating. Alut would take
his mate II was understood in the
pueblo, very soon. probably after the
menace Of the savage incurSion had
been AT lease temporarily removed. The
annual harvest festival. with its corn
dance was imminent. Both Alut and
rltiura were fond of the dance, with
its intOXication of ScnsuOus motion and
stirring beat of tOm-tOms accompanied
by the voices Of the pueblo musicians.
During this festival Alut would claim
his mate: that would. in his mind. be
n fitting climax to holiday season.
As Alut had predicted. the Apaches
made n Stealthy approach just at false
dawn two days following the signals In
the mountains. Mimhreno scouts had
faithfully kept contact and runner
brought the news the night before the
nttack that the invaders had trayersed
the pasS. Attempts Of the enemy to
scale the pueblo walls were easily foil
cd by the watchful defenders for II
was one Of those gl0riously bright
nights common to the southwestern
desert. There was no moon, but the
stars gave sufficient light To disclose
the approach of sinuous forms.
The invaders retired to a safe ais
lance following the repulse ana waited
for daylight. The Apaches had n pro
found contempt for the jewellers IN
Villages. BY their cunning, and hardi'
hood the savages plundered them al
most nj will. Hence il was demon
alizing surprise to them when Alui
and his warriors fell upon the un'
guarded bivouac just at dawn.
A fierce and bloody encounter en-
sued. The Mimbrenos first discharged
their arrows with the fatal aim OF ac'
complished hunters, then they closed
in with great stone hammers, hnces
and knives.
Thus II has ever been from the first
dim dawn down to the present time
Now. as then, men seek the lives ol
other men in deadly combat for th'
possession Of food. women and revenge
whether It is fight for the possession
Of hunting grounds or trade territory
is OF little consequence; the fact is thai
men still are blinded by red mis-
and they want only what the Min
brenos and Apaches fought over Tha'
was not the first fight for city In tho
Mimbres Valley. nor the last Ameri
can troops were many centuries later
D 60 read the Apaches signals on Cook
Peak and the Florida mountains
p Cbceto. Victoria. Gcrnnimo. Apache
1 leaders, killed pioneers within sight ol
I Demng and all hut attacked the city
: itself. other settlements 10 the nortl
e were DESTROYED and the inhabitants
g cruelty butchered.
nj While the Apache war is recalled
+ only ny pioneer residents Of DeminG
: even the school children remember tn
= Columbus massacre and the punitive
; expedition of 1916 The little villag
: of Columbus was attacked in the earl.
: morning hours of March g. 1916 u.
l. 1900 Mexican bandits under the motor
ions Francisco villa. And there wa
u ms elemental fight as the most bar
> harouS could desire Men and womel
Were SllOl lilAilNil ~ A''
p its until American soldiers, taken D
D surprise. could secure ans and driv
q off the raiders who had looted Tn
Ie town and burned many Of the build
le ings. What was the battle all about
h. Women. loot and revenge. EXcus
n enough for any war The Mimbre
It Valley has had its share of elements
" conflict and now enjoys the peace
N plenty and good will promised by tn
le god that rides on summer cloud.
IL Alut and his companions laid abor
TO them with will and the ApacheS su
a. fered the most severe punishment
In their marauding experience. III
nj ground was covered with Apache dea
x and wounded. but the bowling demon
RS seemed to rise from the very groun'
IL Gradually the Mimhrenos were force
TO back.
In Almost in despair, Alut made de
Of pcrate attack with his huge stene WI
d. hammer. He was literally surroand'
re- by his enemies; blood ran from do
be en- wounds and his body was mass
he bruises. His followers were quick
re see their chiefs peril and they ralli'
= a.. Ia. hta ri ua