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Lorin W .2rown No. of wprds 1,826 1)
No 9
Don Higinio Torrez had just returned from the Salt Lakes
near Williard.Through some arrangement with a friend from Chim*
t,
ayo he had made this last rip in a little truck.Knowing that this
was Higinioss first ride in any kind of an automobile I had one
to greet him on his return and also to hear his account of his
trip. It was bound to be humorous as were all his conversations.
The whole village loved this old gentleman because of his
entertaining qualities.His humble little home was always crowd-
ed during the long winter evenings. then Higinio was in his
element singing songs and spinning tales. Any incident which he
chose to relate,however commomplaoe would be related in such a
humorous way as to keep his audience doubled up with laughter.
Another function for which Higinio was much sought after
was that of "resador" or leader of prayere at a wake or at the
death -bed of one for whom there was no time to call the briest,
As a recompense for his indispensability to the community
Higinio was usually elected Justice of the Peace.Occasional
oases brought before him should have brought him in some spend-
ing money from the fees due the Justice of the Peace. But
Higinio's good hearted endeavors were usually extended towards
a settlement out of court. As an extra indUtement he usually
would agree to forego any court costs so that really the pos-
ition of Justice of the Peace was only an honorary rosition
with rarely any monetary renumeration.
As an added source of income Higinio would bring in salt
from the salt lakes and dyesos or plaster of paris from near
Cienega.
The Golden Image
These comeodities he would trade for grain, beans or whole
wheat flour, measure for measure. These trading activities
brought him in the neceseary food for himself and his dim-
inutive wife. So on the whole he lived well according to his
simnle wants and he enjoyed life whole heartedly.
So this evening of his return I found that others of
the village had preceded me and his house was already full
of his neighbors, their children and his grand -children.
"Buenas tardes Don Higinio, como le fue en su viaje?"
was my greeting as I entered. "Bien amiguito" Very well my
friend. "We flew all the way," "Lone you" we stopped to eat
lunch the first day where I used to camp on my second night
when I went in my wagon and team." "What wonderful things
these automobiles are." And that evening we arrived early
at the Lakes. And now you have me back here on the evening
of the second day with a load of as white and pure salt as
I have ever brot back."
Now you all know it used to take me a week to make the
trip with my little team staying the first night at Santa Fe
and the second night I usually camped 4 at San Cristobal
near that old Indian village.
You know that during the war I made a trip for salt
and on the second day I camped as usual near San Cristobal.
I noticed when I was making camp a group of men rear the
old church. They went by my camp as I was getting sunner
and I noticed they irer covered with duet. Soon my little
grand -son Remigio came back from picketing the horses whre
they could graze.
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what could these men be doing digging near the old
church, "grand-na".
ft f
euien sabe, hijo" how many were there?"
There were four and a fat Americano was retching them replied
Remiglo. "Well let's eat supper and then we will go see"
I nromis4d.
It was still light es we neared e large hole back. of the
church ruins. We had nearly reeched the edge of the hole when
a big fat American° stepped around the corner of the church.
He hed a rifle with him and asked us, "What do you want, whet
are you doing here?" "Nada Cehor just wondering what those
men were digging here for. A well oerhaps?" was my renly.
"Yes a well and you hi better leaveS you have no bus-
iness here." Where are you from was his angry rerly.
We are from :elemado and are camped. mere here on the
stream. We are leaving in the morning. "Well see that you
leave in the morning and don't come snooping around here
again." with this rerly he waved us away.
We went back to cemn wondering what they could be dig-
ging for, maybe one of those springs whioh the Ondians stopped
un when they left, or maybe digging up graves. Why couldn't
they leave the poor dead Indians in peace.
Next morningte-re were hrelearingete harness oer horees
this same fat American° came up to our camp. He was smiling A
now and gave us good morning very pl.easantly." "Amigo are you
in a very big hurry to leave, if you are not I can give you
maybe two days work_ Only one of my men came back this morn-
ing.to help. The rest of the "tontos" are tteid of being
bewitched. They dono' like digging in this Indian rueblew
If you will heln me I will nay you well and give you some
corn for your horses."
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Well py eoor horses were thin and there was good grazing
around the camp. The gramma grass was this high and I could
use the money which I would earn. So til-::Ing the harnese off
the horses 1 agreed to work. I was curious to see what was
going on.
The American° went with me to the old church and getting
me a shovel I started digging with my "com afiero" a man from
Galisteo I can't remember his name.
Near noon the Senor Americano measured the deth of the
hole and shook his head and cursing started measuring from
the corner of the church. "You fellows eat your lunch and
we wir. try another place afterverd."
Sure enough after lunch he had marked another snot a
f w feet from where we had dug before.
All that day and the next day we worked hard and the
fat American° didn't heir' us any. He was too fat for work.
Towards evening ..77 the second dry we struck some palm laid
crosswise in the earth. Now the fat man was all excited.
He alerost fell in the hole trying to tell us how to dig.
Following his instructions we dug around the cedar ooles and
lifting them un careful'y uncovered a sort of nit walled and
floored with the same kind of cedar poll se. In it were sev-
eral objects wrapped in buckskin and tied around with thongs.
As I was liftin the largest of there out, and it was very
heavy, the buc'es'eAn wrarp ngs cane loose and it fell back in
the hole leaving the buckskin in my hands.
I stooped down to pick it u' and you wt17. not believe
me but it was a golden image of San Cristobal about so
large". Here Higinio extended his hands to Indicate the size
of the image.
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From this judged the size of the image to be about eighteen
or twenty inches.
Did you get to see any of the other articles and do you
thing it was made of gold?" I asked.
No I didn't get to see the other object e only as I could
feel them ef thru the buckskin. The Americano seemed angry
beeause we had seen what we had and told us to eut the other
things outside the hole near the edge. After he was sure
we had taken every thing out he told us to climb out. "This
is all the work, men I will nay you now. You had better leave
right away." He gave me ten dollars for me work, more than
I had expected. How much he gave the other an I don't knew.
"wIlat did the other objects feel like" was my next
question.
Oh some felt like big cups and nlat. other n just 11:7e
heavy bars. There were not many and none weighed. aemuch as
the gold image, if it was gold." was the old man's response.
emethe way rast my camp I asked my comraiiero from Galisteo
who the American° was. He called him "Q. Pan ue
elf
something
like those little tortillas I ate in a restaurant once.
It was not hard to figure out that the name hinted at as
"Pancake" must be Pankey.
Perhaps 1 was right. thoug I have heard nothing more
to substantiate the old man's tale. If his account is true
this may exnlain Mr. Pankey's financial standing of later year.
"very time I rase that place I remember about that golden
image I sueeose the nriests buried it there to hide it from the
Indians; c;i,ui-,n Sabe hut how did this Am,-ricano know where to
dig for. The tale is true that when God was naeeing out Rifts
to the different races
he r•nnted Los Am-ric-nos the gift of riche_ which they asked
for. And us Mexiranos we ased for en,loyment of life in the
form of win, women an song. That is why we ftna ourselves
so poor but always enjoying life.
by Lorin W. Brown