Document text
Lorin a. Brown
No. of words
2,130
La Rubia
JUL
A veteran of the battle of Val Verde Don Miguel Archuleta is
around ninety-six ot ninety-seven years oldehe is not sure,
arrived at his approximate age bytaking his guess as to his age
at the time in whioh some historioal incident took plaoe,ae for
instance the above mentioned battle.
Erect,firm of step and in fall mental vigor he could attribute
his vigorous old age on ly to the fact that he had enjoyed life
to the fullest at all timesttaking the bad with the same degree
of cheerfal acceptance with he received and enjoyed the good.
After a drink of Burgundy he stated that he had acquired a
taete for wine while in Rio Abajo before and after the battle of
Val Verde. Before that time I drank "aguardiente" of which there
a
was plenty distilled in and around Taos where I was born. aealro
es that it must have been good whiskey because it never seemed to
(KWd
have harmed me: Nven nowI like my whiskey at times especially
my "tragito" before breakfast."
Juet then a red-haired ;laly passed along the street and
Don Miguells eyes lit up and he smiled as he gazed after her ret-
reating figure. *Sven after she passed out of sight he seemed to
be lost in a reminessent revery. Offer of another drink broke in
on this and after sampling it Don Miguel started in with;
You know,' never see a pretty rod -head but I remember the ench-
anted woman of the cave near oldAhr*Vnittnn. I aas a soldier and
there were two very good frienda of mine stationed there who aere
also from Tame. 4e aere together at all times. Young we uefe then
and all we gave a thought to nere the good times we could have to-
gether alien duty permitted and money in our pocket.4 "31eoo-
ed be God
how long ago that v.as,both of my oompaneros are long since dead
and I trust God has already pardoned their sins and granta, them
eternal peace."
"Pablito Martinez was one of these "companeros' a very happy
fellow who was afraid of nothing not even the devil." He wau very
high-spirited and very proud too. 1 remember how my mother used to
describe him."
ahe would say; "This Pablito is like the rooster,
who always bows his head on going through a gate,thinking in his
pride that his comb otherwise might brush the cross beam many feat
above him." Thus he was but a great friend. "The other Mange'
Saquibel was very quiet but very loyal and the three of lie were together
at zany bailed where we made ourselves respected when the young
111•n of the village tried to run us away."
"Now near Port Union there is a cave of which we had heard tales.
The people living near there had told us that it was enchanted,
tv-oli%44%
that a beautiful red-hairekwas to be seen at times at the mouth
of the eave,usuall in the morning and evening. Those who oonfeesed
to have seen her said that she was very beautiful and would appear
with her red hair hanging down over her shoulders and beg them to
dim -enchant her, that whoever would do so could have her for his wife."
"After making this plea she would disappear into the cave again
leaving them astonished at her beauty and wondering what kind of
enchantment kept her prisoner." "Three men had ventured into the
cave at different times but of these only one had stayed in over
night and not only over night,but forever as he never came out
again. The disappearance of this poor fellow led the people to be-
lieve that La Rabia was a witch who took this form to entioe her
victims to some horrible death inside the cave."
One evening Pablito came in to the "ouartel" very much excit-
ed. He had been out in the hills on some duty and swore he had seen
La Hubia."
of the cave. "1 saw hor,Por Dios quo si,ho swore and he was not ono
to swear in vain." "Tan lindatas no otherwoman." He was going to
in that cave next &ay if he had to desert. And so on. He will like
one who is mad, we hardly slept listening to him and trying to per-
ouaoe hin to wait until we could all go with him. 4e promised that
next 1o]vo we would both go with. Throe would be hotter than one ta
there ,Jloro dangers to be net. Duen Dios,we finally calmed hit )nd ho
slept,hut oven in his sleep he tossed and muttorod,no d.ouht qreaning
of roseueing this Rubio, and fighting,Dios babo what kind of loonstoro."
So 0-aited until our next leave -hich we asked should fall on
the same day. Guns and food we took as nall as az nany pitch sticks
as se could find and prepare. d5 °von had the padre oonfoso uo and
bleoo our venture wanting to prepare ourselves in every ay.
On the way to the mavo Plblito as fill of tlir. about the Rools. He
was sure we would dis-enohant her. How happy he would be with her as
a brio°. And certainly hiF u o friends would be happy also, sooaro
we oi1d rejoice in his happiness, Maye she as a rrineceo from
Soain or sone other king's daughter and he mould become rich thru
marryino here"? Tuoridos conpaneros,I oill not forget you,you ili
share 'rloth me,rieheo jory everything. Pobro Poblito,ho was dream
70 kner what could be found in c hole in the ground in these aun-
bakr1 hills axcopt that maybe It was the home of some bruja oho took
the P.),4_, of the Rubio to locro on into tbr. evo for her on ike
ends. 1 3ut Pablito had soon her. "Coo astos ojoo la vil, 4ith tt
eyeo9 I olw her." over and over a6ain a heard himsay. Boaatifol
she is znd co aro not mon if we do not To to her aid. Meye no vi
already a little be-ooltched hut as ocod friends and companeroo ;vs
Nonld ll go together and fight together as,xo had so many tie at
banes or fiestas beelas3 of other qomen,porhApo no' Rabilo,out ft
we ttio3 bocau3e the village boys resonted their pref000moo for ao or
naybe it 'ono only baeoune of our unifo. oaten dabo.
'Iliearing the oavo we pitched oampoxaminoa our pistols and Dowd:or
and proparoa a moalothe loot one before ontering the oavetfirot
hobbling our horeos so that if any thing happened to no thoy would
not story° and oouldein time.get book to the fort.
Dow the ontranoo the cave is not very largo and it io hidden Ly
braoh and the over -hang of the bluffs:in whioll it in boated.
I7o3Jolo a ohort wago it was neocsoary to 1 pit our torches in
or, oo. to goo. At first it wle very narroo ana low but in about ton
varas it oponod up into a largo roam. oo hela our torohoo ol000 to
the floor to sue -if we ("Quid mako out any foot-printo. deiy
Pablito jumpod with a yell uaying that ho had coon a oot-print of
La Rubio and ran on farthor into the cave shoatiog 1 Rubio
dal Clo''ooza coloradateona out Aod, OGMO out Uod Head, have cone
to dis-kolo_klant you., dalgan diablos 0 domonios,aamo out thv11e or
demon n• have coma to fight you and to free La Rubio. o qeikly
aid ho got away from us that we did not stop to soo the foot-pria
but bnrrioa after our tvotaoas friend. 40 could soo..tho glea frow
hin torch ahea of nu ond hoar his shout. lo called to him to oult
for us and ran after litm0 1L muot not have hoard u 4 and the next
thing wo know a turn in. the 04V0 bid hi o light fran un altho we
could otill hear his voloo. doon we came to whero throe malorloo
br..tnehod, off. liot knowing whioh one Pablito had. taken we otoppaa,
puozleq as to ‘which one to follow and the rooky floor ohowod no
oarko oo coula go by. 4o wont up quite a ways in one on the chancre
it woo the one he had taken but no sloon coal& uo find. oe then ra-
turnc:$a to the point whore the throo gollories branohod and doolqoq.
to loovo ono of us there
stop 2ablito If ho should oono book.
LOBO oo arranged on ehote au sionala to recall or otide uo in
tting to thin mectinol place
i
maybe it was only beceune o2 our uniforms. et (ye i;r1
INearing the oave:me pitohed eampoxamined our plE1701s ;end powder
and proparod a moal,the last one before ontoriug the eavegfirst
hobbling our horeou so that if any thing happenod to us they wciell
not ataxy° and 0ould,in time,get back to the fort.
Now the entrance o the oave is not very large and it is hidden
bruell and the over -hang of the blufftin whioh it in boated.,
a short ways it -ens nooeseary to liht our torches
ort, to see. t first it wao very narroe' ana low but in about ten
vare,s it opened up into a largo room, u hola our torcheo oloec to
the floor to see if we oould alke out any foot -prints. udon1y
Pablito jumped with a yell saying that ho had. soon a foot -print of
La Rubia and ran on trther into the caw) shouting
awaradlinlwale
Rubia
Sal Oelboza colorada,Oomo out Aad, Come out Red Head, wo have coree
to dia-enehant you. alan diablos 0 demonios,Oono out devils or
demons 11:e halo come to fight you nnd to free La Rubin. o quickly
did he gat away from UA that we did not stop to see the foo*-prite
but hurried after our impetuous friend. 4e could nee ..the gbo fro;2.
his torch ahead of us and, hear his shouts. late called to him to %7e.it
for UA anA ran after him. He must not have board n 4 and the na=t
thin 7 we knew a turn in the oavo hid hi n from ui altho we
could still hoar his vole°. Soon we came to whore throe gallori:el
breeiched off. Not- knoiling which one Pablito had taken we stoilk
puBslell as to which one to follow and the rocky floor showed. no
marksa could go by. 4e 7vont up quite a ways in on on the che.7ete
it lirve the one he had taken hut no si4;n could e find. 4e than 71-,e.
tarivad to the point whore tho three gellories branchod and aJclia.
to leave ouo Of us there to atop 2ablito If ho should come back.
Aise Irrangod on allots as sii7nals to recall or guide as in
turninc to thin meeting place.