Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-05-20
Origin and End of Things.

InlS legenQ OF MOQC6Zumd Is TO De
found in the advance sheets of "Ban.
croft's Native races" volume Ill:
The Great Spirit made the earth and
all living things, before he made man.
And he descended from heaven, and
digging in the earth, found clay such
rs the pOtters use, which, baving again
assembled to the sky, he dropped into
the hole that he had dug. Immediate
ly there came out Montezuma, and
with the assistance of Montezuma, the
rest OF the Indian tribes in order. Last
of all came the Apaches, wild from
their natal hour, running away as fast
as they were created. Those first days
of the world were happy and peaceful
days. The sun was nearer the earth
than he is now; his graceful rays made
all the seasons equal, and rendered gar
mentS unnecessary. Men and beasts
talked together, common language
made all brethren. But an awful de-
struction ended this happy age. A
great flood destroyed all flesh wherein
was the breath of life; Montezuma and
his friend the Coyote alone escaping.
For before the flood began the Coyote
prophesied its coming, and Montezuma
took the warning and followed out
boat to himself, keeping it ready on
the topmost summit of Santa Rosa.
The Coyote also prepared an arch;
gnawing down great cane by the
river bank, entering it, and stopping
up the cad with "A certain gum. So,
when the waters rose these two saved
themselves, and met again on dry
land, after the flood had passed away.
Naturally enough MonteZuma was
anxious to know how much dry land
had been left, and he sent the Coyote off
on four successive journeys to find ex-
actly where the sea lay toward each of
the four winds. From the west and
from the south, the answer swiftly
came: The sea is at hand. A longer
search was that made toward tho east
but at last there tooiwas the sea found.
On the north only was no water found,
though the faithful messenger almost
wearied himself out with searching.
In the meantime the Great Spirit, aid
ed by Montezuma, hal aga n repeopled
the world, and animals and men began
20 increase and multiply. To Monte
yuma bad been allotted the care and
government of the new race; but puffed
up with pride and self imp0l tance, he
neglected the more important duties
OF his onerous position, and suffered
the most disgraceful wick ednes. to pass
unnoticed among the people. In vain
the Great Spirit came down to earth
and demonstrated with his vicegerent.
who only scorned his laws and advice,
and ended at last by breaking out into
open rebellion. Then, indeed the Great
Spirit was filled with anger, and he re-
turned to heaven, pushing back the
sun on his way to that remote part of
the sky it now occupies. But Monte
yuma hardened his heart, and collect
ing all the tribes to aid him, set about
building a house that should reach up
to heaven itself. Already it bad at
fained a great height, and contained
any apartments lined with gold, sill
ger and precious stones, the whole
threatening soon TO make good the
boast OF its architect, when the Great
Spirit launched his thunder, and laid
its glory in ruin. Still Montezuma
hardened himself; proud and infiexible.
he answered the thunder out of the
naughty defiance of his heart; he or
dered the temple house to bedesecrated.
and the holy images to be dragged in
the dust, he made them a scOff and by
a by word for the very children in the
streets. TheD the Great Spirit pre-
pared his supreme punishment. He
sent an insect flying toward the east,
toward an unknown land, to bring the
Spaniards. When these came, they
made war upon MOntezuma and de-
stroyed him, and utterly dissipated the II
idea of his divinity. H