West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-03-09


him the poor received succor. To the
sick he administered potent herbs and
nourishing diet, and the dying he in
b splred with resignation and fortitude.
In ms breast the wisdom of the patri-
arch dwelt with the simplicity Of the
chlld. As he was ignorant of wars and
strife, so he dreamed not of avarice or
hatred, yet II was better, perhaps. to
meet an avalanche in it's course than the
righteous wrath of this nan.
III CHANGED one day that traveller.
clad in strange clothing and the gear of
war, bearded of face and with the accent
OF an unknown language upon his lips.
stopped at the gate of the temple. The
stranger seemed to be in distress. and
casting himself at the feet of the priest.
he betokened by signs that he was in need
of food and drink. This the good priest
would have supplied, but when he beck
oned the stranger TO arise and accompany
HIM within, he found that he had tainted
80 great WAS his fatigue from travel and
deprivation. Conveying the suppliAnt
to pallet close at hand, the priest min
lstered TO him in such manner as his
great necessities required, giving him
sparingly at first of food and potions of
the invigorating liquor of the aloe.
Long weeks the stranger lay upon his
bed in helpless state, prosecuted by
disease, but the unremitting care of the
priest finally restored him TO his natural
vigor. When at last the man found
himself able to pursue his way, he sup
piled himself with provisions from the
good priests store and took his departure
with many demonstrations of gratitude.
How sincere these sentiments were NAV
a LOT orr nod hot h..
this narrative.
Now, the stranger was one of crew
of adventures who had sailed from the
shores of Spain and Portugal, bent upon
conquest.
In all probability this vessel was in
no way connected with the fleet of bloody
Cortes, who subdued all the lower por-
tions of Mexico, for Cortes sailed from
the island of Cuba and landed on the
eastern shores of the continent, burning
his ships at the commencement OF his
land expedition. More probably the
craft TO which this stranger belonged
was one which followed in the wake of
Magellan, through the newly-discovered
straights bearing his name, and landed
lar up the shore of the New World.
During an expedition inland this man
had strayed from his companions, and
when near perishing from fatigue and
want had been delivered by the hand of
the good priest. During his conva-
lescence his eyes had fallen upon the
rich ornaments of the Temple of 1escuco
with the greed of avarice, and no sooner
had he sought out and found his ship
mates on the lower peninsula than he
told them of his adventures and de-
scribed in glowing terms the wealth in
golden ornaments of the place where he
had found shelter. They bid him lead
them thither, and, prompted by his love
of gain, he lent them a willing service.
One night, the ship sailing up the Gulf,
dropped anchor noiselessly within easy
distance of the fated temple. Led by
the migrate who now came TO betray his
former benefactor, boats crew put
ashore armed cap-a-pie and prepared for
pillage. In the still hours when the
peaceful people of the neighboring viii
lage were wrapped in slumber, dreading
no i'll, this band of freebooters stole
into the unguarded portal Of the temple.
They found the aged priest within,
and, although he offered no resistance,
they bound him securely hand and foot,
and treated him most despitefully and
impiously. Then they despoiled the
temple walls of their ornaments of beaten
gold, and all that was Of value, whether
bronze or tapestry or implements of
holy import, they appropriated or
wantOnly destroyed.
Whatever was lacking in the covet-
business of their own base natures was
readily supplied by their religious
bigotry, and thew left undone no sacTi.
lege which their ingenuity could prompt.
As final indignity the migrate sailor-
he who owed his worthless existence to
the roof which he desecrated-seized the
brand from the altar fire and cast it into
the midst of the general ruin. Then
the wretches hurried away from the
scene, taking with them their ill-gotten
plunder and the priest, their prisoner.
Ere they had reached their boat the
heavens were lighted with the lurid
flames of the temple, and the cries of the
frightened people Of the village.
awakened from their slumbers 10 behold
the destruction Of their sacred edifice.
were borne upon tie air. The boats
crew hastencd on board their vessel.
which quickly weighed anchor and set
all sails to flee down the Gulf. Whether
for good or whether for iii, her sails were
never furled or her anchor dropped
again. The legends say that, standing
on the deck Of the vessel in the midst
Of his captors, the aged priest called
down the vengeance of his unknown
God upon them. He cursed the vessel
and the crew, with the wealth they had
stolen. He cursed the waters upon
which they had come and were then de-
parting. He cursed the despoilers Of
the temple living and dying, and the
burden Of his imprecation was that they
might find no rest for all time. Then II
was that the earth opened wide beneath
| the estuary and swallowed it's waters at
a single gulp. But the ship held her
| way, riding upon the air, doomed to a
/ neyer-entling cruise. And this is the
| ship which travellers Of the desert now
see with feelings Of awe and wonder.
/ r--------------
A NEGRO minister who married rather