River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-07-03
Master MOntezuma.

The Emperor Monetezuma was great
man, and historians have recorded much
about him, but of his earlier life, when
he was plain Master Montezuma, COM
partively little is known of this rising
young gentleman.
Master Montezuma commenced his
easthly career as crying baby, In the
year zone cane" which, when properly
figured down according to the Gregorian
calendar, would be about the year of our
Lord 1880.
No sooner had master Montezuma
reached the fourth day of his existence,
than the nurse, under instructions from
his anxious mamma, took off what few
clothes the poor boy had on, and repair
ing to the baptismal font in the yard,
sprinkled cold water upon his naked
breast and lips. presented his credentials
in the shape of offerings to propitiate the
gods Of war, agriculture, and SO ON, re-
peated prayer in which s'the Lord was
lmplored to wash away the sin that was
given him before the foundation of the
world, so that the child might be born
anew" and told the three little boys who
sat near by, what Master Montezuma's
name was TO be. The three little boys
left off eating their parched corn and
boiled beans, repeated the name, and
the little baby was christened.
Now, if Master Montesuma had been q
girl-which he was not-the offerings
would have been mat, a spinning ma
chine and broom, all of which would
have been buried under the r:etdte, the
stone where corn was ground. AS it was.
the offerings were implements of war,
articles of metal, pottery, ETC., and these
we're buried, as near as they could guess
at the location, where they either hoped
or feared there might some day be bat
tie with their enemies.
When Master Montezuma had eaten
and slept ard kicked and cried for six
teen days longer, his parents took him to
the priest, and to the teacher, and prom
ised that he should be instructed by these
worthy gentlemen in war, politics, re-
igion and other branches of general ed
acation. They promised that he should
be an Alfal9ui, or priest and should also
serve in the army as soldier. In that
little, wiggling baby, that seemed all fits
and mouth, it was impossible TO foresee
the future Emperor OF Mexico, whose
name has since become familiar to the
civilized world.
Young Master Montezuma worried
along pretty well, and up to six years Of
age had done nothing remarkable. Al
this age he was granted one and ore-hali
rolls at meal, and commenced doing er-
rands and picking up scattered beans and
corn in the Tanquez, which is what the
Mexicans called the market place.
The restless spirit of a military chief
tain now began to show itself in the en-
bryo warrior, aid by the time he had
reached his eighth year, discipline be-
came necessary to curb his growing IN
clinafion to despotism. He was fast be-
coming one of that class of boys who
think s'it's too bad to be good all the
time" and no doubt, life sometimes
seemed hard to him. for the hieroglyphic
pictures often show him at this period OF
his lite as shedding large tears. Whether
Master Montezuma was sorry that ne
done wrong, or whether he only feared
being pricked with the terrible thorns OF
the aloe with which children of that bar
barous era were sometimes punished, or
was CRYING because he was cold, who
shall telll II is hard, sometimes, to tell
what eight year old boys are crying for
whether they live in the United States OF
in Mexico.
Master Montezuma may have been bet
ter than most boys, and it may be that
his father was better driver than leader
for his little ones. Some fathers are In
any event, when Master Montezuma was
ten years old there came another oppor
tunity for weeping and wailing, and Mas
ter Montezuma was submitted to tht
modification of lying on the damp ground
all day while he listened to a parental
lecture; and this, too, after he was twelve
years cid
Then Master Montezsma reformed. anc
became an industrious, faithful boy.
have sometimes questioned whether III
wasn't hungry, and if he lad been bette
fed whether he would not have done bet
ter. At fourteen years ofage they gavf
him two rolls at a meal, and he was In
structed in the art of fishing with ne:
When his fitteeth year came, Maste
Montezuma found he would have plenty
to do. After this. old Mr. Montezum;
had no trouble with him. 1t is curious
the more we have to do, the less liable
we are to do something we should not
and Jet us all study on that half an hour
some day, aud see what We can make o
it.-st Nicholas.