Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1893-04-06


Bari, the wife Of Listah, idolized him
She came with her grain to the mill FREE
ouently and praised Eric's good deeds
to the men in charge until they tired Of
her garrulity.
Listah had disappeared; and secluded.
himself in order to fast, pray and be-.
come sepsu," or purified, by isolation
from mankind, bnt where he had gone.
was mystery that perplexed these two
young men. Bari used enough meal for
two, and they believed she was supply,
ing her husband with food, yet they
could not detect her taking 1t to him. It
was the custom to tempt, annoy and:
disturb any "epsun seeker in order to
test his strength, and they desired to
discover his whereabouts, but they
failed, for garrulous as she was she
could hold her tongue when she wished.
It was while they were plying her
with vexatious questioning that they.
were overheard by Gilbert, who was
surprised to find that Listah had taken
up his VOW as soon as he had laid away
his crutches, and drawing the old wom-
an aside he asked her to tell him where
her husband was hiding, promising to
keep her secret carefully. Bari looked
at him with knowing smile and re-
piled:
"Quetzal knows full well where his
servant Listah hides, waiting for the
day that is to come when he will be
needed. Why ask me, the old woman,
when he knows his servant is under his
feet, down in the dark halls beneath Us,
becoming purified and perfect? I take
food to him from your mill every night,
but he has not seen the Sun for many
days"
From this Eric readily OWNED that
old Listah had taken refuge in the un-.
derground passages that were SO gem
orally avoided by the people. Hewon-
dered if Rlapel was aware of the priests
retreat, but he came to the conclusion
that Listah had probably discovered
some opening in one of the remote pas
sages and remained near his base of,
daily supplies. He had certainly chosen;
most secluded plnce to perform his
vows, and he hoped he would be undis-
turbed. =. 4: E
have said that Eric and his assistants
were the only active workers in .Atzlan
during the long summer days. Every
hour had its duties, and his 1abors kept
him awake far into the night. He was
compiling an Atzlan dictionary. study.
ing the ancient records, making a col
lection of the fauna and, fora of, the can
yon, making sketches of the people and
their costumes, with notes npon their
habits and customs; teaching Lela :and
Eliza the English language and the art
of reading and writing during intervals
in his regular occupations Of furnace
building. mining, milling and curing
the few ills of generally healthy popn
lace. :
He wore the Atzlan costume, for his
own clothes had long ago become rags.
and he felt himself as thorough an Atz-
Ian as any man in the city, and when he
saw the autumn coma again and the
harvest feasts were held he felt all the
Joy of a native. The people were more
lively; they held games aud weird dances
every day. which interested him intense.
ly in their esoteric significance, and the
prospect was very satisfactory to him
and to Leila and Iklapel. That his COM
ing had been Of immense benefit to the.
people he could see, and he felt a swell,
ing of pride at the fact which was only
quelled by the thought Of what he could
have accomplished with better facilities.
He felt no desire to return to civilized
life; he was willing to devote several
years to the work Of converting this city
of the stone age into a modern borough
with all its improvements. 7ith iron
as his servant everything 'ae possible,
and in a few days iron wttId be- ,rth.i
coming. Then for machinery steam.
electricity! D. :
Meanwhile he had accomplish won
ders. Hundreds OF labor saving devices
benefited the city; candles, soap, glazed
pottery, spinning wheels, improved
looms, beer, yeast, pulley hoists and
many other valuable fruits Of civilization
had been introduced. While he was fin
ishing his furnace he had made molds
for casting plowshares. harrows, anvils,
CRATES, axes. hammers and other imple-
ments of cast steel. and he viewed the