Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-03-16

life, for you must know that tits only
the maidens who are taken, and none
is exempt but the blind or lame Even
the wise and good Leila. your cousin,
may be chosen when the fatal dice are
thrown again, when the feast of the
katun comes, two years honoe. have
stood upon the housetop and seen com
panion of my youth given TO the gods,
and then, years after, my daughters
stood with me and beheld the same
sight until it has grown an old tale to
me. Yet we have always made merry,
for who may mourn those who go to
dwell with the god7 Some day, they
say, Quetzalcoatl, the fair god, yellow
haired like the sun, whose child he is,
will appear and claim the victim as his
bride, but we have waited in vain, my
Eliza, for many generations, and per-
haps he has forgotten us down in the
canyon. But we look for him, for when
he comes there will be no more sacri-
fees, no more famine, no more plaques"
"Oh, hope he will Gomez" said Eliza,
taking her grandmother hand.
After the sacrifice is finished" con-
tinued the old woman, 1.-THE people break
forth III songs of gladness and make
merry with shouts and feasting all that
day until the sun goes down, but the
god knows, and his servant Intzu knows,
the secret wailings and sorrow in the
houses of his people, who fear that the
next feast will take from some dwelling
the light thereof forever"
But Quetzacoatl may come today,
grandmother.
Alas, my Eliza, fear not: the hope
of it long ago faded in my breast
Il shall watch for him." said the child,
"and / believe he has been waiting for
our Aimee to grow up, and he will come
and take her."
"Perhaps,' said Intzu with heavy
sigh as the flood Of memories surged
over her mind; "hut come, they are
nearly ready
Then rising, she turned and called TO
some one within:
LEILA, my own, we must go. Ililapel
stands prepared to give the signal, and
everything is ready
IN a moment there appeared at the
door a girl whose tall figure formed
dazzling picture against the darkness of
the interior. Bending with stately grace
tne came into the light clad in cling
ing gown of pale blue cotton. which re-
realed the superb outlines of her form.
Her eyes We're II deep blue, and her
golden hair. tinged with a suggestion of
auburn. and her white face upon which
the blue veins showed in her excitement,
made her seem like vision of some
NOrSeman's daughter-a child of some
snoWland of the north. A lovely face,
with grave, serious eyes and mouth of
wondrous beauty, and yet so strong and
earnest, and withal showing capacity
for loving-a passionate Nlouth, formed
for kisses and tender smiles.
She was very pale and her lips were
compressed with emotion, and there was
a look of Indignation aud protest in her
eyes which showed to plainly her
thoughts.
Must go, grandmother? Can not
remain here? Oh, | cannot witness it,"
My child,' the old woman answered,
"itis so-you must come. No one would
be missed SO quickly as you. The city's
ruler is dead; You, his only daughter,
cannot absent yourself from the great
feast unnoticed. Already they have
seen you, my darling, and many eyes
are upon you. Chalpa now is looking
at us. and he motions us to make haste. -"
Yes, | feel his serpent eyes upon me,
though l cannot look upon him. l will
go; twill be but a little while"
She covered her hair and forehead
with white scarf, shielding her eyes
from the sun, and with visible effort ut
kelf control took the hand of the child
Eliza and followed the bent form Of the
aged weaver.
As they took their places old Iklapel
placed the tiara upon his head and the
procession began to move. First came
the body Of priests in their white robes,
hundred or more. cl ntiug d low mo-
notonous song, followed by eight chiefs
bearing litter of wood covered with
gold and decked with flowers, III which
sat Aimee, q dark skinned girl of eight
cen, already under the influence Of the
potent aitsi--a drink distilled from maize
and forming a picture that sent shud-
ders through Lela's frame.
linen came me your utaln priests,
swinging censors of gold and filing The
air with an aromatic scent. Their faces
We're painted most sllillfully to represent
skulls; their heads were shaved, and
their tightly fitting garments were like
wise made TO convey the idea of skele-
tons The effect upon the minds of tbs
people was CHASTITY and thrilling.
Behind them came the members of the
order of the Kablo, an ancient secret
society, to the number of four hundred,
clad in black, the foremost carrying a
corpse between them. Many Of them
led little spotted dogs-a favorite form
Of sacrifice to Chalcu, the serpent, the
dread god of evil.
Then came the principal families, III
the order of their rank and wealth, with
bearers Of food, drink, flowers and fruits
for sacrifice at the different affairs,
which were located at intervals all
around the great court. The populace
followed. in less order and with more or