The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1893-03-03
CHAPTER III.
mn FESTIVAL AND the SACRIFICE.

I>0H'--'
she faced her IoUer 4Ott7I q confident ton
der smile upon her face.
The smoke was rising and blowing
away in the fresh morning wind from
hundreds Of round apertures in the roofs
as the people of Atzlan prepared their
morning meal hurriedly, for they were
anxious 10 be out and preparing for the
greatest Of their religious festivals. One
by one they emerged ard clambered
quickly down the tall ladders until hun
dreds Of them were gathered about in
groups or bussly arranging for the esre-
monies OF the day, gathering fruits and
flowers, maize cakes and pinon nuts for
the minor sacrifices, and decorating the
interior and front of the court and tenn
pie. To each of the four great phratries
- divisions Of the inhabitants, according
to kinship, was assigned particular du-
ties connected with the festival.
While some were engaged in building
and decorating bowers others prepared
food in great quantities, while others ar
ranged for the games and dances which
followed the sacrifices. Others were
driving the animals devoted to sacrifice
into an inclosed field.
Gathered in front of the temple stood
. number of priests waiting to form in
the sacred procession and chatting mer-
rily, with frequent jests, among them
selves. Their white dresses formed a
contrast with the brilliant coloring Of
the costumes of the people, and the red
sans embroidered upon their breasts,
the emblem of their holy calling, showed
forth the more conspicuously.
Multitudes of little, stunted, wolfsh
dogs ran in and out between the peoples
legs, attesting by frequent bowls a
plentitude of well aimed kicks. The
houses emptied forth into the square
every inmate, foFSevery living soul IN
the city who was able to move or to be
moved was obliged to be present at the
sacrifce-and few were loath to witness
the spectacle. Its bloody delights were
eagerly awaited and long remembered.
Children were there to be held up to see
the rare sight and to have it impressed
apon their memories by many a re-
minder in future years, and old women,
Wagging their heads, told of many q
past scene of splendid slaughter, when
were killed not one but dozen beauti-
full virgins to appease Kinchahan's
wrath in times of famine.
Kulcan stood upon the temple roof
gazing down upon the scene. The aged
hlape1, weary with his vigil, was slum-
bering in the warm sunlight, his withered
hand resting on the edge of the altar,
whose fire seemed dying slowly out. The
young priest was not clad in his sacred
robes. but wore long yellow tunic, en-
circled at the waist by a belt made of
turquoise squares set in gold and fas-
tened by q looped serpent. On his head
he wore feather cap, surmounted by
an eagles plume-the totem of his fam
lily. His legs were naked, revealing a
shapely, muscular development, and his
feet were clad in leather shoes or bus
kins, with heavy meats leather soles.
They were fastened with gold loops over
buttons of the same metal. Around his
left wrist was coiled heavy bracelet,
modelled like serpent with raised head
tho rattlesnake of the plains and can
yons-a sacred, mysterious emblem of
their religion.
He was tall and well built, and his
face was Drowned by exposure to the
burning suns of twenty-six summers.
But the narrow opening in his tunio
.
With eyes of deep blue and hair of
taWny yellow he resembled as he stood
there, his lip curled into contemptuous
Gneer, gazing fxedly at the group Of
priests below, a viking chieftain, a man
Of the land of cold and snow instead of
tie hot arid desert. But his mouth and
chin showed elements of weakness and
vacillAtion, and the blue eyes held an
indecision and wavering in their depths
that betrayed his character.
he had already acquiesced in the old
priests decision and realized the use
lessness of opposition. In him there was
none OF the stuff of the hero who would
die defending the woman he loved, nor
dared he kill himself with the knife that
slew her. No, he would wait-perhaps
some miracle might occur. What if TX
lapel were wrong after all, and Quetzal-
ccatl should appear And, too, it was a
question not only of self preservation,
but Of his religion, of his priestly order
and their fat hvings and cherished privi-
leges. Though he loved Aimee with all
his heaE$, yet he questioned, What was
one mans love to be set against the in
terests of whole -despise
them though he did one and all from the
bottom Of hearth
Then his thoughts turned in bitter
hatred against them, and he felt that he
could do no better than to shatter the
whole system Of lying and deceit, pre-
tense and jugglery. But he was not
sure, even were he to die, that such
would be the result. In the turmoil OF
hia thoughts, Tor he was used to little
thinking, having heretofore allowed TX
lHpel to perform that duty for him, he
G1aaly resolved to let affairs take their
soarse, weakly hoping against hope that
nmsking would intervene. Skeptical
"a laNzs e. 70 his rekgien. he had