Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-04-14

rattleSnakc, with the head surinouuting
hlriAted upward. The placing Of the
tiara on his head WAS the si-..!a for the
great procession to begir It's march.
He had resigned all other duties to
the Young and vigorous kulcan. who
was already below, busted in arranging
the last details of the festival. In the
complicated mythology of the Atzlans
there were minor gods to be appeasel by
lesser sacrifices, and these were to be
performed in the regular order of the
day, leading up to the monday rite-the
sacrifice of ma IN, chosen by lot, be-
fore the altar of k,nchahan.
The people Were all within the court
with the exception of few tarly stray
glers bearing bundles Of fagots from the
pinon orchards outside the city; even
these were hurrying in order to obtain
places in the procession The uproar
was immense-each citizen seemed wy
ing with the other as though to drown
thought and anxiety-thc pressure Of
feeling bringing feverish hilarity to
the surface in a naturally grave and
serious people.
Opposite the temple, at an open door,
whose wooden Intel was scarce three
feet from its threshold, which was
rounded and followed by centuries Of
constant footwear, sat little child al
most hidden in the mass of jasmine
like flowers that grew closely about the
| narrow portal. Her beadlike black eyes
glittered with eager impatience As she
watched the groups of people gather.
! While she wove the delicate blossoms
into garland to deck her black hair
for she was to walk with other children
in the procession-she ever cast her eyes
into the dark recesses of the room and
murmured petulantly, calling now and
then:
"Oh, grandmother, hurry! Eliza is
waiting. shall be left outr'
After a time slow and feeble footsteps
were heard within, and an old woman
appeared-an old woman bearing the
weight Of years so heavily that she
scarce needed to bend an inch in emery
ing through the little opening. 1t was
the child's grandmother. Intzu, the oldest
|
the cloth of which the sacred white robes
were made-a duty which devolved upon
the most aged and most skilled Of the
women. Her face was shriveled like an
old dried apple, so full of wrinkles that
not an eighth of an inch of skin was left
increased, yet her teeth were as white
and regular as her grandchild's and her
eyes as bright and piercing.
She came out into the glaring light
blinking her eyes and pickering the
skin about them in concentric wrinkles
in an endeavor to see the child among
the flowers, and seated herself with
contented chuckle beside her on the sill.
"Ah-the sun is good. He warns old
Intzu's bones. though not as fondly as
he was wont to do in the old days. And
today is another feast-how quickly
they come nowi Times are changed.
Formerly they were far apart. and we
waited long for the sacrifice. Now they
tread each others hurrying heels"
"How many have you seen. grand
mother9" asked the child, creeping closer.
"Many, many, my child! Two katuns
have lived through, and each katun is
6fty-two years in length. And the gods
were kind! was not chosen for the
sacrifice, though l was married late in
life, for you must know that it's 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 arc
thrown again, when the feast of the
katun comes, two years hence. 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 20 to
dwell with the god3 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
be comes there will be DO more saexi-
Gees, NO more famine, nomore plaques"
"Oh, l hope he will conner said En-,
taking her grandmother's hand.
AFTER the sacrifice is finished" con-
tinued the old woman, "the people break
forth in songs Of gladness and mako
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 tho
next feast will take from some dwelling
the light thereof forever"
"But Quetzalcoau may come today,
grandmother"
"Alas. my Eltza, I fear not; the hope
Of it long ago faded in my breast"
II shall watch for him, 4" said the child,
land believe he has been waiting inr
our Aimee to grow up, and be will como
and take her."
Perhaps" said Intzu with heavy
sigh as the food Of memories srxed
over her mind: but come, they are
nearly ready"
Then rising, she turned and called to
some one within:
"Lela, my own, we must 60. Iklapel
stands prepared to give the signal, and
everything is ready"
In a moment there appeared at the
door a girl whose tall figure formed q
dazzling picture against the darkness Of
the interior. Bending with stately grace
she came into the light clad in . cling
ing gown of pale blue cotton, which re-
vealed the superb outlines of her FORM
Her eyes were 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 a 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 80 strong and
earnest, and withal showing capacity
for loving-a passionate mouth, formed
for kisses and tender smiles.
She was very pale and her lips were
compressed with emotion, and there was
a look Of Indignation and protest in her
eyes which showed to plainly her
thoughtA
"Must 90, grandmother? Can l not
remain here? Oh, cannot witness itI-
my child" the old woman answered,
sit is 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