The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1893-03-03

ton inrooted IN him, part Of his very
nature, and the prodigy Of ths night, a.
Iklspel related it, certainly signiB
something at least unusual about to
cur.
He made his decision, or allowed
rather to be made for him by the force
Of circumstances as well as habit, and
awakening the high priest they descend
ed the trapdoor behind the altar to-
gether and attired themselves IN thSir
sacred robes.
Unlike the continuous encircling
building, the temple was not without
doors or windows on the ground floor.
Its stories were set successfully one BE-
hind the other, giving the structure
| somewhat the appearance Of q pyramid,
each story having a wide terrace or
platform completely around it, and
stone steps leading TO the one above.
The second floor was reached on the
outside by graded ascent thirty feet
wide, the platform being even wider.
Within there were also ladders, az IN
the other parts Of the city.
Upon the top of the temple before the
perpetual fire stood an immense efigy
of the sun, made of solid and virgin
gold, supported by heavy braces of sill
yer, facing toward the east and reflect
ing the rays of the heavenly luminary m
blaze Of binding splendor. The small
square apartment on which it rested was
built of cedar, covered externally with
alternate plates Of gold and silver, the
walls within being coated with white
cement composed Of gypsum and nearly
approaching plaster of paris in compost
ton. As have said, the temple stood
toward the western end Of the court,
where the houses were lowest and near
the canyon walls, the distance therefrom
being about sixty feet, so that for the
greater part of the day it rested In the
cool shadow of the cliffs.
At the southwest corner, close to the
altar, now stood Iklapel, holding In his
hand his pointed tiara, like that of the
modern pope, made of the skin of huge
rattlesnake, with the head surrounding
it pointed upward. The placing of the
tiara on his head was the signal for the
great procession to begin its 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 appeased 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 maiden, chosen by lot, be-
fore the altar of Kinchahan.
The people were all within the court
with the exception of a few tardy strag-
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-the 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 a 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 Impotence as she
watched the groups of people gather.
w
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 outP'
After 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. It was
the child's grandmother, IRtzu, the oldest
woman in the city, one of the weavers of
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 glazing light
blinking her eyes and pucllering the
skin about them in conceD'tric wrinkles
in an endeavor to see the child among
the flowers, and seated herself with a
contented chuckle besj de 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 anoJbea, feast-how quickly
they come now! 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
mother asked the child, creeping closer
''M--ny, many, my child. Two l,at,,ns
have lived through, and each 1a6un is
fifty-two years m length. And the gods
were kindi 1 was not chosen for the
sacrifice, though was married late in
life, f. you must know that it's only
the maidens who are taken, a,ld none
is . mpt but the bind or lame. Even
the wise and good Leila, yoGr cousin
may be chosen when The f al dice are
thrown again, whes the feast of the
katun comes, two years hence. I 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 bebeld the same
sight until it has grown an old tale tc
me. Yet we have always made merry,
for who may mourn those who go tC
dwell with the god? Some day. they