Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-08-22

as it were, and lived as they had never lived
before. All day long the cries Of victims
came from q hundred temple tops, and all
night the sounds Of revelry were heard
anuopg the streets. "Let US cat and
drink, they said, "for the gods Of the sea
are upon us, and tomorrow we die" Now
women who had been held virtuous proved
themselves wantons, and men whose
names were honest showed themselves
knaves, and none cried fie upon them. Aye,
even children. were seen drunken in the
streets, which is an determination among
the AZtecs-
The emperor had moved. his household
from. Chapoltepeo to the palace In the
great square facing the temple, and this
palace was q town in itself, for every night
moro than i, 900 human beings slept be-
meath it's roof, not to speak of the dwarfs
and monsters and tho hundreds of wild
birds and beasts in cages Here every day
I feasted with whom I would, and when
was weary of feasting it was my custom to
sally out into the streets playing Oh the
Lutte for by now had in some degree mas
tered that hateful instrument, dressed In
shining apparel and attended by crowd
Of mobiles and royal pages. Then the mobiles
would rush from the houses shouting and
doing me reverence, the children pelted me
with flowers, and the maidens danced before
me, kissing my hands and feet, till at
length. was attended by mob l,OOC
strong. And also danced nnd shouEed
like any village fool, for I think that a
kind OF mad humor, or perhaps 1t was the
drunkenness Of worship, entered into me
in those days; also sought to forget my
griefs; desired to forget that was doomed
to the sacrifice. and that every day brought
me nearer to the rcd knife Of the priest.
In those days, had it not been for tho
tender kindness Of Otomic I think that
my heart would have broken or should
have slain myself But this great and
beauteous lady ws5 ever at hand to cheer
Inc in thousand ways, and now and
again she would let fall some vague words
of hope that set my pulses bounding.
talked much with Otomic, instructing her
in tho matters Of my faith and many 9TH
or things, as I had done By Marina, who,
we now heard, was the mistress and inter
prefer of Cortes, the Spanish leader She,
for her part, listened gravely, watching
me the while with her tender eyes, but no
more, for Of oil women Otomie was the
most modest, rs she was the proudest and
most beautiful. So matters went on un-
til the Spaniards had left Cbolula Oh their
road to Mexico It then that I chanced
one morning to be sitting il the gardens,
my lutte in hand and having my attend
ant mobiles and tutors gathered ut re-
f.,l lt..ta hn1, 5,,I
where I sat could sec the entrance to the
court in which the emperor met his coun'
Gil daily, and noted that when the princes
had gone the priests began to come, ard
after them number of very lovely girls,
attended by women of middle age Pres
entity GuateInoc the prince who now
smiled but rarely, came up to me smiling
and asked mc if I knew what was doing
yondcr. I replied that ! knew nothing
and cared less, but supposed that Monte
yuma was gathering peculiar treasure to
send to his masters, the Spaniards. BE
ware how you speak, Teulc, " answered
the prince haughtily. Your words may
be true, and yet, did not love you, you
should rue them even though you hold the
spirit Of Tezcat. Alas, he added, stamp
ing on the ground, ''alas that my uncle's
madness should make it possible that such
words can be spokenl Oh, were the en-.
peror Of Anahuac, in single week the
head Of every Teule in Cholula should
deck pinnacle Of yonder templel"
Beware how you speak, prince" an
swered, mocking him, for there. ore those
who, did they hear, might cause you to rue
Call opo dow up11 ,,onu he
emperor, and then we shall sec how. you
will deal with the Teules-at least Others
will see, though shall not. But what /:
it now? Docs Montezuma choose new
wives9"
"He chooses wives, but not for himself.
You know, Teule that your time grows
short. Montezuma and the priests nnme
those who must be given to you to wife"
'Given me to wife" said, starting to
my feet ITO me whose bride is death!
What have to do with love or marriage
I who in some few short weeks must grace
an altarP All, Guatemoc, you say you love
me, and once I saved you. Did you love
me, surely you would save me now as you
swore to do"
IT swore that would give my life fol-
yours, Teule, if it lay in my power, and
that oath would keep, for all do not set
so high storo on life as you, my friend.
But 1 cannot help you. You are dedicated
to the gods, and did die hundred times
it would not save you from your fate.
Nothing can save you except the hand OF
heaven If it wills Therefore, Teule, make
merry while you may and die bravely
when you must. Your case Is no worse
than mine and that Of many Others, fol
death awaits us all Farewell"
When he had gone, rose, and leaving
tho gardens l passed into the chamber
where 1t was my custom to give audience
to those who wished to look upon the god
Tezcat, as they called me- Here 1sat upoE
my golden couch, inhaling the fumes oi
tobacco and as it chanced was alone, fol
hone dared to enter that room unless
gave them leave. Presently the chief o.
my pages announced that one would speas
with me, and I bent my head, signtfytne
that the person should enter, for l was
weary Of my thoughts. The page with
drew, and presently veiled woman stood
before me. I looked at her wondering
and bade her draw her veil and speak
She obeyed, and I saw that my visitor was
tho Princess Otonie. Now rose amazed
for it as not usual that she should visit me
thus alone. 1 Iguesscd, therefore, that she
had tidings or was following some custom
of which was ignorant.
II pray you bo seated" she said con.
fusedly. TT Is not fitting that you should
stand before me" why not, princessP
Ianswered. IF I had no respect for rank,
surely beauty must claim it. "a truce
to words, 4" she replied, with wave Of hel
slim hand Il come here, D Tezcat, &c.
cording to the ancient custom, because
am charged with u message to you. Those
whom you shall wed arc chosen. ! am
tho bearer of their Names" Speak on,
princess Of the Otomic They arc
and she named three ladies whom I knew
to bo among tho lovclicst in the land. Il
thought that there were four" I said,
with o bitter laugh. Am l to be de-
frauded of the fourth?" There Is a
fourth" she answered and was silent.
Give mo her name" cried ''One has
been found, o TcZcat, who has borne 9TH
or titles than this you give her." Now
I looked ct her qucstioningly, and she
oc<,,i,, IN low II 0to,,,In