Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-08-01

Struck open the poor 10fctcG'S DTedSt G't1
made the ancient Offering to the sun.
selves, remaining on their knees till tho
Offering had been thrown into the golden
ccnser before tho statue of the god HUT
EEL Thereon the horrible priests, casting
themselves on the body, carried 1t with
shouts to the edge Of the pyramid, or teo-
CALI, and rolled it down the steep sides.
At the foot of the slope it was lifted and
borne away by certain men who were wait
ing, for what purpose I did not know at
that time.
Scarcely was the first victim dead when
the second was seized and treated in like
fashion, the multitude prostrating them
selves as before And then last Of all
came my turn. I felt myself seized and
my senses swan, nor did recover them
till found myself lying on the accursed
stone, the priests dragging at my limbs
and head my breast strained upward till
the skin was stretched as tightas shat OF
drum, while over me stood the human
devil In his red mantle, the glass knife In
his hand. Never shall forget his wicked
face, maddened with the lust for blood, or
the glare in his eyes as he tossed back his
matted locks. But he did not strike at
once; he gloated over me, pricking me with
the point Of his knife. 1t seemed to mo
that I lay there for years while the paba
aimed and pointed with the knife, but ut
last, through mist that gathered before
my eyes, I saw it flash upward. Then,
when thought that my hour had come,
hand caught his arm in nidair and held
it, and heard voice whispering.
What was said did not please the priest,
for suddenly he howled aloud and made
dash toward me to kill me, but again his
arm was caught before the knife fell Then
he withdrew into the temple Of the god
Quetzal, and for long while lay upon
the stone suffering the agonies Of hun
dred deaths, for believed that it was do.
termined to torture me before died, and
that my slaughter had been staid for this
purpose.
At length heard footsteps and shut my
eyes, for I could bear the sight Of that
dreadful knife no longer. But, behold! no
knife fell. Suddenly my hands were
loosed, and I was lifted to my feet, on
which never hoped to stand again. Then
I was borne to the edge Of the teocalli, for
could not walk, and there my would be
murderer, the priest, having frst shouted
some words to the spectators below that
caused them to murmur like q forest when
the wind stirs 1t, clasped me In his blood
stained arms and kissed me on the fore
head. Now it was for the first time that
noticed my captor, the cazique standing
at my side, grave, courteous and smiling.
AS he had smiled when he handed me to
the pabas, 80 he smiled when he took me
back from them. Then, having been
cleansed and clothed, was led to the
sanctuary of the god Quetzal and stood
face to facc with the hideous image there,
staring at the golden censer that was to
have received my heart while the priests
uttered prayers. Thence I was supported
down the winding road Of the pyramid
till I came to It's foot, where my captor,
the cazique, took me by the hand and led
me through the people who, it seemed,
now regarded me with some strange ven
Grafton. The first person that saw when
we reached the house was Marina, who
looked ut me and murmured somo soft
words that could not understand. Then
was suffered to 60 to my chamber, and
there passed the rest of the day Frustrated
by all that I had undergone Truly I had
como to land of devilsl
And now will tell how it was that
came to be saved from the knife. Marina,
having taken some liking to me, pitied my
sad fate, and being very quick witted she
found way to rescue me, for when l
had been led off to sacrifice she spoke to
the cazique her lord bringing it to his
mind that by common report Montezuma,
the emperor of Anahuac, was disturbed rs
to the Teules, or Spaniards, and desired
much to see one Now, sho said, I was
evidently Teule and Montczuma would
be angercd indeed II were sacrificed In
faroff town instead of being sent to him
to sacrifice if he saw flt To this the CO.
zique answered thnt the words were wise,
but that she should have spoken them be-
fore, for now the priests had got hold OF
me, and 1t was hopeless to save INC from
their grip.
''Nay," answered Marina There is this
to be said. Quetzal, the god to whom
this Tcule is to be offered, was white
man. Quetzal, or more properly Quetcal-
ooatl, was the divinity who is fablcd to
have taught the natives of Anahuac all
tho useful arts, including those OF govern.
ment and policy. He was white skinned
and dark haired. Finally he sailed from
the shores of Anahuac for the fabulous
country Of Tlapallan in bark Of scrpents'
skins. But before he sailed he promised
that he would return again with a numcr-
Gus progeny. This promise was rcmcn-
bored by tho Aztccs, and it was large
ly on account of it that the Spaniards
were enabled to conquer the country, for
they were supposed to be his descendants
Perhaps Quctzalcoat was Norseman!
Vide sagas Of Eric tho Red and Of Thor
finn Karlscfne. And 1t may well hap
pen that this man is one of his children.
viii it please the god that his child should
be offered to himS At the least, If the
god is not angered, .Montezuma will oer-