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

W@AssA-
A man sat upon broidcrcd cushion tn
hating the fumes of the tobacco.
ed till the emperor made sign with the
gilded bowl of his pipe, when they rose to
their feet again and stood with folded
hands and eyes fixed nbjectly upon the
floor. Presently Montezuma made anoth-
er signal, and three aged men, whom 1
understood to be ambassadors, advanced
and asked some prayer Of him. Ho an
swered them with nod pf the head, and
they retreated from his presence, making
obeisance and stepping backward till they
mingled with the crowd. Then the empcr-
or spoke word to one of the counselors,
who bowed and came slowly down the
hall, lookirg to the right and to tho left.
Presently his eye fell upon Guatemoo, and
indeed he was easy to see, for he stood q
head taller than any there.
Hail, prince" he said. 1.-The royal
Montczuma desires to speak with you, and
with the Teule, your companion"
do as I do, Teule," said Guatemoc,
and led the way up the chamber till VIC
reached the place where the wooden screen
had been, which, as we passed it, was
drawn behind us, shutting us off from
the hall.
Here we stood awhile, with folded hands
and downcast eyes, till signal was made
to us to advance.
Your report, nephew" said Montezu-
mo in low voice of command.
II went to the city Of Tabasco, o glo-
rious M0ntczuma. found the Teule and
brought him thither; also I caused the
high priest to be sacrificed according to the
royal command, and now I hand back the
imperial signet," nnd he gave the ring to
o counselor.
''Why did you delay SO long upon the
road, nephewf"
Because of the chances Of the journey.
While saving my life, royal Montezuma,
the Teule, my prisoner, was bitten by q
puma It's skin is brought to you as an
Offering"
Now Montezuma looked at me for the
first time, then opened picture scroll
that one Of the counselors handed to him
and read in it, glancing at me from time
to time
1.-THE description is good, he said at
length, "in all save one thing-it does not
say that this prisoner is the handsomest
man in Anahuac. Say, Teule why have
your countrymen landed on my dominions
and slain my people"
II know nothing Of 1t, o king" an
swered as well as might, with the help
Of Guatemoc, land they are not my coun-
trymon.
1.-THE report says that you confess to hav-
ing the blood of these Teules In your veins,
and that you came to these shores, or near
them, in one of their great canoes"
"That is SO, o king, yet I aln not Of their
people, and came to the shore floating on
o barrel +"
IT hold that you lie, answered Monte
yuma, frowning, for the sharks and croc-
odiles would devour one who swan thus"
Then he added anxiously, "Say, ere you
of the descendants of Quetzali"
II do not know, o king. I am of o
white race, and our forefather was named
Adam"
"Perchance that is another name for
Quetzal," he said 1t has long been
prophesied that his children would return
and ncw it seems that the hour Of their
coming Is at hand" And he sighed heav-
lily, then added: "Go now. Tomorrow you
shall tell me of these Teules, and the coun-
oil Of the priests shall decide your fate"
Now, when I heard the names of the
priests, Srembled in all my bones and
cried, clasping my hands in supplication:
"Slay me II you will, o king, but be-
seech you deliver ME not again into the
hands of tho priests.
1--WE arc oil in the hands Of the priests,
who are the mouth Of God" he answered
ooldly. besides hold that you have Lied
to me-.
Then went, foreboding evil, and Gua-
temoc also looked downcast. Bitterly did
I curse the hour when had said that I
was of the Spanish blood and yet no Span
lard. Had l known even what knew
that day, torture would not have wrung
those words from mo. Rut now 1t was
too late.
Now Guatemoc led me to certain apart.
ments of this palace of Chapoltepec, where
his wife, the royal Princess Tecu!ohpo
was awaiting him, very lovely lndy, and
with her other ladies', among them the
Princess Otomic, Montczumas daughter,
and some mobiles. Here rich repast was
served to us, and was seated next to the
Princess OtoInie, who spoke to me most
graciously, asking me many things con-
cerning my land and tho people Of tho
Teules 1t was from her that I learned
first that the emperor was much disturbed
at heart because Of these Teulcs, or Span
iards, for he YVES supcrstitious and held
them to be the children of tho god Quct-
zal, who, according to ancient prophecy,
would come to take tho land. Indeed 80
gracious was she, and so royalty lovely,
that for the first time felt my heart stir
red by any other woman than my betroth.
ed whom I hnd left far away In England,
and whom, rs / thought, 1 should never
see again. And Us I learned In after days,
mine was not the only heart that was stir.
red that night
Near to us sat another royal lady Pa.
pantzln, tho sistor of Montczulna, but she
was neither young nor lovely, and yot
most sweet faced and sad, us though with
the prcsago of death. Indeed she died not
many weeks after, but could not rest quiet
In her grave, rs shall bc told.
When tho feast was done and we had
drunk Of the cocoon or chocolate and smok.
ell tobacco In pipes, q strange but most
soothing custom that l learned in Tnbasco,
and of which l have never been ablc to
break myself, though the weed is still
hard to come by here In England, was
led to my sleeping place, small chamber,
panclcd with cedar boards. For awhile
could not sleep, for was overcome by the
memory of all tho strange sights that
had seen in this wonderful now land,
which was so civilized and yet 30 barba-
rouS.
Then my thoughts flow to tho vision of
that most lovely maid, tho Princess Oto-
mic, who, us believed, had looked on me
so kindly, and / found that vision sweet
for l WIS young, md tho English Lily, my
own love, WIS far away and lost to ne for
ever Was it then wonderful that should
find this Indian poDDy fairS Indeed where