Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-10-17
and white bafKed md VIII increase more
in bulk in 90 years than any oak my in

and white barKed md VIII increase moro
in bulk in 90 years than any oak m,y in
100.
Indeed I never yet saw an oak tree 30
largo as this ceiba of which write, either
in girth or in It's spread of top, unless 1t be
the Kirby oak or the tree that Is called tho
King of Scoto, which grows at Broome,
that is the next parish to this of Ditching-
ham, in Norfolk On this ceiba tree many
zaphilotes or vulturcs were perched, and as
we crept toward it sow what 1t was they
came to seek, for from the lowest branches
Of the ceiba three corpses swung in the
breeze. Hero are the Spaniards' foot
prints" said. "Let us look at them"
and we passed beneath the shadow Of the
tree.
As came, zaphiloto alighted on the
head of the body that hung nearest to me,
and its weight or the waiting Of the
fowls wing caused the dead man to turn
round so that he came face to face with
me. T looked, started back, then looked
again and sank to the earth groaning, for
here was he whom had come to seek and
save, my brother, Guatemoc, the last en-
peror of Anahuac. Here he hung in the
dim and desolate forest, dead by the death
Of a thief, while the vulture shrieked upon
his head. I sat bewildered and horror
stricken, and as I sat remembered the
proud sign of Aztec royalty, q bird Of prey
clasping an adder In It's claw. There be-
fore me was the last of the stock, and, be-
hold, bird of prey gripped his hair in its
talons, a fitting emblem indeed Of the fall
of Anahuac and the kings Of Anahuco!
T sprang to my feet, with an netr, and
lifting the bow I held I sent an arrow
through the vulture, and 1t fell to the earth
futtering and screaming. Then bade
those with me to cut down the corpses OF
Guatemoc and of the prince Of Tscuba and
another noble who hung with him and
hollow o deep grave beneath the tree.
There T laid them, and there left them
to sleep forever in its melancholy shadow,
and thus for the last time saw Guatemoo,
my brother whom came far to save and
found ready for burial by the Spaniard.
Then turned my face homeward, for
now Anahuac had no king to rescue, but
1t chanced that before went caught
Tlascalan who could speak Spanish, and
who had deserted from the army Of Cortes
because of tho hardships that he suffered
in their toilsome march. This man was
present at tho murder Of Guntemoo and
his companions and heard the emperor's
last words. It seems that some knaye
had betrayed to Cortes that On attempt
would be made to rescue the prince, and
that thereon Cortes commanded that he
should be hung. 1t seems also that Guate-
moe met his death as he had mot the mis-
fortunes of his nfo-proudly and without
fear These wore his last words: II did
i'll, Malinche, when held my hand from
taking my own life before I surrendered
myself TO you. Then my heart told mo
that all your promises were false, and 1t
has not lied to mo. welcome my death.
for have lived to know shame and dcfeat
and torture and to see my people the slaves
of the Toulc, but still soy that God win
reward you for this decd "
Then they murdered him IN tho midstof
a great silence.
And so farewell to Guatcmoc, the most
brave, tho best and the noblest Indian that
ever breathed and mny the shadow OF his
tormcntings and shameful end lie deep mp
on tho fame of Cortes for 80 long az the
names of both of them are remembered
among mcnl
For two moro months iourneyed home
ward, and at length reached tho City OF
Pines we'll, though wcaried, and having
lost only 40 mon by various misadvonturcs,
to find Otomie in good health and over
joyed to know mo safe whom she thought
never to sec again. But when I told her
what " Us the end Of her cousin Guatemoo
she grievcd bitterly, both for his sake and
because the last hope of the Aztecs was
gone and she would not be comforted for
many days.