The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-09-19
CHAPTER xxi.

THE BURYING OF MoNTEZUMA,S TREASURE.
Cuitlahua was crowned emperor Of the
Aztecs, in succession of his brother Mon
tezuma, while lay sick with the wound
given me by the sword of De Garcia and
also with that which had received on the
altar Of sacrifice. This hurt had found no
time to heal, and in the fierce fighting on
the night of fear it burst open and 'bled
much Indeed it gave me trouble for years,
and to this hour I feel it in the autumn
season Otomie, who nursed me tenderly,
and, SO strange is the heart Of woman, even
seemed to be consoled in her sorrow at the
loss of her father and nearest kin, because
I had escaped the slaughter and won fame,
told me Of the ceremony Of the crowning,
which was splendid enough. Indeed the
Aztecs were almost mad with rejoicing be-
cause the Teules were gone at last. They
forgot or seemed to forget the loss Of
thousands Of their bravest warriors and OF
the flower Of their rank, and as get, at any
rate, they did not look forward to the fu-
ture From house to house and street to
street ran troops of young men and maid
ems, garlanded with flowers, crying: 1.-The
Teules are gone; rejoice with us! The
Teules are fed" and woe to them who
were not merry-aye, even though their
houses were desolate with death. Also the
statues of. the gods were set up again on
the great pyramid and their temples re
built, the holy crucifx that the Spaniards
had placed there being served as the idols
Huitzel and Tezcat had been served, and
tumbled down the sides Of the teocalli, and
that after sacrifice of some Spanish prison
ers who had been offered in its presence.
It was Guatemoc himself who told me Of
this sacrilege, but not with any exulta-
ton, for had taught him something OF
our faith, and though he was too good
heather to change his creed, in secret he
believed that the God of the Christians
was true and mighty God. Moreover,
though he was obliged to countenance
them, like Otomie, Guatemoc never loved
the horrid rites of human sacrifice.
Now, when heard this tale my anger
overcame my reason, and spoke fercely,
saying
II am sworn to your cause, Guatemoc,
my brother, and 1 am married to your
blood, but tell you that from this hour
it Is an accursed cause Because Of your
blood stained idols and your priests it is
accursed That God whom you have desc
Grated and those who serve him shall
come back in power, and he shall sit
where your idols sat, and none shall stir
him forever"
Thus spoke, and my words were true,
though I did not know what put them in
to my heart, since spoke at random in
my wrath, for today Christ's church
stands upon the site Of the place Of sac1i-
fee in Mexico, sign and token of his
triumph over devils, and there it shall
stand while the world endures.
''You speak rashly, my brother" Qua
temoc answered proudly enough, though
saw him quail at the evil omen Of my
words. II say you speak rashly, and were
you overheard there are those, notwith-
standing the rank we have given you, the
honor which you have won In war and
council, and that you have passed the
stone of sacrifice, who might force you to
look again upon the faces of the beings
you blaspheme. What worse thing hes