Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-10-24
! -r5oEsG ii6on him and wondered.

thin faced, black rohed friar who smote
her upon the lips with his ivory crucltx
and cursed her for disappearing heretlc.
There before me was the man. Isabella de
Sicuenza had prayed that fate like to
her own should befall him, and 1t was
upon him now. Nor indeed, remember
ing all that had been, was minded to
avert it, even if it had been in my power
to do So r stood by and let the victim
pass, but as ho passed I spoke to him in
Spanish, saying:
s'Remember that which it may well be
you have forgotten, holy father. Remcm-
Der now the dying prayer Of Isabella de
Siguenza, whom many years ago you did
to death in Seville. F"
The man heard me- He turned livid be-
meath his bronzed skin and staggered until
thought that he would have fallen. He
stared upon me with terror in his eye to
see, as he believed, common sight enough,
that of an Indian chief rejoicing at the
death of one Of his oppressors.
ssWhat devil are you, he said hoarsely,
"sent from hell to torment me ut the last?'
Remember the dying prayer of Isabella
de Siguenza, whom you struck and
cursed, answered, mocking. 'Seek not
to know whence am, but remember this
only, now and forever. :"
For moment he stood still, needless OF
the urgings Of his tormentors Then his
courage came to him again, and he cried
with great voice: Get thee behind me,
satan. What have to fear from theer
remember that dead sinner well-may her
soul have peace-and her curse has fallen
upon me- I rejoice that it should be so,
for on the farther side Of yonder stone the
gates of heaven open to my sight Get thee
behind me, satan What have l to fear
from thee?"
Crying thus, he staggered forward, say
ing: 80 God, into thy hand I commend
my spiritr' May his soul have peace also,
for if he was cruel at least he was brave
and did not shrink beneath those torments
which he had inflicted on many Others.
Now this was q little matter, but its re-
suits were large. Had saved Father Pedro
from the hands of the pabas of the Oto-
mie it is likely enough that should not
today be writing this history here in the
valley of the Waveney. do not know If
I could have saved him. I only know that
I did not try, and that because of his death
great sorrowS came upon me- whether
was right or wrong, who can sayY Those
who Judge my story may think that in this
as in other matters was wrong. Had
they seen Isabella de Siguenza die within
her living tomb certainly they would hold
that I was right. But for good or i'll,
matters came about as have written.
And it came about also that the new
yiceroy sent from Spain was stirred to an
ger at the murder of the friar by the rebel
lious and heathen people of the Otomie
and set himself to take vengeance on the
tribe that wrought the deed.
Soon tidings reached me that great
force of Tlascalan and other Indians were
being collected to put an end to US root
and branch, and that with them marched
more than hundred Spaniards, the expe-
dition being under the command OF none
other than the Captain Bernal Diaz, that
same soldier whom had spared in the
slaughter Of the noche triste, and whose
sword to this day hung at my side.
Now we must needs prepare our defense,
for our only hope lay in boldness. Once
7 before the Spaniarls had attacked us with
thousands Of their allies and Of their num-
Der but few had lived to look again on the
camp of Cortes What had been done
could be done for second time-so said
Otomie in the pride of her unconquerable
heart But, alas. in II years things had
changed much with us. Fourteen years
ago we held sway over great district OF
mountains, whose crude clans would send
up their war. ;nrs in hundreds at our call.
Now these C!aus had broken from our yoke,
which was acknowledged by the people of
the City of Pines alone and those Of some
adjacent villages. When the Spaniards
came down on me the first time, was
able to muster an army OF 1000 soldiers
to oppose them; now, with much toll,
could collect no more than between 2,oOO
and 5000 men, and of these some slipped
away as the hour Of danger drew nigh.
Still must put bold face on my ncces-
sites and make what play might with
such forces as lay at my command, al
though in my heart I feared much for the
issue. But of my fears I said nothing to
Otomie, and if she felt any she, on her
part, buried them in her breast. In truth,
do believe her faith in me was so great
that she thought my single wit enough to
overmatch all the armies of the Spaniards.
Now at length the enemy drew near,
and I set my battle as I had done IA years
before advancing down the pass by which
alone they could approach us with o small
portion Of my force and stationing the re-
mainder in two equal companies upon
either brow Of the beetling cliffs that over
hung the road, having command to over
whelm the Spaniards with rocks, hurled
upon them from above, SO soon as should
give the signal by flying before them down
the pass Other measures took also, for
seeing that do what I would, 1t might
happen that we should be driven back
upon the city, caused its walls and gates
to be set in order and garrisoned them. AS
a last resource, too, stored the lofty sum-
init of the teocalli, which, now that sacri-
fees were no longer offered there, was used
as an arsenal for the material of war, with
water and provisions and fortified its sides
by walls studded with volcanic glass and
by other devices till it seemed well nigh
impossible that any should be able to force
them while score Of men still lived to
offer defense.
1t was on one night in the early sum-
mer, having bid farewell to Otomie and
taking my son with me, for he was now OF
an age when, according to the Indian Gus
toms, lads are brought face to face with
the dangers of battle, that I dispatched
the appointed companies to their stations
ON the brow of the precipice and sailed
into the darksomc mouth Of the pass with
the few hundred men who were left to me-
knew by my spies that the Spaniards
who were encamped on the farther sido
would attempt its passage an hour before
the daylight, trusting to finding me asleep.
And, sure enough, the following morn
ing, SO early that the first rays of the sun
had not yet stained the lofty SHOWS Of the
yolcan Xaca that lowered behind US, q
distant murmuring which echoed through
the silence of the night told me that the
enemy had begun his march. 1 moved
down the pass to meet him easily enough.
There was stone in it that was not
known to me and my men. But with the
Spaniards i. was otherwise, for many OF
them were mounted, and moreover they
dragged with them two carronades. Ilme
upon time these heavy guns remained last
in the bowlder strewn roadway. for IN the
darkness the slaves who drew them could