Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-09-26
After thit we wcpt ourselves to sleep In
each others arms Otomie murmurlng


would that we were asleep and forgotten,
we and the babe together.
REST now," answered, "for death Is
very near to US. "
The morrow came, and with 1t dead
lier fray than any that had gone before,
and after it more morrows and moro
deaths, but still we lived on, for Guatemoo
gave us of his food. Then Cortes sent his
heralds demanding our surrender, and now
three-fourths of the city was ruin, and
three-fourths of its defenders were dead
The dead were heaped In the houses Ike
bees stifed in hive, and in the streets
they lay so thick that We walked upon
them.
The council was summoned, fierce men,
hagpard with hunger and with war, and
they considered tho offer Of Cortcs.
.sWhat is your word, Guatemoc?" said
their spokesman at last.
"Am I Montezuma, that you ask me! l
swore to defend this city to the last, " he
answered hoarScly, land, for my part,
will defend it. Better that we should all
die than that we should fall living into
the hands of tho Teules.
$50 say We" they replied. And thcw
went on.
At length there came day when the
Spaniards made a new attack and gained
another portion Of the city. There the
people were huddled together like sheep IN
q pen. We strovc to defend them, but our
arms were weak with famine. They fired
into us with their pieces, moving us down
like corn before sickle. Then the Tlasca-
tnrnp
hounds upon defenseless buck, and on
this day it is said that there died 10000
people, for none was spared. On the NOR
row-it was the last day of the siege-came
fresh embassy from Cortes, asking that
Guatemoc should meet him. The answer
was the same, for nothing could conquer
that noble spirit.
"Tell him, said Guatemoc, "that will
die where am, but that l will hold no
parley with him. We are helpless; let
Cortes work his pleasure on US. ;"
BY now all the city was destroyed, and
we who remained alive within its bounds
were gathered on the causeways and be-
hind the ruins of walls, men, women and
children together.
Here they attacked us again. The great
drum on tho teocalli beat for the last time,
and for the last time the wild scream Of
the Aztec warriors went up to heaven. We
fought our best. killed four men that
day with my arrows, which Otomie, who
was at my side, handed me as I shot. But
the most of us had not the strength OF
child, and what could we doS They came
among US like seamen among flock OF
seals and slaughtered us by hundreds.
They drove US into the canals and trod us
to death there till bridges were made Of
our bodies. How we escaped do not
know.
At length party Of US, among whom
was Guatemoc, with his wife, Tecuichpo,
werc driven to the shores of the lake, where
lay canoes, and into these we entered,
scarcely knowing what we did, but think
ing that we might escape for now all the
city was taken. The brigantines saw US
and sailed after US with q favoring wind
the wind always favored the foe in that
war-and, row as we would, one of them
came up with us and began to fire into US.
Then Guatemoc stood up and spoke, say.
ing:
IT am Guatemoo. Bring me to Malin-
che. But spare those Of my people who re-
main alive"
Now" said to Otomie at my side,
"my hour has ceme, for the Spaniards
will surely hang me, and 1t Is tn my mind,
wife, that should do we'll to kill myself,
30 that I may be saved from death OF
shame"
Nay, husband" she answered sadly,
las said in bygone days, while you live
there Is hope, but the dead come back no
more. Fortune may favor us yet; still. u
you think otherwise, am ready to die"
''That I will not suffer, Otomie.
"Then you must hold your hand hus-
band, for now, as always, where you go
follow"
Listen whispered. do not let 1t
be known that you arc my wife. Pass
yourself as one of tho ladies Of Tecuiohpo,
the queen, your sister. II we are scparat-
ed, and II by any chance I escape, ! will
try to make my way to the City Of Pines.
There among your own people, we may
find refuge"
$50 be it, beloved" she answered, smil-
ing sadly. But do not know how the
Otomie will receive me, who have led 60
900 Of their bravest men to dreadful
death -
Now we were on the deck of the brigan-
tine and must stop talking, and thence
after the Spaniards had quarreled over US
for awhile, we were taken ashore and led
to the top Of a house which still stood,
where Cortes had mado ready hurriedly to
receive his royal prisoner. Surrounded by
his escort, the Spanish general stood, cap
In hand, and by his side was Marina,
grown more lovely than before, whom l
now met for the first time sinceWe had
parted In Tabasco.
Our eyes met, and she started, thereby
showing that she knew me again, though
10 must have been hard for Marina to rec
ogrize her friend Teulo in the blood
stained, starving and tattered wretch who
could scarcely find strength to climb the
azotea. But at that time no words passed
between us, for all eyes were bent on the
meeting between Cortes and Guatemoc'
between the conqueror and the conquered.
Still proud and defiant, though he
seemed but q living skeleton, Guatemoo
walked straight to where the Spaniard
stood and spoke, Marina translating his
words:
II am Guatemoc, the emperor, Mailn-
che" he said. 'What man might do to
defend his people have done. Look on
tho fruits OF my labor, and he pointed to
the blackened ruins of Tenoctitlan that
stretched on every side as far as the eye
could reach. "Now I have como to this
pass, for the gods themselves havo been
against me. Deal with mo as you Will, but
at will be best that you kill me now, " aud
he touched the dagger Of Cortes with his
hand, land thus rid Inc swiftly OF the
misery of life. +"
Fear not, Guatemoc answered Cor
ties. 'You have fought like brave man,
and such honor. With me you are safe,
Tor we Spaniarfls love "a gallant foe. See,
here is food" and he pointed to table
spread with such viands as we had not
seen for many week. Eat, you and
your companions together for you must