The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-09-05

the steep sides Of the roadway, proposing
to cast them over Sometimes they Sue
ceeded, and ball Of men clinging together
would roll down the slope and be dashed
to pieces on the stone flooring Of the court
yard, Spaniard being in the center Of the
ball But do what they would, like some
vast and writhing snake, still the long ar
ray Of Teules, clad in their glittering mail,
plowed it's way upward through the storm
of spears and arrows. Minute by minute
and step by step they crept on, fighting as
men fight who know the fate that awaits
the decorators of the gods of Anahuac,
fighting for life and honor and safety from
the stone Of sacrifice
Thus an hour went by, and the Span
iards were half way up the pyramid
Louder and louder grew the fearful sounds
of battle, the Spaniards cheered and called
on their patron saints to aid them, the
Aztecs yelled like wild beasts, the priests
screamed tnvocations to their gods and
while above all rose the rattle Of the
arquebuses, the roar Of the cannon and
the fearful note Of the great drum Of
snakes skin, on which half naked priest
beat madly. Only the multitudes below
nevez moved nor shouted. They stood
silent, gazing upward, and could see the
sunlight flash on the thousands Of their
staring eyes.
Now, all this while I was standing near
the stone of sacrifice, with Otomie at my
side. Round me we're q ring OF priests,
and over the stone was fixed a square of
black cloth supported upon four poles,
which were set In sockets In the pave
ment. In the center Of this black cloth
was sewed golden funnel, measuring 6
inches or 80 across at its mouth, and the
sunbeams passing through this funnel fell
in a bright patch the size of an apple upon
the space Of pavement that was shaded by
the cloth. As the sun moved in the heav-
ems, SO did this ring Of light creep across
the shadow till at length it climbed the
stone sacrifice and lay upon its edge.
Then, at sign from the head priest,
his ministers laid hold Of me and plucked
what was left of my fine clothes from me
as cruel boys pluck a living bird till 1
stood naked except for the paint upon my
body and cloth about my loins Now
knew that my hour had come, and,
strange to tell, for the first time this Gay
courage entered into me, and rejoiced to
think that soon should have done with
my tormeneors. Turning to Otomie, I be
gan to bid her farewell in clear voice,
when to my amaze saw that. as I had
been served so she was being served, for
her splendid robes were being torn of her,
and she stood before me arrayed in moth;
ing except her beauty, her flowing hair;
and broidered smock.
'.Do not wonder, Teule, " she said in a
low voice, answering the question my
tongue refused to frame. lam your wife, .
and yonder is our marriage bed, the first
and last. Though you do not love me- :
today die your death and at your side,
as have the right to do. could not:
save you, Teule. but at least can die
with you. -
At the moment made no answer, for
was stricken silent by my wonder, and be-
fore Iscould find my tongue the priests had
cast me down, and for the second time
Law upon the stone of doom. AS they held
me yell fercer and longer than any which
had gone before told that the Spaniards
had got foot upon the l:-st stair Of the as
cent Scarcely had my. body been set upon
the center of the great stone when that OF
Otomie was laid beside it, so close that
our sides touched, for Imust he in the
middle of the stone, and there was no great
place for her Then, the moment OF sacri-
fee not being come, the priests made us
fast with cords which they knotted to cop
per rings in the pavement and turned to
watch the progress of the fray.
For some minutes we lay thus side by
side, and as we lay great wonder and
gratitude grew in my heart, wonder that
q woman could be SO brave, gratitude for
the love she gave me, sealing it with her
lifeblood, because Otomie loved me so
well that she desired to die thus at my side
rather than to live on In greatness and
honor without me. OF sudden, In mo.