Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-08-15

riment in his eye, mingled with sorrow.
Bending forward, I spoke to him IN
whisper:
"What does all this mean, princer' l
said. Gam I befooled, or am I indeed
god?"
"Hush!' he answered, bowling low and
speaking beneath his breath. 1t means
both good and i'll for you, my friend Teule.
Another time I will tell you. Then he
added aloud: "Does it please you, Tez-
cat, god of gods, that we should sit at
meat with you, or will you eat alone?"
1.-THE gods like good company, prince"
I said.
Now, during this talk I had discovered
that among those gathered in the hall was
the Princess Otomie. So when we passed
to the low table around which we were to
sit on cushions I hung back, watching
where she would place herself, and then
at once seated myself beside her. This
caused some little confusion among the
company, for the place of honor had been
prepared for me at the head Of the table,
the seat of Guatemoc being to my right
and that Of his wife, the royal Tecuichpo,
to my left.
Your seat is yonder, o Tezcat," she
said, blushing beneath her olive skin as
she spoke.
surely god may sit where he chooses,
royal Otomie," answered. Besides l
added in q low voice, what better place
can he find than by the side of the most
lovely goddess on the earthS"
Again she blushed and answered; Alas,
r I,,,t al m
Listen. IF you desire that should be your
companion at our feasts, you must issue
1t as q command. None will dare to DISC
bey you, not even Montezuma, my father." "
So rose and said in very halting Aztec
to the mobiles who waited on me, 1T Is
my will that my place shall always be set
by the side of the Princess Otomie.
At these words Otomie blushed even
more, and a murmur went round among
the guests, while Guatemoc first looked
angry and then laughed. But the mobiles,
my attendants, bowed, and their spokes-
man answered:
1.-THE words of Tescat shall be obcycd.
Let the seat of Otomie, the royal princess,
the favored of Tezcat be placed by tho side
Of the god.
Afterward this was always done, except
when I ate with Montezuma himself.
Moreover, the Princess Otomie became
known throughout the city as 1.-The blessed
princess, the favored Of Tezcat," for so
strong hold had custom and superstition
upon this people that they thought it the
greatest of honors to her, who was among
the first ladies in the land, that he who for
q little space was supposed to hold the
spirit of the soul of the world should deign
to desire her companionship when no ate
Now the feast went on, and presently l
made shift to ask Otomie what all this
might mean.
"Alas!' she whispered, you do not
know, nor dare tell you now. But Twill
say this, though you who arc q god may
sit where you will today an hour shall
come when you must lie where you would
not. Listen When we have finished eat
ing, say that it is your wish to walk in the
gardens o4 the palace and that should
accompany you. Then may find chance
to speak"
Accordingly, when the feast was over, I
said that desired to walk in the gardens
with the Princess Otomie, and we went
out and wandered under the solemn trees
that are draped in winding sheet Of gray
moss, which, hanging from every bough
as though the forest had been decked with
the white boards Of an army Of aged men,
waved and rustled sadly in the keen night
air. But, alas! we might not be alone, for
after US at distance Of 20 PAGES followed
all my crowd of attendant mobiles, together
with fair dancing girls and minstrels, arm
ed with their aocursed flutes, on which they
blew in season and out Of it, dancing as
they blew In vair Id command them
to be silent, telling them that it was writ
ten of old that there is time to play and
dance and time to cease from dancing,
for in this alone they would not obey me.
Never could be at peace because Of them
then or thereafter, and not till now did I
learn how great treasure Is solitude.
Still we were allowed to walk together
under the trees, and though the clamor OF
music pursued us wherever we went, We
were soon deep In talk. Then it was that
I learned how dreadful was the fate which
oyershadowed me.
know, o Teule," said Otomie, for she
would call me by the old name when there
was none to hear, "this Is the custom OF
our land-that every year young captive
should be chosen to be the earthly image
Of the god Tezcat, who created the world
Only two things are necessary to this cap
tive-namely, that his blood should be no.
BILE and that his person should be beauti-
full and without flaw or blemish. The day
that you came hither, Teule, CHANGED to
be the day Of choosing a new captive to
personate the god, and you have been
chosen because you are both noble and
more beautiful than any man in Anahuao,
and also because, being of the people OF the
Teules, the children Of Quetzal, Of whom
30 many rumors have reached us, and
whose coming my father, Montezutna,
breads moro than anything in the world,
1t was thought by the priests that you may
avert their anger from us and the anger OF
the gods.
Now Oto-nie paused as one who has
something to say that she can scarcely find
words to fit, but remembering only
had been said, swelled inwardly with the
sense Of my own greatness and because
this lovely princess had declared that I
was the most beautiful man In Anahuac,
!, who, though was we'll looking enough,
had never before been called beautiful"
by man, woman or child. But In this
case as in many another, pride went be-
fore fall.
"It must be spoken, Teule," Otomie
continued ALAS, that it should be
who am fated to tell you. For year
you will rule as god in this city Of Te-
noctitlan, and except for certain ceremonies
that you must undergo and certain arts
which you must learn none will trouble
YOU Your slightest wish will be law,
and when you smile on any it shall be an
omen of good to them, and they will bless
you. Even my father, Montezuma, will
treat you with reverence as an equal or
more. Every delight shall be yours except
that of marriage, and this will be with
held till the twelfth month Of the year.
Then the four most beautiful maidens in
the land will be given to you as brides"
"And who will choose them" asked.
NAY, know not, Teule, who do not
meddle in such mysteries, she answered
hurriedly Sometimes the god is judge,
and sometimes the priests judge for him.
1t is as it may chance. Listen now to the