The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-08-22

TeZcat your heart should smoke COmOrrOW
on the altar Of Huitzel Be warned and;
give me no more false counsels, lest your
end prove swifter than you think. Learn
that have asked these questions Of you
to purpose, and by the command Of the
gods, as it was written on the hearts Of
those sacrificed this day. This was the
purpose and this was the command that
might discover your secret mind, and that
should shun whatever advice you CHANGED
to give. Yf1 counsel me to fight the
Teules; therefore I will not fight them,
but meet them with gifts and fair words,
for know well that you would have me
to do that which would bring me to my
DOOM
Thus he spoke very fercely and In low
voice., his head held low and his arms
crossed upon his breast, and saw that he
shook with passion. Even then, though
was very much afraid, for god as I was a
nod from this mighty king would have
sent me to death by torment. WONDERED
at the folly Of one who in everything else
was so wise. Why should he doubt me
thus and allow superstition to drag him
down to ruin? Today I see the answer.
Montezuma Id not these things himself,
but because the hand of destiny worked
with his hand and the voice Of destiny
spoke in his voice. The gods Of the Aztecs
were false gods indeed, but for one be
lieve that they had life and intelligence,
for those hideous shapes Of stone were the
habitations Of devils, and the priests spoke
truth when they said that the sacrifice OF
men was pleasing to their gods.
To these devils the king went for coun-
sci through the priests, and now this doom
| was on them, that they must give false
| counsel to their own destruction, and to-
the destruction of those who worshiped
them, as was decreed by one more power
ful than they.
Now, while we were talking the sun had
sunk swiftly, so that all the world was;
dark. But the light still fingered on the,
snowy crests of the volcanoes Popo and
Ixtac, staining them an awful red. Never:
before to my sight had the shape OF the;
dead woman whose everlasting bier is,
Ixtac's bulk seemed so clear and wonder
full as on that night, for either it was so.
or my fancy gave it the very shape and
color of a woman's eorse stepped in blood
and laid out for burial Nor was it my
| phantasy alone, for when Montezuma had
finished upbraiding me he chanoed to look;
! up, and his eyes falling on the mountain
remained fixed there.
'sLook now, Teulep he said presently,
with solemn laugh; "yonder lies the
corse Of the nations of Anahuac washed
| in q water Of blood and made ready for
burial Is she not terrible in death?"
AS he spoke the words and turned to go,
sound of doleful wailing came from the
direction Of the mountain, very wild
and unearrhly sound that caused the blood,
| in my veins to stand still. Now Monte.
yuma caught my arm in his fear, and we
gazed together on 1xtac, and it seemed to
US that this wonder happened, for in
that red and fearful light the red figure Of;
( the sleeping woman arose, or appeared to.
rise, from its bier Of stone. It arose slow
| ", like one who awakes from sleep, and
presently i. stood upright upon the noun
tain's brow, towering high in the air.
There it stood, a giant and awakened
corpse, its white trappings stained with
blood, and we trcmbled to see it,
For awhile the wrath remained thus
gazing toward the city Of Tenoctitlan; then
suddenly it threw its vast arms upward as
though in grief, and at that moment tho
night rushed in upon it and covered it, :
while the sound Of wailing died slowly
away.
'tSay, Teule,'' gasped the emperor, '.do
not well to be afraid when such portents
as these meet my eyes day by day? Heark-
en- to the lamentations in the city; we
have not seen this sight alone. Listen how
the people cry aloud with fear and the
priests beat their drums toavert the cEten.i /
Weep on, We people, and ye priests pray
and do sacrifice! It Is very fitting, for the
day of your doom is upon you. 0 Tenoc-
titan, queen of cities, see you ruined
| and desolate, your palaces blackened with
fire, your temples desecratcd, your pleas
ant gardens {. wilderness. I see your high
born women the wantons Of stranger lords
and your princes their servants; the canals,
run red with the blood of your children
your gateways are blocked with their bones
Death is about you everywhere; dishoncr
is your daily bread; desolation is your por
tion Farewell to you, queen of the cities,
cradle of my forefathers in which vas
nursed!''
When Montezuma had made an end of
crying his prophecies, asked him hum
bly, if should summon to him the lords
who were in attendance upon him, but
who stood at some distance
NAY" he answered, "I would not have:
them see me thus with grief and terror
upon my face. Whoever fears, at least 1
must seem brave Walk with me awhile,
Teule and if it is in your mind to murder
me I shall not gricve.
made no answer, bus followed him as
he led the way down the darkest of the
winding paths that run between the ce-
dar trees, where it would have been easy
for me to kill him if wished, but could
not see how 1 should he advantaged by
the deed; also, though I knew that Mon
tezuma was my enemy, my heart shrank
from the thought of murder. For awhile
or more he walked on without speaking,
now beneath the shadow of the trees, and
now through open spaces Of garden plant
ed with lovely flowers till at last we came
! to the gates of the place where the royal
! dead are said to rest. Now, in front OF
these gates was al open space of turf on
which the moonlight shonc brightly, and
in the center of this space lay something
white, shaped like woman. Here Monte
yuma halted and looked at the gates, then
said:
..Tbeco oates onened four days since for