The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-10-17

or Sucn OF Tue Sle1xa4S0 S6tG1c1o a. fAo 1Acsy
select, there to learn the useful arts Of hus-
bandry and mining. These are the con-
iitions Of surrender, and am commanded
to say that an hour Is given you in which
todecide whether to accept OF reject them.
tsAnd If we reject thems''
stThen the Captain Berna Diaz has Or
ders to sack and destroy this city, and hav-
ING given it over II hours to the mercy OF
the Tlasca1ans and other faithful Indian
allies to collect those who may be left lly-
ING within it and bring them to the City
of Mexico. there to be sold as slaves -
Good" said .,You shall have your
answer in an hour.
Now, leaving the gate guarded, hurried
to the palace, sending messengers as l
went to summon such Of the council Of the
city as remained alive. At the door OF the
palace met Otomie, who greeted me fond
II, for after hearing Of our disaster she
had hardly looked to see me again.
Come with me to the hall Of assem-
bly, I said; There I will speak to you.
event to the hall, where the members
of the council were already gathered. SO
soon as the most Of them were assembled
there were but eight In ALL repeated to
them the words Of De Garcia without COM
ment. Then Otomie spoke, as, being the
first in rank, she had right to Go. Twice
before had heard her address the people
of the Otomie upon these questions OF de-
fense against the Spaniards. The first
time, it may be remembered, was when
we came as ENJOYS from Cuitlahua, Monte
zuma's cher father's) successor, to pray the
aid Of the children of the mountain against
Cortes and the Teules. The second time
was when, some "a years ago, we had re-
turned to the City Of Pines as fugitives aft
er the fall of Tenoctitlan, and the populace,
moved to fury by the destruction OF nearly
0,0O0 Of their soldiers, would have del1v-
cred us as peace offering into the hands
of the Spaniards
On each of these occasions Otomie had
triumphed by her eloquence, by the great
ness Of her name and the majesty OF her
presence. Now things were far otherwise,
and even had she not scorned to use them
such arts would have ayaiied US nothing
in their extremity. Now her great name
was but a shadow, one Of many waning
shadows cast by an empire whose glory
had gone forever. Now she used no pas
sionate appeal to the pride and traditions
Of a doomed race, now she was no longer
young, and the first splendor Of her wom-
anhood had departed from her. And yet,
as with her son and mine by her side, she
rose to address those seven councillors, who,
haggard with fear and hopeless in the
grasp Of fate, crouched in silence before
her. their faces buried in their hands, I
thought that Otomie had never seemed
more beautiful, and that her words, sim
pie as they were, had Dever been more elo-
quent.
Friends she said, ''you know the di-
aster that has overtaken us. Ny husband
has given yor the message OF the Teulcs.
Our case is desperate. We have but !, 00o
men at most to defend this city, the home
Of our forefathers, and we alone Of all the
people OF. Anahuac dare to stand in arms
against the white men, Years ago said
to you, Choose between death with honor
and life with shame! Today again I say
to you, Choose! For me and mine there is
no choice left, since whatever you decide
death must be our portion. But with you
it is otherwise. VIII you die fighting, OF
will you ana your children serve your re-
naming years as slayes?"
For awhile the seven consulted together;
then their spokesman answered.
tsOtomie, and you, Teule, we have fol-
lowed your copnsels for many years, and
they have brought US but little luck. We
do not blame you, for the gods OF Anahuac
have deserted Us as we have deserted
them, and the gods alone stand between
men and their evil destiny. Whatever mis-
fortunes We may have borne, you have
shared in them, and so it is now at the
end. Nor will we 90 back upon our words
in this the 1ast hour Of the people OF the
Otonaie. We have chosen; we have lived
free with you, and still free We Will die
with you, for, like you, we hold that 1t Is
better for us and OUTS to perish as free