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

whom I love, and who Is Tar ACROSS the
sea- answered heavily. But enough
Of love and such matters. What have to
dowith them who go down into darknessi"
I'm truth, cannot tell, Teule. Still
have heard wise men say that II love is to
be found anywhere it is In this same
darkness of death, that Is light indeed
Grieve not, for If there Is truth in the faith
Of which you have told me or In our own,
either on this earth or beyond 1t, with the
eyes Of the spirit you will see your dear be-
fore another sun is Get, and pray that you
may find her faithful to you Tell me
now, how.snuch does she love your Would
she have lain by your side on the bed OF
sacrifice as, had things gone otherwise be-
tween us, Teule, it was my hope to do!"
"No,', I answered; 'it Is not the custom
of our women to kill themselves because
their husbands chance to die. /"
perhaps they think it better to live and
wed again, - answered Otomie very quiet
", but I saw her eyes flash and her breast
heaye in the moonlight as she spoke.
Enough of this foolish talk, !" said
Listen, Otomie. II you had cared for me
truly, surely you would have saved me
from this dreedful doom or prevailed upon
Guatemoc to save me. You are Monte
zuma's daughter: Could you not have
brought it about during all these months
that he issued his royal mandate, COM
manding that should be spared?"
"Do you, then take me for SO poor
friend, Teules'' she answered hotly.
..Know that for all these months, by day
and by night, have worked and striven
to find means to rescue you. Before he
became prisoner I importuned my IA
ther, the emperor, till he ordered me from
his presence I have sougi to bribe the
priests / have plotted ways OF escape
aye, and Guatemoc has helped, for he loves
you. Had it not been for the coming of
these accursed Teules and the war that
they levied In the city had surely saved
you, for woman's thought leaps far and
can find q pathwhere none seems possible.
But this war has changed everything,
and, moreover the star readers and di-
viners Of auguries have given prophecy
which seals your fate, for they have
prophesied that if your blood flows and
your heart is offered at the hour of noon
tomorrow on the altars Of Tezcat our peo-
ple shall be victorious over the Teules and
utterly destroy them. But If the sacrifice
is celebrated one moment before or after
that propitious hour, then the doom of
Tenoctitlan is sealed; also they have de-
clared that you must die, not, according
to custom, at the temple of ssms across
the lake, but on the great pyramid before
the chief statue Of the god All this is
known throughout the land. Thousands
of priests are now Offering up prayers that
the sacrifice may be fortunate, and gold
en- ring has been hung over the stone OF
slaughter In such fashion that the light
Of the sun must strike upon the center OF
your breast at the very moment OF mid
day. For weeks you have been watched
as jaguar watches its prey, for it was
feared that you would escape to the Teules,
and we, your wives, have been watched
also. At this moment there is triple
ring of guards about the palace, and
priests are set without your doors and be-
meath the window places Judge, then,
what chance there is Of escape, Teule. P"
Little indeed" said, land yet l
know road. If kill myself, they can
not kill me. -
''Nay," she answered hastily, what
shall that avail your While you live you
may hope, but once dead you are dead for
ever; also if you must die, it is best that
you should die by the hand Of the priest.
Believe me, though the end is horrible,
and she shuddered, 'tit is almost painless,
so they say, and very swift. They will not
torture you. That we have saved you,
Guatemoc and I, though at first they
wished thus to honor the god more particu-
larly on this great day.
80 Teule'' Otomie went on, seating
herself by mo ON the bed and taking my
hand, "think no more Of these brief ter
Tors, but look beyond them. Is it so hard
thing to die, and swiftly? We all must
die, today or tonight or the next day, it
matters little when, and your faith, like
ours, teaches that beyond the grave is end
less blessedness. Think then, my friend,
tomorrow you will have passed far from
this strife and turmoil; the struggle and
the sorrows and the daily fears for the fu-
ture that make the soul sick will be over
for you; you will be taken to your peace,
where no ore shall disturb you forever.
There you will find that mother whom you
have told me of, and who loved you, and
there perhaps one will join you who loves
you better than your mother; mayhap
even may meet you there, friend, and
she looked at me strangely. THE road
that you are doomed to walk Is dark in
deed, but surely 1t must be well trodden,
and there is light shining beyond it. So
be man, my friend, and do not grieve.
Rejoice rather that at so early an age you
have done with woes and doubts and come
to the gates of JOY; that you have passed
the thorny, unwatcred wilderness and see
the smiling lakes and gardens, and among
them the temples of your eternal city.
''And now farewell We meet no more
till the hour of sacrifice, for we women
who masquerade as wives must accompany
you to the first platforms Of the temple.
Farewell. dear friend. and think upon nv