Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-03-16
THE PEOPLE
OF THE MIST
By H. RIDER HAGGHRD.
copyright, 1898, by the Author.l

copyright, 1893, by the Author.
II was 8 O'Clock before Leonard awoke
next morning-for they had not slept till
nearly 3--te find Francisco already up,
dressed, and, as usual, praying. When
Leonard was dressed, they adjourned to
Juanna's room, where breakfast was ready
for them. Here they found Otter, looking
somewhat disturbed.
Bias, baas, - he said, ''they have come
and viii not go awayn'
"Whot" asked Leonard.
''Thc woman, baas, she who was given
to me to wife, and many other women
| her srvants-with her There are more
than 20 of them outside, baas and all of
them very big. Now, what shall do with
her, baas. ], who came to serve you and to
seek the red stones that you desired, and
not woman tall enough to be my grand
mothers"
Il really don't know and don't care, !"
answered Leonard ''If you will be god
you must take the consequences. Only
look here, Otter, lock up your tongue, for
this woman will teach you to speak her
! language, and she may be spy.
Yes, baas, l will sec to that Is not
my name Silence, and shall women make
me talk-me, who have always hated
them? But-the baas would not like to
marry her? l am god, and my heart is
large. ] will give her to you, baas. "
| Certainly not, answered Leonard de-
cidedly ''See if the breakfast is ready
| No, forgot. You are god, SO climb up
into that throne and look the part, if you
can. "
As he spoke Juanna came from her
room, looking a little pale and they sat
down to breakfast. Before they had fin
ished their meal Soa announced that Olfan
was waiting without. Juanna ordered
him to be admitted, and presently he en-
! tered.
| as all well, Olfan?' asked Juanna.
| San is well. queen, he answered
Nam and 800 priests held counsel at
dawn in the house of the priests yonder
| There is much stir and talk in tho city,
| but the hearts of the people are light be-
cause the ancient gods have come back to
MS, bringing peace with them. -
Good, - said Juanna. Then she began
to question him artfully OH many things,
and by degrees they learned more of the
People of the Mist.
1t seemed, as Leonard had already
guessed, that they were very ancient peo
pie, having existed for countless genera
lions on the same misty upland plains
They were not, however, altogether iso
| lated, for occasionally they made war with
| the savage tribes. But they never inter
married with these tribes, all the captives
taken in their wars being offered in sacri-
| fee at the religious festivals. The real
governing power in the community was
the society of the priests of the snake, who
held their office by hereditary tenure out
siders being admitted to their body only
under very exceptional circumstances.
Tho council of this society chose the kings,
and when they were weary of one of them
they sacrificed him and chose another,
either from among his issue or elsewhere.
| This being the custom, as may be i'm
agined, the relations between church and
state are much strained, but hitherto, as
Olfan explained with suppressed rage, the
church had by far the best of it. Indeed
the king, for the time being, was only its
moutbpieco or executive officer He led
the armies, but the superstitions of the
people, and even Of the soldiers them
selves, prevented him from welding any
real power, and unless he CHANGED to die
naturally his end was nearly always the
same-to be sacrificed when the seasons
were bad or Jal was angry.
The country was large, but sparsely pop
ulated, the fighting men numbering not
more than 1000, of whom about h I
lived in the great city, the rest occupy G
villages here and there on the mountain
slopes. As rule, the people were monog
amous, except the priests. 1t was the
custom of sacrifice which kept down the
population to its low level made the pow
err of the priests absolute and their wealth
greater than that of all the other inhabit
ants of the country put together, for they
chose the victims that had offended against
Jal or against the mother goddess and
conflscated their possessions to the service
of the temple.
Thus the great herds of half wild cattle
which the travellers had met with on the
plains belonged TO the priests, and the
priests took n fourth of the luce of ev
cry mans field and garden--that is, when
they did not take it all, and his life with it
Twice in every year great festivals were
held in the Temple of Jal, at the beginning
of the spring season and in the autumn
after the ingathering of the crops. At
each of these festivals many victims were
offered in sacrifice, some upon the ston1
anu sOlilG ny DciIlS HuTlci lnbO tilc DOlllHP
pool beneath the statue, there to be con
sumcd by the snake or swept down the
secret course of the underground river
The feast celebrated in the spring was
sacred to Jal, and that in the autumn to
the mother goddess, and there was this diff
ference between them-that at the spring
ceremony female victims only were sacri
feed to Jal to propitiate him and to avert
l., s,.n o.. Al.
celebration males alone were offered up to
the mother goddess in gratitude for her
gifts Of plenty; also victims were occa
sionally thrown to the snake that his hun
ger might be satisfied, and the priests had
other rites that, Olfan added, they would
have an opportunity of witnessing if the
spring festival which should be celebrated
on the second day from that date were
held according to custom.
1T shall be celebrated" said .Juanna
almost fiercely.
Then Leonard, who had hitherto listened
in silence asked a question. How is it, :"
he said, that Nam and his fellows, being
already in absolute power, were so willing
to accept the gods Jal and AGA when they
appeared in person, seeing that henceforth
they must obey, not rules"
It UT Two rtlsoHS, lOTO, tlldn allSWer-
cd. First, because the gods are gods, and
their servants know them and, secondly,
because Nam has of late stood in danger
of losing his authority. OF all the chief
priests that have been told of, Nam is the
most cruel and the most greedy. For three
years he has doubled the tale of sacrifices,
and, though the people love these sights of
death, they murmur, for none knows upon
whom the knife shall fall. Therefore he
was glad to greet the gods come back, since
he thought that they would confirm his
power and set him higher than he sat be-
fore. Now he is astonished because they
proclaim peace and will have none of the
sacrifice of men, and Nam does not love
such gentle Gods
Yet he shall obey them,' said Otter,
speaking for the first time by the mouth
of Juanna, who, all this while, was act
ing as interpreter, "or drink his own
medicine for l myself will sacrifice him
to myself
When Juanna had translated the
dwarf's bloodthirsty threat, Olfan bowed
his head meekly and smiled. Clearly the
prospect of Mans sacrifice did not cause
him unmixed grief. 1t was curious to see
/ the stately warrior king humbling his
pride before the misshapen, knob nosed
/ kafiir.