San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-12-15

mountains tnat lie between the little
towns of Pichaucalco and Tiapa. OF
hll that district my father was the
hereditary cacique, and the Indians
there loved him much.
When / was lad perhaps nine years
old troubles arose in the country and
my father was made prisoner. / re-
member that he was shut up in dirty
place, so hot that it was difficult to
breathe, and that there were some
drunken Mexican soldiers outside the
{ door, who now and again threatened to
make an end of us Indian dogs.
Ny godfather, the priest Ignatio, con-
fessed my father ip q CORNER Of the cell,
and took something from his hand.
Then my father called me to him and
kissed ME, and with his own fingers for
q few moments he hung about my neck
that thing which the priest had taken
: from him, only to remove it again and
give it to Ignatio for safe keeping, say
ing: ''See that the boy has it, and its
story with it, when he comes Of age"
Now my father kissed me again,
blessing me in the name of God, and as
he did SO great tears ran down his face,
Then the priest lgnatio took me away,
and never saw my father any more,
for the soldiers shot him next morning
and threw his body into the hole that
they had dug to receive it.
After this my godfather, cousin and
namesake took me and my mother to
the little town of Tiapa, of which he
was priest, but she soon died of
broken heart.
When / was about fifteen years of
age, of a sudden a desire took hold of
me to become priest.
On the morrow / went into my god
fathers room, and told him of my de-
sire. He listened to me attentively, and
answered: 81 would that it might be
so, my son, holding, as do, that the
things of the world to come outweigh
those of the present earth ten thou
sandfold, but it cannot be, for reasons
that you shall learn when you are
older Then, when my trust is ended,
you may make your choice, and, if you
still wish it, become priest"
Five more years passed away, during
which time grew strong and active;
and skilled in all manly exercises, and
studied much under the teachings of my
godfather, who sent even to Spain to
buy me books.
At length, on my twentieth birthday,
my godfather, who was now grown very
old and feeble, called me into his cham
Der, and, having locked the door, he
spoke to me thus:
ssMy son, the time has come when 1
must deliver to you the last messages
of your beloved father, my cousin and
best friend, who was murdered by the
soldiers when you were little child,
and tell you Of your descent and other
matters.
s"First. then, yor must know that you
are of royal apaancient blood, for your
9TH ha G1a
temoc, the last of the Aztec emperors,
whom the Spaniards murdered, which
descent can prove to you by means OF
old writings and pedigrees: also it is
known and attested among the Indians,
who, even now, do not forget the stock
whence sprang their kings"
''Then, by right, / am emperor OF
Mexico" / said, proudly, for in my folly
it seemed fine thing to be sprang
from men who once had worn crown.
"Alasl my SON." the old priest an
swered, sadly, sin this world might is
the only right, and the Spaniards ended
that Of your forefathers long ago by
the aid of torture and the moose. Save
that it will earn you reverence among
the Indians, it is but barren honor
which YOU inherit with your blood.
,'Yet there is one thing that has come
down to you from your ancestor, Qua
temoc, and the monarchs who ruled be
fore him. Perchance you remember
that ON the night before he died YOU
father sat an amulet upon your neck
and. removing it again, gave it to me Il
keep. Here is that amulet"
And he handed me trinket made o
the half of a heart-shaped emerald
smooth with wear but unpublished, tina
If Joined to its missing section would
have been large as doves egg. Ihl
stone was not broken, but cut from tn
ton to the bottom, the line of the cut
ting being SO cunningly sawn that n,
one, unless he had one half before him
could initiate the other. This charm
was bored through so as to be worl
upon chain, and engraved upon 1t
surface were some hieroglyphics an
the outline of half human face.
ssWhat is it?" asked.
The old priest shrugged his shoulder
and answered:
"a relic that had to do with thei
wicked heather magic and rites, SUI
pose. l know little about 1t except tina
YOUR father told me that 1T was tn
most valued possession of the Ate
kings. and that the natives believe tina
when the two halves of this stone cam
together the men of white blood sha
be driven from Central America, an
that an Indian emperor shall rule froI
sea to sea-"
And where is the other hal
father?r
81 am a priest, and therefore you
father told me little of the matter, sine
it is not lawful that should belong
secret societies. Still, some such societ
exists and, in virtue of the ownership
that talisman, you will be head OF i
as your ancestors were before yo'
though, SO far as / can learn, it ha
brought them but little luck.
81 know no more about it, but
viii give you letters to certain India
who lives in the district of which yor
father was cacique, and, when 70
show him the stone, doubtless he wi
initiate you into its mysteries, thong
/ counsel you to have nothing to q
with them.
Listen, Ignatio, my son, you are
rich man; how rich cannot tell yo
but for many generations your for
fathers have hidden up treasure for g
r1,saof xubiob / will axT1aiu and III