Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-10-07

The night petcrt he left he drew
me to one side, and, sitting down with
his back to a tree and the flames of a
neighboring fire lighting up his pictur-
esque face, he said: And so you'd
like to know something about Madre
d'Oro?"
/ told him that should, if he thought
me worthy of his confidence.
1T is a secret" he said, in half whis-
per, "but then what does it matter if
the world knew, so long as only one
man can find the place?
What placer
''The place where all the gold in these
rocks and streams comes from-La
Madre d'Oro-the Mother of Gold. All,
thousands have died trying to find the
place, and it may be that now that know
where it is 1 may not be permitted to
enter it, for you know the Aztecs be-
lieve that the wonderful valley is en-
chanted."
"Indeed?"
"Yes, and am inclined to that belief
myself, but then 1 have spent so many
long, dreary years searching that 1t
would not do to lose heart now that UNI
told wealth is within my reach"
L
questioning drew out of him his story
of the valley of gold, which 1 suisse
quently found to be an established be-
lief among the miners of the northern
Mexican states, and to them it came,
without doubt, from the Aztecs, who
were once the masters of all this land.
Using my own language, this was
the account in which he firmly believed:
Within a hundred miles of the place
where we were then encamped was the
wonderful valley of gold, and Levi Bron-
son was confident that he knew the ex-
act location.
The valley was in the heart of the
Sierra Madre mountains, walled in by
towering rocks, and accessible only by
secret passage through which flowed
a stream that, excepting on one day
in every year. filled up the passage and
made ingress impossible.
This valley is small in extent and
perfectly circular. Through it the river
flows cool and clear, and filled with fish
whose scales are golden. The banks are
masses of variegated flowers, and trees
ever in blossom made delightful shades
and fairy-like arbors. Birds of the
sweetest song and most exquisite plu-
mage, of varieties unknown to the
outer world, make vocal this wonder
full valley and fash through its dark
green foliage like animated blossoms.
Running across this wonderful val
ley there is belt 40 feet in width on
which no vegetation grows, for the belt
is the top of wall of gold that flashes
with indescribable brilliancy when the
sun balances in midheaven and looks
lovingly down on Madre d'Oro.
The old Aztec priests know well this
lief that Montezuma will again appear
in the flesh, to lead them against the
Spanish conquerors, whom they have
never ceased to hate. They think the
wealth necessary to regain their liber
ties will come from this valley.
But one white man ever saw it, and
that was Spaniard named Jose Alvar-
rez, who entered through the subter-
ranean passage. and, being discovered
by the guardian priests, was sacrificed
to the sun on the golden ledge.
"And you know where this wonderful
valley is?' l asked Levi Bronson, when
he had finished his description.
YES" he replied; Il am sure could
lead you within one mile of the place"
Are you going there?'
81 am.''
'And you are not afraid of the guar
dian priests?"
"No, for l am a doctor, and I have
practicedmy profession for years among