The National tribune., 1899-03-30
,g4iHkrnando& &prtez
WAS~ MM Story of
" MH[yV0 The Spanish Conquest of Mexico
! NTsSE4Z%S R M. BIRD
a Story Of
The Spanish Conquest of Mexico.
BY R. M. BIRD.

replied, with dignity, yet with bitter sor
"The Teuctli'' $50 they called Don Her
nando, not because they esteemed him g
divinity, hut great prince, this being
the title of one Of the classes of nobility
has made me a slave; my subjects are
MS. Let the king govern his people.
30 saying, and Immediately descending
from the roof, he shut himself in his
apartments, and reSOlutely refused to ad
nit another messenger TO his presence.
and the dog denies me, thenn' cried
Cortez, when his answer was repeated to
him. "Hc says The truth; he is my slave;
his people are mine; and | will straight
way convince them of their subiectiOn.
To horse, to horse, brave cavaliers" he
shouted aloud. LET it not be said we
wasted powder on miserable naked In
dians. when we have swords TO strike
them on the neck, and horses hoois TO
tread them to the earth!"
No one was more ready TO obey this call
than Don Amador de LeSte. He had
stood upon the wall, occasionally striking
down some furious aSSailant with his
spear, but oitener cheering others with
his voice. and yet remaining more as a
spectator than a combatant, disdaining TO
strike. except when personally attacked,
until his blood was heated by the spec
tacle.
"Mount, now, my knave Lazaro, and per
haps We shall find my poor JacInto among
| these outrageous intidelS. Get thee to
horse, Fabueno; for to-day thou shalt see
what it is to be a soldier"
Fogoso stood, in his mail, like the Steed
of 4 true knight, champing the bit and
uhinnying, for he longed to be III the
midst of the combat; and loud was the
sound of his neighing when he telt the
weight of his master, and turned his fierce
eyes towards the gate.
Before the cavaliers, forming three
abreast tas many as could at once pass
through the gates), iooslpg their saberS III
the scabbardS, and COUGHING Their spears,
had yet received the signal to daSh upon
the opposing herds, there came from the
great pyr imid, which was seen rearing ITS
noun famous mass above the houses OF
the square, the sound as OF a horn, SAD
and solemn, but of so mighty tone that
il swelled distinctly over all the DIN oi
the battle and sent bodIng fe2r TO the
heart of the Christians. They knew, or
they thought it the sacred bugle OF Mex
It'll. sounded only during the festivals OF
tina: ferociouS deity, or on the occasion OF
Il great battle, when, it was supposed.
that Mexitli himself spoke TO his children,
and bade them die bravely
There was not a Spaniard present who
had not heard that the effect OF this con-
secratcd trumpet so sparingly used, was
to nerve even the vanquiShed with new
spirit, and those fighting with additional
rage: and that the meaneSt Mexican, how
ever ovcrpowered, thought not OF retreat
when thus cheered by his god.
The surprise OF all was therefore great
when. at the first blast, the Mexicans
ceased their cries, and stood as if turned
into statues; and they were still more
amazed when, as the braZen instrument
again poured its lugubrious roar over the
city, the barbarianS, responding with a
mournfui Shrek, turned their backs upon
the besieged, and instantly began to fly. |
A third blast was sounded, and nothing !
was seen upon the great square, or the
four streets, save heaps OF carcasseS, and
piles of human beings writhing i'll the
death agony.
Here is diabolical magic"' cried Cor,
tez. ioyful!y. There are more signals !
made by that accursed horn than We
have heard Of; and it seems to me. HUT !
zilOpochtli may be sometimes coward
we will look little into the
for perceive shining cloaks, as